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Chocolate Dump Cake (3 Ingredients, No Mixing)
This chocolate dump cake is about as easy as baking gets: you dump cherry pie filling into a pan, sprinkle a box of chocolate cake mix over it, cover the top with butter, and bake. No mixer, no bowls, no stirring. The fruit bubbles up into the cake mix and the butter turns the top into a crisp, cobbler-like crust, with jammy cherries and soft chocolate cake underneath.
The base recipe uses only three ingredients. Chocolate chips are an optional fourth, and there is a cherry-free, extra-fudgy pudding version in the variations section. The recipe card with exact amounts is at the bottom of the page.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Dump Cake
- Three ingredients, all from the baking aisle.
- Five minutes of prep and only one pan to wash.
- Feeds a crowd. A 9×13 pan makes 12 generous servings for potlucks, holidays or game day.
- Hard to mess up. There is no batter to overmix and no cake to fall.
Ingredients for Chocolate Dump Cake
- Cherry pie filling, two 21 oz cans (595 g each). The juicy filling provides all the moisture the cake mix needs. Cherry is the classic pairing with chocolate (it tastes a little like Black Forest cake), but other fillings work too; see the variations below.
- Chocolate cake mix, one 15.25 oz box (432 g). Any brand of devil’s food, chocolate fudge or milk chocolate cake mix works. Use only the dry mix; ignore the eggs, oil and water listed on the box.
- Unsalted butter, ¾ cup (1½ sticks / 170 g). Cold butter cut into thin slices gives the most even, crisp top. Melted butter also works and is a bit faster.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup (85 g), optional. They melt into little pockets of chocolate.
Equipment You Need
- A 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, glass or metal
- A spatula or spoon for spreading the pie filling
- A sharp knife for slicing the butter
How to Make Chocolate Dump Cake (Step by Step)
1. Heat the oven and grease the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease the baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. Dump in the cherry pie filling
Empty both cans of cherry pie filling into the dish and spread them into an even layer with a spatula.
3. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly
Open the cake mix and sprinkle it evenly over the filling, breaking up any lumps with your fingers. Gently level it with the back of a spoon. Do not stir. The layers are what make a dump cake work. If you are using chocolate chips, scatter them over the cake mix now.
4. Cover with butter
Cut the cold butter into thin slices, about ⅛ inch (3 mm), and lay them over the entire surface, as close together as possible. Any dry cake mix left uncovered will stay powdery, so aim to cover nearly all of it. If using melted butter, drizzle it slowly and evenly over the whole surface.
5. Bake until bubbly and set
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The chocolate dump cake is done when the filling is bubbling around the edges, the top looks dry, slightly crackled and set, and there are no powdery patches. If you see a dry spot halfway through, dab it with a little extra butter.
6. Cool before serving
Let the cake cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes. The cherry filling is extremely hot right out of the oven and thickens as it cools. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Dump Cake
- Spread the cake mix evenly. Thick piles of mix can stay dry in the center. An even layer cooks through.
- Cover the top with butter. This is the most common reason dump cakes have powdery spots.
- Use the right pan size. In a smaller pan, the layers are deeper and the center may not cook through in time.
- Do not taste the dry mix. Cake mix contains raw flour, which should be baked before eating.
- Place a sheet pan underneath. The filling can bubble over in a full pan, and a sheet pan on the rack below catches drips.
Easy Variations and Substitutions
Chocolate pudding dump cake (no fruit)
For a fudgy, cherry-free version, whisk one 3.9 oz (110 g) box of instant chocolate pudding with 2 cups (480 ml) cold milk directly in the greased dish until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the cake mix and 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips over the top, cover with ¾ cup (170 g) sliced butter, and bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. The bottom stays soft and saucy. Refrigerate leftovers, since this version contains milk.
Other fruit fillings
- Raspberry chocolate: use two cans of raspberry pie filling.
- Cherry pineapple: one can cherry pie filling plus one 20 oz (567 g) can crushed pineapple with its juice.
- Strawberry chocolate: two cans of strawberry pie filling.
Extra toppings
- ½ cup (55 g) chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix for crunch
- Shredded coconut and pecans for a German chocolate twist
- A drizzle of caramel or hot fudge sauce on each serving
Love easy desserts? Try our apple dump cake, a seasonal pumpkin dump cake, or a from-scratch chocolate cake. Need a dinner to go before dessert? These oven roasted chicken thighs bake at the same time you are prepping.
What to Serve With Chocolate Dump Cake
- Vanilla ice cream, the classic choice
- Whipped cream or whipped topping
- A dollop of Greek yogurt or crème fraîche to cut the sweetness
- Coffee or a cold glass of milk
Common Chocolate Dump Cake Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
- Stirring the layers together. It is tempting, but stirring turns the cake mix into a dense, gummy paste. Leave the layers alone and let the oven do the work.
- Leaving bare patches of cake mix. Any mix that is not touched by butter or juice stays dry and floury. Overlap the butter slices slightly, and push the mix into the corners where it tends to pile up.
- Using a pan that is too small. An 8×8 or 9-inch round pan makes the layers too deep, so the middle stays raw while the edges overcook. Stick with 9×13 for the full recipe.
- Pulling it too early. If the center still looks powdery or pale, give it another 5 to 10 minutes. The edges should be bubbling and the top should look dry and crackled all over.
- Serving it straight from the oven. The fruit layer is very hot and loose when the pan comes out. A 15 to 20 minute rest lets it thicken, so each scoop holds together and nobody burns their mouth.
- Using pie filling labeled “light” or “no sugar added”. These are thinner and less sweet, which can leave the top under-moistened and the flavor flat. Regular pie filling gives the most reliable result.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Refrigerate leftovers covered and eat within about 3 to 4 days. The topping softens in the fridge but still tastes great.
- Freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or warm the whole pan, covered with foil, at 325°F (165°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
For general guidance on leftovers and cold storage, see the FoodSafety.gov storage chart.
Chocolate Dump Cake FAQs
Do you mix a dump cake?
No. A dump cake is layered and baked without stirring. Mixing the cake mix into the filling makes a gummy texture instead of a crisp top.
Why is my dump cake dry or powdery on top?
Some cake mix was not covered by butter or moistened by the filling. Spread the mix evenly, cover the surface with thin butter slices, and dab extra butter on any dry spots during baking.
Should I use melted butter or sliced butter?
Both work. Thin slices of cold butter give a crisper, more even top. Melted butter is quicker but can run into channels and leave dry patches.
Can I make chocolate dump cake in a slow cooker?
Yes. Layer the ingredients the same way in a greased 6-quart slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours or LOW for 4 hours, until the top is set. Lay a clean kitchen towel under the lid to catch condensation.
Can I make it ahead?
You can bake it up to a day ahead and rewarm it, covered, at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes. It is at its best on the day it is baked.
Can I use a different size pan?
Halve the recipe for an 8×8-inch (20 cm) pan: one can of filling, about half the cake mix (2 cups / 216 g) and 6 tablespoons (85 g) of butter. Bake 35 to 45 minutes.
Chocolate Dump Cake Recipe Card
Calories are an estimate based on USDA FoodData Central values for chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling and butter, without the optional chips or ice cream. Browse all our cake recipes for more.
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
- Spread both cans of cherry pie filling evenly in the dish.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the filling, breaking up lumps. Do not stir. Scatter over the chocolate chips, if using.
- Cover the surface with thin slices of cold butter, as close together as possible (or drizzle evenly with melted butter).
- Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and the top is dry, crackled and set with no powdery patches.
- Cool at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving warm, with ice cream or whipped cream if you like.
