This recipe is for a delightful and incredibly easy-to-make “Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake,” designed to be a comforting, warm dessert, ideally served à la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The image prominently features a serving of this cake, showcasing its vibrant, bubbling cherry and pineapple fruit base, partially covered by a golden, crumbly cake topping. A generous scoop of melting vanilla ice cream cascades over the warm cake, creating an inviting contrast of temperatures and textures – the sweet, tart fruit, the soft cake, and the creamy, cold ice cream. The “dump cake” method means minimal preparation and maximum flavor, making it a perfect quick dessert for family dinners, potlucks, or any occasion where you need a delicious treat with very little fuss.
Ingredients:
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling (or any fruit pie filling of your choice, like strawberry)
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (do not prepare as directed on box)
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter, melted
- Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (for added crunch)
- Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg (for added spice)
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Equipment:
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- Can opener
- Rubber spatula or spoon
- Small microwave-safe bowl or saucepan (for melting butter)
Instructions:
Part 1: Prepare the Fruit Base
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread Pineapple: Pour the undrained crushed pineapple evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Do not drain the juice; it contributes to the moisture and flavor of the cake.
- Spread Cherry Pie Filling: Spoon the cherry pie filling (or chosen fruit pie filling) over the crushed pineapple. Gently spread it out evenly, but avoid stirring the two fruit layers together too much. You want distinct layers of fruit.
Part 2: Add Dry Mix and Butter
- Sprinkle Cake Mix: Evenly sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the fruit layers. Do not stir it into the fruit. It might seem like a lot of dry mix, but it will absorb the fruit juices during baking.
- Add Melted Butter: Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.
- Drizzle Butter: Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix. Try to cover as much of the cake mix as possible. The butter will help create a crumbly, delicious topping.
- Add Nuts and Spice (Optional): If using, sprinkle the chopped pecans or walnuts and cinnamon or nutmeg evenly over the top of the butter.
Part 3: Bake the Dump Cake
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the cake topping is golden brown and the fruit mixture is bubbly around the edges. A fork or toothpick inserted into the cake topping (avoiding the fruit layer) should come out mostly clean with moist crumbs.
- Cool Slightly: Once baked, carefully remove the dump cake from the oven. Let it cool on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the fruit filling to set slightly and cool to a more manageable temperature.
Part 4: Serve
- Serve Warm: Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is best served warm.
- Add Ice Cream: Spoon individual servings of the warm dump cake into bowls. Top each serving with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, allowing it to melt slightly into the warm fruit and cake.
- Enjoy this incredibly simple yet satisfying dessert! Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and reheated gently in the microwave or oven.