Apple Cherry Dump Cake

Apple Cherry Dump Cake is easy to make with just six ingredients.  Pairs well with vanilla ice cream or real whipped cream.

It has a buttery cake crust on top of sweet fruit.  Similar to a cobbler.  Superb on its own.  Perfect for potlucks or any time you need a quick dessert loaded with flavor.

Are you a new baker?  This super easy recipe is great for beginners.  Just follow the simple instructions.  The result is fab-u-licious!

Helpful Baking Tips…

This recipe contains 1 stick of unsalted butter (not margarine), apple pie filling, and cherry pie fillings. 

Some recipes call for two sticks of unsalted butter. I prefer one stick because the cake crust is firm and not mushy.

I’ve made a dump cake with two sticks of unsalted butter.  The cake is too moist (almost soggy) in my opinion. 

Oh yeah, pie fillings are good on top of ice cream.  Thought you’d like to know.  🙂

Apple pie filling is already seasoned with cinnamon.  No need to add more cinnamon before baking.

No additional sugar required in this recipe because the yellow cake mix is sweet enough. 

What is a dump cake?

A dump cake is made by dumping all of the ingredients into the baking pan rather than first mixing them in a bowl.

Popular ingredients are canned fruit and canned pie fillings (or fruit), flavoring, a yellow cake mix and a stick of unsalted butter.  The butter is cut up and dotted over the top before baking.

According to FoodTimeline.org, the earliest reference to a dump cake is from a Duncan Hines holiday baking brochure published in 1980. 

The first dump cake recipe called for a can of crushed pineapples and cherry pie filling.  It continues to be a popular dessert because it is delicious!

You’re invited to check out my Pineapple Dump Cake.  It is one of the top ten recipes on this blog.

 

How To Read & Follow A Recipe

Reading a recipe is an important life skill.  It starts with knowing how to read a recipe’s ingredients, follow the instructions, prep ingredients, and knowing what equipment to use. 

The following tips and strategies will help beginners or experienced cooks  create a delicious dish as intended in the recipe. 

Start with clean hands and organized kitchen.  Wash hands thoroughly.  Make sure kitchen and countertops are clean before making a recipe.

Create a relaxing environment.  Play favorite music while in the kitchen.  I love listening to classical or gospel music. 

Read the recipe.   Don’t just quickly skim it.  Thoroughly read from start to finish.  Visualize doing each step which will help you avoid missing a step.

If you see ingredient that you and your family don’t use for whatever reason, use a substitutions or omit the ingredient.

My recipes are packed with helpful tips like shortcuts and serving sizes which save time time and help with meal planning. 

Pay attention to the order in which ingredients are prepped.  For example, 1 cup of  chopped pecans is not the same as pecans, chopped (measure whole pecans and then chop).  

Know the assumptions.  For example, when my recipe calls for “sugar,” use granulated sugar.  If brown sugar is an ingredient, it will be written as such in the recipe.  

Figure out the timing. Check the listed “prep time” and “total time” to be sure you have enough time to complete the recipe.

Look for hints, such as the words “meanwhile” or “at the same time,” which indicate two or more steps can happen simultaneously.  

For example, my prep time doesn’t include bringing cold butter up to room temperature.  Be sure to include in your timetable.

Watch Recipe Videos.    If you’re a visual learner (like me), watch recipe videos.  Perfect for when you’re learning a new skill or just want to see how a recipe is made.    

Mise en place is a super time saver. This French cooking term translates as “putting in place.”   It means prepping/measuring ingredients and chopping food before you start cooking. It’s the perfect way to get organized and avoid missing an ingredient or missing a step in the instructions.

Organize your tools and kitchen equipment.  Mise en place isn’t just for ingredients.   Before starting, make sure you have parchment paper, aluminum foil, measuring cups, measuring spoons, the right pans, mixing bowls, and other equipment.

Make notes in your recipe. Note any special prep instructions and highlight cooking times.  Make note of ingredients omitted,  favorite substitutions and creative twists.   The notes will be very helpful the next time you make this recipe. 

Enjoy!