Pineapple Upside-Down Dump Cake: A Simple Dessert with Big Tropical Flavor

If you love the nostalgic flavor of pineapple upside-down cake but don’t want to spend time making a traditional cake batter from scratch, this Pineapple Upside-Down Dump Cake is the perfect shortcut. It combines juicy pineapple, sweet cherries, buttery cake mix, and brown sugar into an effortless dessert that comes together in just a few simple layers.

The magic happens in the oven. As the cake bakes, the pineapple and cherries become wonderfully tender while the butter melts through the dry cake mix, creating a golden, slightly crisp topping over a soft, fruity center.

It is the kind of dessert that looks impressive when served warm but requires very little preparation.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Very easy to prepare: No mixer or homemade cake batter required.
• Minimal ingredients: Most of the work is simply layering the ingredients.
• Sweet and fruity: Pineapple provides bright tropical flavor while cherries add a classic touch.
• Perfect for gatherings: It makes a generous dessert that can be served to a crowd.
• Delicious warm or chilled: Try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra-special finish.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained
• 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

For Serving

• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Extra maraschino cherries, optional

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Dish

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Greasing the dish makes serving easier and helps prevent the caramelized fruit from sticking to the bottom.

For an especially attractive presentation, use a glass or ceramic baking dish so you can easily see the colorful fruit before baking.

Step 2: Create the Pineapple Base

Pour the undrained crushed pineapple evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

The juice is important here. Unlike a traditional cake recipe, this dump cake relies on the moisture from the fruit to help transform the dry cake mix as it bakes.

Spread the pineapple into an even layer using the back of a spoon.

Next, distribute the drained pineapple tidbits over the crushed pineapple.

Step 3: Add the Brown Sugar

Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the pineapple.

As the dessert bakes, the brown sugar combines with the pineapple juice and melted butter to create a rich, caramel-like layer around the fruit.

Try to distribute it as evenly as possible so that every serving gets some of that delicious caramelized flavor.

Step 4: Arrange the Cherries

Scatter the maraschino cherries over the pineapple mixture.

You can leave the cherries whole or cut them in half if you prefer smaller pieces throughout the dessert.

For a more traditional upside-down-cake appearance, arrange some of the cherries in a decorative pattern rather than simply scattering all of them randomly.

Step 5: Add the Cake Mix

Open the yellow cake mix and sprinkle it evenly over the entire fruit layer.

This is one of the most important steps in a dump cake recipe.

Do not stir the cake mix into the pineapple.

Instead, gently spread the dry mix with a spatula or the back of a spoon until the fruit is completely covered.

If you are using cinnamon, sprinkle it lightly over the cake mix at this stage.

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