Description
This Effortless Cherry Dump Cake is a simple and delicious dessert that layers cherry pie filling, a creamy cinnamon-cream cheese mixture, a yellow cake mix topping, and cold butter to create a moist, flavorful cake with minimal effort. Baked to golden perfection, it’s perfect for quick gatherings or satisfying your sweet tooth with a classic fruit dessert.
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 cans cherry pie filling (15.75-ounce cans)
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup butter (very cold)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the dump cake evenly.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or grease it lightly with butter to prevent sticking.
- Layer Cherry Filling: Evenly spread the cherry pie filling across the bottom of the prepared baking dish to create the fruit base layer.
- Mix Cream Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the softened cream cheese, room-temperature egg, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Cream Cheese Mixture: Spoon and drizzle the cream cheese mixture over the cherry filling, distributing it as evenly as possible to cover most of the cherries.
- Sprinkle Cake Mix: Evenly sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the top of the cherry and cream cheese layers, ensuring full coverage.
- Grate Butter: Using a box grater, grate the very cold butter and distribute the grated pieces evenly across the surface of the dry cake mix to help create a buttery crust.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Check for Dry Spots: During the last few minutes of baking, if you see any dry areas on the topping, sprinkle additional grated butter over those spots to keep the cake moist and rich.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. For an extra treat, serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese and egg are at room temperature for smoother mixing and better texture.
- Cold butter is easier to grate and helps create a crumbly, rich topping.
- Use full cans of cherry pie filling for the best flavor and moisture.
- Letting the cake cool slightly improves slicing and serving.
- Optional: Add chopped nuts on top for extra crunch before baking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
