Easy Cherry Dump Cake

The BEST every Cherry Dump Cake recipe with easy ingredients including frozen sweet cherries, fresh orange, and a yellow cake mix. This quick and easy dump cake recipe requires no mixing bowl and it’s DELICIOUS with a cobbler and crisp like topping!

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Oh so excited for this Easy Cherry Dump Cake recipe today! You know I love dump cake recipes like my Pina Colada Dump Cake, Caramel Apple Dump Cake, and Blueberry Dump Cake. They’re all a little different and delicious depending on what kind of fruit you’re in the mood for, haha!

Oh forgot about my Pumpkin Dump Cake and Chocolate Dump Cake. How did I forget to mention those?! The Chocolate Dump Cake has been super popular lately. No fruit involved in that one so it’s a little different but fabulous in a totally different way. 

Ummm, maybe I have a dump cake addiction or problem? 

Cherry Dump Cake Ingredients

• Cherries – I used defrosted frozen cherries. A lot of people like to use canned cherry pie filling, but I’m not a fan of all the added goop and sugar. You could try fresh cherries as well, but you may want to cook them a bit in a pan with a little sugar or water just to add a little moisture for the cake mix to dissolve into.
• Flour – Not necessarily needed, but I tossed the defrosted cherries in a little flour to help thicken the “juices” while baking.
• Orange –  A little fresh orange zest and orange juice really brightens up this dump cake recipe. You could substitute your favorite citrus.
• Cake Mix – Use your favorite flavor cake mix. I used a yellow/vanilla cake mix but chocolate would also be great. Some people have mentioned they don’t have the best results with cake mixes with pudding in them so I’d suggest trying a cake mix without pudding. I used a Duncan Hines (15.25 ounce) Classic Yellow cake mix.
• Butter – You can use salted or unsalted melted butter or even margarine if you prefer. 
• Buttermilk (or milk) – Most people don’t add buttermilk or milk to the top of their dump cakes but I like how it helps cover the cake mix to prevent dry spots after baking. It also helps the topping turn into almost like a cobbler, but still a bit crispy.

If you want to change up this Cherry Dump Cake a bit you could add some nuts, coconut, or even pineapple for a whole new flavor. Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is quite popular! Although I do like this Cherry Dump Cake WITHOUT pineapple as well.

How To Make A Cherry Dump Cake

1. Butter or grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.
2. Add the defrosted cherries, orange juice, and orange zest to the pan and toss with a little flour to mix and combine.
3. Sprinkle the DRY cake mix on top of the cherries and spread with a spoon to form an even layer.
4. Pour the melted butter and buttermilk on top and tilt the pan a little to cover the top of the dry cake mix. 
5. Bake for about 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until top is golden brown.

That’s it!

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Can I Make A Cherry Dump Cake in a Crockpot or Slow Cooker?

I have not tried it personally with this recipe, but guessing you could. If you want to give it a try, I would suggest following the directions the same but instead of baking the Cherry Dump Cake in the oven, bake in your crockpot or slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours.

Again, I haven’t tried it personally, but if you do try it, please let me know how it worked!

How To Serve Dump Cake

The dump cake is great warm out of the oven, room temperature, or even cold. Personal choice. We like dump cakes a bit warm with ice cream or whipped cream on top. 

Vanilla or French Vanilla ice cream is great on this Cherry Dump Cake! Store bought ice cream or homemade is always great.

A little fresh orange zest would also be a great addition on top.

This Cherry Dump Cake recipe has almost a cobbler like topping that is slightly soft and slightly crunchy. Kind of the best of both worlds and like a cherry cobbler dump cake.

How To Store Dump Cake

I like to cover this Cherry Dump Cake and store in the refrigerator. I think it’s best the same day BUT you can definitely make it ahead and reheat it in the oven or microwave. It will last at least a few days if not longer.

You probably don’t have to store in the refrigerator but I like to just to be on the safe side and for the dump cake to last a bit longer.

Hope you enjoy this Easy Cherry Dump Cake recipe!

Quick video to see this easy Cherry Dump Cake come together…

Check out this fun list of easy dump cake recipes with a long list of various other dump cake recipes!

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5 from 5 votes

Easy Cherry Dump Cake

Easy Cherry Dump Cake with no mixing bowls and not a lot of ingredients including frozen cherries, fresh orange, and a cake mix.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 36 minutes

Servings 12 -16 servings

Author Lisa Huff

Ingredients

• 3 12 ounce bags frozen (pitted) sweet cherries defrosted (about 7 1/2 cups of cherries)
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix (do NOT make according to box)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.
• Add the cherries (with any liquid from the bag) to the baking dish. Stir in the orange zest and orange juice. Stir 1/4 cup of the flour. Stir in more flour as needed just to coat cherries slightly. Spread the cherries out to form an even layer.
• Spoon the dry cake mix out in an even layer over the cherries.
• Mix together the melted butter and buttermilk, then pour over the cake mix in an even layer. Tilt pan if needed for butter and buttermilk to cover the top of the dry cake mix.
• Bake the cake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown and the cherries are bubbling.

Notes

SNAPPY TIPS: Fresh orange zest and juice makes a big difference, so I don't suggest leaving them out, but you could. Some people have mentioned cake mixes with pudding in them do not work as well so you may want to stick with a classic yellow cake mix.

SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: Instead of buttermilk you could substitute milk. Instead of cherries you could use other types of defrosted frozen fruit.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords: dump cake recipe, easy potluck dessert

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