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A summer dessert has never been easier!

In a very crowded field of delicious summer desserts, cherry dump cake stands out as one of the easiest and most delicious. Sure, cherry cobbler, cherry crisp, and cherry pie are amazing, but this cherry dump cake is easier than them all! In fact, all the ingredients are probably in your pantry right now!

What's in cherry dump cake?

The ingredient list is so short and simple—basically, it's just cherry pie filling, yellow cake mix, and butter. Feel free to add a splash of vanilla, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of salt to the filling, but don't feel pressured to do so. This humble dessert is perfectly delicious if you leave them out.

How do you make cherry dump cake?

The secret is right there in the name! Simply open up the cans of pie filling and dump them into the pan. Next, cube up some butter and sprinkle a few pieces over the fruit. Then, dump a box of cake mix over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the butter. Easy-peasy! The butter melts and the filling bubbles up, joining forces to transform the dry cake mix into a golden, buttery, crisp topping for this easy skillet cake.

Do I have to make cherry dump cake in a skillet?

Absolutely not! This recipe was designed to work equally well in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. No matter which dish it's baked in, there's only one requirement—serve this with plenty of ice cream!

21-oz. cans cherry pie filling

15.25-oz. box yellow cake mix

Cherry-vanilla ice cream, for serving

Not a fan of cherry pie filling? Try a dump cake with peaches or even apple pie filling!