Decades ago, a dessert kit was available that was very similar to a tasty treat more commonly known as dump cake. This simple mix that came with a can of pie filling is no longer available, but it is not necessary to have a complete mix in a box to make this easy treat. A regular cake mix and a few other ingredients can be used to make good old-fashioned dump cake. It contains fruit including pineapple, cherry pie, filling, and coconut, and it is absolutely delicious.
Hence the name, dump cake is very easy to make. The ingredients are literally dumped into a baking pan, and it is baked in the oven until it is lightly brown on top and around the edges. This conglomerate of simple ingredients commonly known as dump cake is perfect for a fast and easy homemade dessert for family get-togethers or parties, and it can be enjoyed by the family any day of the week. Dump what you are doing, and give this easy recipe and alternative ideas a try. When using a mix, canned fruit, and pie filling, it could not possibly get any easier!
Ingredients
To make cherry, coconut, and pineapple dump cake you will need three cups of yellow cake mix, about two cups of shredded coconut, a large can of crushed drained pineapple, two standard size cans of cherry pie filling, eight ounces of chopped nuts, and one and one-half sticks of butter or margarine. The ingredients do not have to be measured precisely. You will also need a nine by thirteen inch baking pan, a sifter, a bowl for melting the butter or margarine, and a little extra butter or margarine for greasing the baking pan.
Procedure
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating, grease the baking pan, and spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the bottom. Top the cherry pie filling with the coconut, chopped nuts, and crushed drained pineapple in no particular order. Sift the mix over the top of the layers. Melt the butter or margarine in a microwave, and pour it over the sifted yellow cake mix. Try to cover as much of the dry mix as possible. However, it will absorb moisture from the fruit during the baking process and will end up having a crumb topping consistency.
Bake the dump cake between twenty and twenty-five minutes, or until the topping begins to brown. The fruit will begin bubbling through the top layer of dump cake, and it will become slightly brown around the edges.
Dump cake can be served warm or cold. It is great when served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream mixed with a small amount of ground cinnamon. Top the scoop of ice cream with a couple of maraschino cherries or chocolate shavings for a dessert that is even more impressive.
Alternative Options
Do you dislike coconut? Eliminate the coconut. It is not necessary when making dump cake. It mainly adds texture and body to this easy one-pan dessert, and leaving out the coconut will not affect the outcome.
If cherry pie filling is not your favorite flavor, consider using blueberry or strawberry pie filling instead. Many combinations work well when making dump cake.
Nuts are also optional. Nuts add crunch and flavor to dump cake, but for those allergic to nuts, or for those that simply do not like nuts, they are not a necessary component. Pecans and walnuts are preferred varieties when making dump cake that includes nuts.
Although dry cake mix is a required ingredient, yellow mix is not required when making dump cake. Experiment with various flavors including chocolate and white mix. When making dump cake, the options are only limited by flavor preference and a desire to make something deliciously different and incredibly easy.
