Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake is an easy chocolate dessert made with chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling and butter. Simple and delicious! This easy recipe makes one of the best desserts ever!
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I have a lot of easy dump cake recipes on the blog, but this chocolate cherry dump cake recipe is a personal favorite. It's a great recipe for chocolate lovers!
So, can you make a dump cake with chocolate cake mix? The answer is definitely yes!
This easy dessert recipe is sometimes called black forest dump cake. It's basically a chocolate dump cake with cherry pie filling, similar to the classic black forest cake.
If you want more dump cake recipes, try peach dump cake, lemon dump cake, apple pie dump cake, strawberry dump cake, pineapple dump cake, pumpkin dump cake or blueberry dump cake.
Ingredients
You only need 3 simple ingredients for this cherry chocolate dump cake recipe. You can find them in the grocery store if they are not in your pantry or fridge:
- Chocolate cake mix -- I used devil's food cake mix
- Cherry pie filling -- I use 2 cans cherry pie filling
- Butter -- either salted butter or unsalted butter. I use 1.5 sticks butter thinly sliced.
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. Then, spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non stick spray.
Spoon both cans of cherry pie filling into the prepared baking dish. Next, spread the pie filling evenly over the bottom of the baking dish with a spatula or large spoon.
Sprinkle dry cake mix over the cherry pie filling. If you are new to making dump cakes, believe me, this will work.
Gently spread the cake mix over the cherries using a clean spatula.
Now, place the pats of butter in rows over the top of the cake mix. Some recipes call for melted butter, but slices of butter work better!
As the cake bakes, the butter melts into the dry cake mix and turns it into a layer of chocolate cake.
Place the cake into the preheated oven. I always use the middle rack for best results.
Cook Time
Bake the dump cake for 45 minutes or until the edges are firm and the filling is hot and bubbly.
So, how do you tell when a dump cake is done? The cake layer should be firm and not super gooey. The fruit layer will be bubbling up around the edges.
All ovens are different, and your cake may take up to 50 minutes depending on your oven temperature.
How to Serve
Dump cakes are super hot right out of the oven, so let it cool down a little. Serve this cherry chocolate cake warm or at room temperature with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover black forest dump cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
It'll keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, but you can keep it out at room temperature if your kitchen is cooler.
Enjoy your leftovers straight out of the fridge, or warm them up. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 15 second intervals until the cake is the perfect temperature for you!
Variations
There are a couple ways to customize this easy cake recipe to your liking.
If a rich chocolate cake isn't what you're looking for, use yellow cake mix, vanilla cake mix, or white cake mix instead. Or, use brownie mix instead of cake mix.
For a richer taste, add cream cheese to the cherry pie filling.
Serve this delicious dessert with ice cream, chocolate chips, whipped cream, or maraschino cherries or fresh cherries on top.
You can also make this chocolate cherry dump cake recipe in the slow cooker or Instant Pot!
Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 21 oz cans cherry pie filling
- 1 15.25 oz box chocolate cake mix
- 1½ sticks butter thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or non-stick spray
- Spoon cherry pie filling into the baking dish, and spread evenly with spatula.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix over pie filling, and spread with a spatula or knife so that it covers the filling
- Place pats of butter in neat rows over chocolate cake mix, and bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is firm and filling is hot and bubbly
Notes
Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.
Nutrition
Dump cakes are the easiest dessert recipe ever, and this easy chocolate cherry dump cake is a perfect dessert that takes only minutes of your time!
I hope you love this 3-ingredient chocolate cherry dump cake as much as we do!
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Amanda says
This was absolutely delicious and super easy to make. We loved it!
Vicky says
This was delicious! My kids asked for seconds!
Carol says
I’ve made your peach dump cake before, so I decided to branch out and try a new flavor. I’m so glad I did because this was to die for! The chocolate flavor matches perfectly with the cherries, and the texture is amazing. I can’t wait to make it again!!
Dee says
Thank you so much, Carol! So happy you liked the dump cakes!
Bia says
Made this cake last weekend for a family gathering. It was absolutely amazing!
Sarah says
Made this cherry dump cake yesterday. It was AMAZING!! I can't wait to make it again!
Sandra says
This cake is really something!! Everyone at my house loved it and they can't wait for me to make it again!
Dee says
That's wonderful! Thank you so much!
Juliane says
I am totally in love with this! Thank you for sharing!
Krystle says
Such an easy recipe. We just loved it.
Edna says
Another easy recipe for more chocolate! Made this with the grandkids. Hardest part is waiting for it to set up after baking. Going to try all of the flavors you mentioned.