Pineapple Dump Cake

This easy pineapple dump cake os a delicious dessert with tart and sweet flavor of pineapple, juicy moist texture with pineapple tidbits and warm toffee touches from caramelized brown sugar. And, it does come with a cherry on top!

My best recipe tips to make this dump cake with pineapples is brown sugar, hands down. It just add magical depth of caramel flavor and balanced out the acidity of pineapple without being overly sweet like white sugar.

Plus, I use so much more different forms of pineapples, that this cake is the best pineapple dump cake out there.

If you have never tried this pineapple dump cake, you are missing out big time. It is always a hit, never comes out dry, and will be inhaled by your guests!

I hear you asking, if this is the same as upside down cake? And not, it is not. However, I have two amazingly simple recipes to make pineapple upside down cake, and here is one more, more rustic recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A one-pan cake with no mess and no fancy equipment needed. We don’t even technically prepare the cake batter, we are going to literally dump everything in the baking dish and send it in the oven. If you love the idea of dump cakes, check out my decadent peanut butter apple dump cake too.
• Only 7 ingredients needed to make this amazing cake and you don’t even need to buy a fresh pineapple!
• Easy dessert to make year round as you can use canned pineapples.
• A perfect dessert recipe for potlucks.

Ingredients Notes

• Pineapple chunks. Chunk pineapple will cook, boil, and caramelize in the oven all while giving all the delicious juices to the cake mix.
• Crushed pineapple. I absolutely love pineapple in cakes, I even add crushed pineapple to my carrot cake recipe. Read the label, if you have crushed pineapples in heavy syrup, you need to add less brown sugar.
• Brown sugar is an amazing ingredient to add toffee-like flavors and brown caramelization.
• Yellow cake mix. We will use it as is – dry mix, so ignore the ingredients on the back, don’t buy anything from that list.
• Butter because everyone loves rich, soft, and buttery cakes. Old-fashioned recipes used margarine but butter is 100% better.
• Pineapple slices for decoration.
• Cherries for garnish.

Kitchen Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking dish. I prefer glass dishes, just to be on the safe side in case the bottom of the cake is burning.
• Wooden spoon

How To Make Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe

1: Layer Crushed Pineapple And Pineapple Chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prep a 9×13 baking dish by greasing it with cooking oil or butter. I prefer them over cooking spray.
3. Pour the pineapple chunks and crushed pineapple with the juices in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

2: Add Brown Sugar And Cake Mix

1. Add the brown sugar evenly on top of the pineapple.
2. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the top of the brown sugar and pineapple.

3: Add Butter And Pineapple Slices

1. Slice the butter as thin as you can and place all over the top of the cake mix.
2. Arrange the pineapple slices on top and then add a cherry in the middle of each one.

4: Bake

1. Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly.
2. If at 30-minute mark the cake start to brown too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.
3. Once baked, let the cake rest on the cooling rack for about 10 minutes to fully set. Then scoop it up (there is no much slicing it) and serve.
4. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some whipping cream on top. While cake is still warm I love to set the scoop of ice cream right on top, it melts and hot and cold temperatures give such a nice contrast when you bite in.
5. When my kids were younger they would love to just dig into the dish, which is always an option if you’re not planning to store the leftovers.

Storage

Store leftover pineapple dump cake at room temperature for 1 day covered with plastic wrap, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days to a week. Warm up in the microwave.

To freeze, wrap individual slices of the baked cake in foil and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and let it warm to room temperature before serving.

Substitutions

• Cake mix options. You can use French vanilla cake mix, white cake mix, and even pineapple cake mix – all work great. If you want even more bright tart flavors, use lemon cake mix. If using Angel food cake mix, choose once that only call for water.
• Add warm spices like ginger, nutmeg or ground cinnamon. Will be perfect for fall.
• If you want it simple and more cakey, skip the cherries and pineapple slices, bake the cake and dust it with some powdered sugar.
• Garnish with fresh fruit. You can use fresh pineapple, fresh berries or other tropical fruits that will match with pineapple, like mango.
• Add more cherry flavor! I only use cherries for garnish, but you can actually add a can of cherry pie filling instead. If the cherry filling seems watery, drain it. The cake is really moist, borderline gooey so too much liquid will make a mess. Swap cherry pie filling with apple pie filling – will be a great cake for Thanksgiving.
• Use bundt pan to make a prettier sweet treat.

Toppings Variations

I do pineapple slices and Maraschino cherries, but you can also use:

• fresh blueberries,
• Chopped nuts. Go to choices are chopped pecans or chopped walnuts. Can also try sliced almonds. Macadamia nuts go really well in dessert recipes but it is not always easy (and cheap).
• Chocolate chips,
• Coconut flakes (toasted are super crunchy and nutty!) or shredded coconut, and
• Whipped cream, of course. Regular cool whip is perfectly fine.
• Try this simple dessert recipe with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

Popular Questions

Is Dump Cake Supposed To Be Gooey?

Pineapple dump cake is gooey just a little bit, the cake mix should be fully baked, and there shouldn’t be any uncooked parts of the cake. The cake is really moist and pineapples add crunchy texture.

Can I Substitute Pineapple Juice For Water In A Boxed Cake Mix?

Yes, you can substitute pineapple juice for water in a boxed cake mix. However, pineapple juice is naturally sweet so adjust how much sugar you will add to the recipe. This substitution works especially well with pineapple dump cake and pineapple upside down cake recipes, adding extra moisture and a burst of fruity tropical goodness.

What Is The Biggest Mistake To Avoid When Making A Dump Cake?

The biggest mistake is adding too much liquid. Keep the cake mix dry and don’t mix it with water before baking. This helps the cake bake properly and not turn out soggy. Another big mistake is to leave out big portions of dry cake mix without covering them in butter. They may stay lumpy and dry.

How Do You Keep Pineapple Dump Cake From Getting Soggy?

Drain any canned pineapple or cherry pie filling you use. Do not add more water or liquids to the cake mix and don’t pre-mix cake mix with water, add it dry. This way your cake won’t be gooey or soggy. 

If you love this easy dump cake recipe, you’re going to love these other dump cakes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Pineapple Treats

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Peach Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Carrot Cake w/ Pineapple

Punch Bowl Cake

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