EDITOR’S NOTE (July 18, 2019): Recipe’s instructions have been updated for clarity. Use 2 cans of pineapples (crushed or tidbits). Each can weighs 20 ounces (40 ounces total).
THE most popular dessert on my site! It contains tangy pineapples topped with a buttery yellow cake top crust. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream or real whipped cream.
This dessert is my twist on Betty Crocker’s famous dump cake. Ingredients include yellow cake mix, pineapple tidbits (in juice) or crushed pineapples (in juice), sprinkled with lemon juice. Tangy deliciousness!
Also check out my Cream Cheese Pound Cake and Cream Cheese Cake Mix Cookies.
Homemade from scratch cakes are fabulous. I also love boxed mixes combined with various fruit fillings because they’re quick and easy to make.
In August 2018, I photographed this Pinterest page which is only visible to me. Photo confirms recipe received 164,000 impressions! It is the most popular (#1) recipe in my collection.
Perfect dessert for holiday dinners. Easily doubled to feed a crowd. General Mills provided the Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix used to make this recipe.
Enjoy!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 2 cans (20 ounces each) pineapple crushed or tidbits pineapples in juice Total is 40 ounces.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice From one lemon.
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold Do not use margarine. See recipe notes.
- vanilla ice cream or real whipped cream optional
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Dump pineapples with juice into a 9x13 buttered baking dish. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon juice.
- Dump (or sprinkle) cake mix evenly over fruit mixture in baking dish. Dot all over with pieces of cold unsalted butter (1 stick). Do not use margarine.
- Bake 20 minutes. Carefully remove HOT baking dish from HOT oven. Use back of spoon to lightly spread melted butter evenly over cake mix until all of mix is coated with butter. Do this so entire top crust will be buttery (no dry cake crumbs). This step is optional.
- Return to oven. Bake 20-25 more minutes or until bubbly and top cake crust is golden brown.
- If desired, serve cold or hot with vanilla ice cream or real whipped cream.
- NOTE: Refrigerate 2 hours up to overnight before serving cold.
Pineapple Dump Cake Pudding
Use 1-1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (not margarine). Follow baking instructions. The baked pineapple dump cake will be bubbly with a golden crust. It will also be thin and slightly runny. After it cools, refrigerate 2 hours up to overnight to form a pudding. The cold pineapple mixture and the cold cake crust reminds me of vanilla wafers in banana pudding. Delicious!
I am making this pineapple cake recipe now. My cake mix and melted butter is crumbly not sticky. Is that how its suppose to look. You said sticky in recipe. Well going with recipe exactly hope this is right.
Hi Marie! Melted butter should make it sticky. Here’s a great tip: Sprinkle crumbly batter evenly over fruit mixture in baking dish. Place in oven. It will bake nicely into a crumbly texture which is GOOD! To obtain a soft texture with “crumbly batter” simply remove from oven after 20 minutes. Smooth top crust with back of spoon. Return to oven and finish baking. Top crust will be soft (similar to a very tender cake). Thanks for asking! Enjoy your dessert.
How many oz of pinnaple in total?, 20 or 40?
Hi Maria! Thank you for asking! Two cans (20 ounces each). Total is 40 ounces. I’ve also updated the recipe. Enjoy!
I used lime juice (prefer over lemon juice) and a no sugar added white cake mix (my family is borderline diabetic). OHMYGOODNESS! This is out of this world great. Followed the recipe completely otherwise. Thank you for posting this recipe
Hi Tracy!
You are welcome! I greatly appreciate our positive comment. Made my day! Delighted to know you made this recipe work for you and your family to enjoy.
Do I mix the cake batter like I’m baking a cake before adding it on top or does the cake mix go on dry
Hi Lejuana,
Sprinkle dry cake mix over pineapples. Dot all over with pieces of cold butter. Place in preheated oven.
Bake 20 minutes. Carefully remove HOT baking dish from HOT oven. Use back of spoon to lightly spread melted butter evenly over cake mix until all of mix is coated with butter. Do this so entire top crust will be buttery (no dry cake crumbs). This step is optional.
Bake 20-25 additional minutes or until top crust is bubbly and golden brown.
Please let me know if I may be of further assistance. Thank you for visiting. Please come again.
What if I don’t have the lemon juice or vanilla extract on hand what would be a good substitute
Hi Paris! Pineapple extract is a good substitute. Lemon juice adds a tasty tang. If you omit, the cake will be sweet.
I have made this recipe before and it is delicious. I add walnuts. Sprinkle chopped walnuts evenly over the cake mix then add the butter. YUM!
Hi Andi! Thank you for visiting and sharing your delicious recipe. Happy holidays!