Dump Cake
This vegetarian builds crushed pineapple with juice, cherry pie filling and yellow cake mix into an easy meal you can have ready in about 55 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and baking dish. At easy difficulty across 7 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and lightly grease a 23 by 33 cm baking dish.
- Spread the crushed pineapple along with all of its juice evenly across the bottom of the dish.
- Spoon the cherry pie filling over the pineapple in an even layer, without stirring the two together.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the fruit so it forms a complete dry layer, breaking up any lumps with your fingers.
- Scatter the chopped pecans over the top, then slice the butter thinly and lay the pieces across the surface so it melts down into the cake mix as it bakes.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges.
- Let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes so it sets slightly, then serve warm, on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
You'll use: Oven · Baking dish
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Dump Cake take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 5 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Dump Cake vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Dump Cake is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Pumpkin dump cake with Cool Whip 02.jpg by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.