Rich, gooey, and packed with chocolate cherry flavor, this chocolate cherry dump cake is made with only 4 ingredients and minimal prep. It’s a quick and easy indulgent dessert!
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Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
Whipping up a dump cake has always been a way to serve an effortless dessert that delivers big flavor, and this chocolate cherry dump cake is one of many flavor combinations! It’s a cross between cherry dump cake and chocolate dump cake, with extra gooey chocolate chips in there too!
It’s a 4-ingredient recipe is one anyone can master. With minimal prep, it’s perfect for last-minute gatherings, potlucks, a holiday dessert, or when you feel like indulging in something sweet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s gooey, fudgy, and even better with ice cream!
- A reliable go-to for quick and easy desserts.
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Cherry pie filling: You’ll need 2 cans for this recipe or you can use homemade cherry pie filling. The filling delivers a sweet and tart flavor combination.
- Chocolate cake mix: Use whichever brand you prefer, just ensure it is 18 ounces although 15.25 ounces should work, too.
- Mini chocolate chips: For extra chocolatey goodness.
- Salted butter: I use salted butter to enhance the flavor and balance the sweetness. It needs to be melted.
- For serving: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Pour the cherry pie filling into the bottom of a prepared 9×13 baking dish.
Dump and sprinkle the dry cake mix over the fruit (do not mix). Add chocolate chips in an even layer on top.
Drizzle with melted butter evenly over the top and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Allow it to sit for 15 minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t mix the ingredients. It’s meant to have the fruit on the bottom and cake on the top for that gooey middle and crisp topping.
- Chocolate chips are optional. I always add them because they add to the fudginess, but this easy dessert still works without them.
- Let it sit, but serve warm. Resting it for a few minutes before serving gives it time to set. However, please don’t wait too long, it’s best served warm!
- Use the slow cooker! Dump the ingredients into the crockpot in the same order. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
You may also love these cake recipes including my death by chocolate poke cake, best chocolate cake recipe and chocolate crazy cake.
More Dump Cake Recipes
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 (21 ounce) cans cherry pie filling
- 18 ounce box chocolate cake mix
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- 12 Tablespoons salted butter , melted
For serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease the bottom of a 9×13" pan. Pour 2 cans cherry pie filling into the bottom of the pan.
- Dump the box of cake mix over the fruit. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Then pour 12 Tablespoons melted butter evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to sit 15 minutes minutes before serving.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Substitutions and Variations
The best thing about this cherry chocolate dump cake recipe is that you can make it, or any dump cake, with a different combination of flavors. Have fun with it!
- Swap the chocolate cake mix for devil’s food cake mix, black forest cake mix, or even a brownie mix.
- If you have a homemade cherry pie filling you want to use, go for it.
- Sprinkle some cinnamon over the filling, or add vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Use white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or mint chocolate chips instead.
- Sprinkle in some chopped nuts for added crunch. Walnuts, pecans, or almonds are great options.
Recipe FAQs
Many brands have been shrinking their cake mix size over the last several years! If you can’t find the 18 ounce size cake mix, you can try Duncan Hines or Pillsbury cake mix which is 15.25 ounces. I would not use Betty Crocker, which is 13.25 ounces and a bit too small.
Keep leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can! It’ll keep frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Simply pop each serving in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. You can also reheat the whole dish in the oven until warmed through.
Tillie
Made this today with 3 & 5 year old grandkids. They loved the “dump” part and said it was yummy!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad the kiddos could help you make this cherry dump cake!
Jane M Zawrotnak
can fresh cherries be used in this recipe rather than canned pie filling
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
It needs to be cherry pie filling! You can use homemade cherry pie filling if preferred.
Alisha
We loved this chocolate cherry version of dump cake! So simple to put together and absolutely delicious! – Alisha, recipe tester
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad you love the chocolate cherry dump cake!