Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Authentic Dump Cake Recipe

A tangy-sweet, buttery fruit dessert with a golden cake topping and crisp edges. No mixer, no fuss. Dump, layer, bake, and scoop it warm with ice cream.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A freshly baked dump cake in a glass baking dish with a golden, buttery cake topping and bubbling fruit around the edges on a wooden kitchen counter
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If you have ever wanted a dessert that feels like you tried hard without actually trying hard, welcome. This authentic dump cake recipe is the classic pantry miracle: fruit on the bottom, cake mix on top, butter everywhere it counts, and a bake that turns into bubbly, tangy-sweet perfection.

It is not a “cake” in the birthday-frosting sense. Think of it more like a cozy fruit cobbler’s cousin with a crisp, buttery top and jammy fruit underneath. The tang comes from pineapple and cherries, the sweet comes from the fruit and cake mix, and the magic happens when the butter melts through and makes those crunchy, golden pockets. This is the kind of dessert you bring to a potluck and suddenly everyone asks for the recipe while still holding their plate.

A close-up of a spoon scooping warm dump cake showing gooey cherry and pineapple fruit under a golden crumb topping

Why It Works

  • Big flavor, tiny effort: The fruit bakes into a tangy, syrupy layer while the cake mix turns into a buttery crust.
  • Crisp edges and soft middle: The corners get caramelized and crunchy, the center stays tender and scoopable.
  • No special skills required: No mixing bowl, no creaming butter, no stress. Just smart layering.
  • Perfect make-ahead dessert: It travels well and reheats like a dream.

My #1 success tip: slice the butter thin and cover the surface evenly. Dry cake-mix patches happen when butter coverage is spotty or the fruit layer does not have enough liquid to hydrate the mix.

Pairs Well With

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Lightly sweetened whipped cream
  • Greek yogurt with honey (for a tangy swap)
  • Hot coffee or strong black tea

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Let the dump cake cool, then cover the baking dish tightly or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheat: For the best crisp edges, warm servings in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave works too (30 to 60 seconds), but the topping will be softer.

Freeze: Freeze in portions (airtight) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven to bring back that buttery crunch.

Common Questions

Do I stir the cake mix into the fruit?

Nope. Authentic dump cake is all about layers. Fruit first, then dry cake mix, then butter on top. Stirring can make the topping gummy.

Why do I have dry powdery spots on top?

The two usual culprits are uneven butter coverage and not enough liquid in the fruit layer. Slice the butter thin and distribute it across the entire surface. Also make sure you are using undrained pineapple so the juice can soak up into the cake mix from below while the butter hydrates from above. If you notice dry spots halfway through baking, you can carefully add a few extra butter slivers right on those patches.

Can I use fresh fruit instead of canned?

You can, but canned fruit is part of what makes this recipe “authentic” and reliably saucy. If using fresh, you will need to add sugar and a bit of liquid (or juice) so the bottom layer gets jammy, not dry.

What cake mix is best?

Yellow cake mix is the classic choice. White cake mix is slightly lighter. Spice cake mix is amazing in fall, but it will change the vibe.

Do I drain the fruit?

Do not drain the pineapple. The juice is important here. It helps hydrate the cake mix from the bottom as everything bakes. Keep the cherry pie filling as-is too. That combo gives you a thick, spoonable fruit layer with enough moisture to avoid dry patches.

I love food that tastes like a plan even when it was a last-second decision. Dump cake is that friend. The first time I made it, I was trying to bring “something dessert” to a get-together with exactly one hour and a pantry that looked like it had been looted by roommates. I found a cake mix, a couple cans of fruit, and butter. I dumped it, baked it, and showed up with a bubbling dish that smelled like a carnival and a holiday at the same time. People went back for seconds before I even got my shoes off. Now I keep the ingredients on standby, because it is hard to beat a dessert that rewards chaos.