Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
This Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake is a rich, cobbler-style dessert made with chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling, and butter. It bakes up with a gooey cherry base and a crisp, chocolatey top—perfect for an easy, crowd-pleasing treat.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (21 ounces each) cherry pie filling use good-quality filling; stir in a handful of frozen cherries if very gel-heavy
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix devil’s food, dark chocolate, or fudge; dark chocolate gives best flavor
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional but recommended; mini chips work especially well
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted; about 1 stick (113 g). Salted butter is fine—omit extra salt.
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts optional; walnuts or pecans for crunch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional; stirred into cherry filling
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional but lovely; almond pairs well with cherry
- salt pinch; enhances chocolate flavor
- vanilla ice cream optional, for serving
- whipped cream optional, for serving
- shaved chocolate or chocolate curls optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. A glass dish lets you see the bubbling cherry layer, while a metal pan may brown the top a bit more.
- Empty both cans of cherry pie filling into the prepared baking dish. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract, if using, and gently stir together right in the pan to combine.2 cans (21 ounces each) cherry pie filling, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the cherry mixture. The chips will melt into the cherries and create pockets of chocolate.1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Open the box of chocolate cake mix and sprinkle it evenly over the cherry layer. Do not stir. Use a spoon or your hand to gently spread it into an even layer and break up any large clumps. Lightly sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top.1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix, salt
- Slowly drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix, covering as much of the surface as possible. Some small dry patches are okay. Sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over the top, if using.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup chopped nuts
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, until the edges are bubbly, the top looks set and mostly dry, and some areas are a deeper golden-brown chocolate color. If you see any very powdery spots of cake mix near the end of baking, gently tap them down into the bubbling cherry layer with a spoon and bake for about 5 minutes more.
- Let the cake cool for 15–20 minutes so it can thicken slightly. Scoop warm portions into bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and garnish with shaved chocolate if desired. This dessert is spooned like a cobbler rather than sliced like a traditional cake.vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, shaved chocolate or chocolate curls
Notes
For a simpler 3-ingredient version, use only cherry pie filling, chocolate cake mix, and butter; omit the extracts, chocolate chips, nuts, and salt. For a deeper chocolate flavor, add extra chocolate chips to both the cherry layer and on top before baking. If your cherry pie filling is very sweet, you can stir in a handful of frozen cherries or a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Leftovers keep well and the flavors deepen after a day.
Love this recipe?Follow us at @thenandnowspace for more