This Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake is the easiest 3-ingredient dessert you will make this summer! Cherry pie filling is topped with devilโs food cake mix and butter for a sweet treat: one part cake, one part cobbler, and two parts irresistible.
Everyone will ask for the recipe, and no one will believe how darn simple it is to make!
What Is a Dump Cake?
All Things Mamma readers canโt get enough of my easy dump cake recipes! Aside from how tasty they are, the best thing about dump cakes is that you donโt need to dirty bowls or get out your electric mixerโthe ingredients are dumped directly into the baking dish. With this Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake, youโll pour the cherry pie filling at the bottom of the dish, then top it with the dry cake mix and butter.
Is it magic? It might just be! Somehow, it turns out amazing even without adding eggs or milk or anything else. Here’s everything you need to know on How To Make Dump Cakes!
(Do you love chocolate cakes? Then you must try my famous Copycat Portillo’s Chocolate Cake and my Chocolate Dump Cake, too!)
Easy Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
There arenโt very many fruits that pair better with chocolate than cherries, so if you have a weakness for this duo, this is going to become your go-to dump cake recipe. I love making Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake for a summer barbecue because itโs so good topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but whatโs great about a dump cake is that itโs easy enough to make on a weeknight so you can surprise your family with an unexpected dessert after dinner.
Really, the hardest part about making Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake is waiting for it to finish baking. It needs about 45 minutes in the oven, so be sure to plan accordingly!
(For more cherry goodness, make my Cherry Fluff Salad!)
Ingredients
Hereโs what youโll need to make Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake:
- Cherry pie filling โ The whole point of a dump cake is that itโs a super easy dessert, so we use canned cherry pie filling hereโtwo cans, to be exact. Just open โem up and dump ’em out.
- Devilโs food cake mix โ Fun fact: devilโs food cake got its name because it used to be made with shredded beets, giving it a deep red color. (Of course, the richness of the chocolate probably played a role too!)
- Butter โ Youโll need to melt a stick and a half of butter.
- Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream โ Technically, this is optional, but I say go big or go home.
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
1. Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350ยบF, then spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Dump
Empty the cans of pie filling into the baking dish, then use a spatula to distribute the filling evenly. Top this with the dry cake mix.
3. Add Butter
Pour the melted butter over the top of the cake mix. Tilt the dish to make sure as much of the cake mix is saturated with the butter as possible.
4. Bake
Pop the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until itโs bubbly around the edges.
5. Serve
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then serve your Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake with the whipped topping or a scoop of ice cream.
Quick Tip
Keep in mind that dump cakes are best consumed within a few days for the best taste and texture.
How to Store Dump Cakes
After baking, let it cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container to prevent moisture buildup. Refrigeration is optional but can extend freshness, so ensure the container is airtight to preserve flavor. For longer storage, freeze the cake, wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing it in a freezer-safe container.
How to Reheat
To reheat a dump cake, preheat your oven to 350ยฐF, then place the desired portion in an oven-safe dish. Cover it with aluminum foil to prevent drying, and heat for about 15-20 minutes until warmed through. Alternatively, you can use a microwave to reheat individual servings in 30-second increments until heated to your liking.
FAQ
How do dump cakes work?
Dump cakes are really best thought of as a cobbler-like dessert rather than a cake. They donโt bake up like a fluffy cake, but the liquid from the butter and pie filling adds enough moisture for the cake mix to take on crisp-y, cobbler-y texture when all is said and done.
How do you know when Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake is done?
As mentioned above, this is not a cake-y cake, so youโll know when your Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake is done not by inserting a toothpick in the center, but by looking for the pie filling to be bubbling up around the edges.
Do you stir a dump cake?
Heavens no! Stirring is not needed. Just dump the ingredients in. It will work out, I promise.
Favorite Dump Cake Recipes
If youโre looking for more easy dump cake recipes, give these a try!
All Recipes
Blueberry Dump Cake
All Recipes
Peach Dump Cake
All Recipes
Apple Dump Cake
All Recipes
Strawberry Dump Cake
Quick & Easy Desserts
Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- Can opener
- Rubber spatula
- Serving spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cans 21 ounces each cherry pie filling
- 1 devil’s food cake mix
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream if desired
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ยฐF. Spray bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Spread pie filling in baking dish.2 cans
- Top with dry cake mix evenly.1 devil’s food cake mix
- Pour melted butter over top, tilting pan to cover as much of top with butter as possible.3/4 cup butter
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes or bubbly around edges.
- Cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream
Absolutely delicious! I added almond extract to the cherries and my husband loved this dessert. Highly recommend it!
Such a great addition! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dawn. Thank you for sharing! ๐
Super easy and delicious with vanilla ice cream dusted with cinnamon
Super easy and delicious with vanilla ice cream dusted with cinnamon
Thank you, Dani!
I made this, and it was very very sweet, and I used Lite Cherry pie filling. I would not make again.
Currently have this in the oven, but used strawberry pie filling instead of cherry. My only complaint is it could easily use another can or two of pie filling. However, I plan on re-making this with strawberry pie filling and banana cake mix for Easter!
Do you think you could use a brownie mix instead of a cake mix?? Maybe use more butter??
Would just like to mention that your instructions read to bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly around edges (totally agree) BUT where your prep & cook time are listed it says cook time is 11 minutes. Was just a little confused ๐ no rudeness implied