Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
This delicious double chocolate cherry dump cake recipe is made with a boxed chocolate cake mix and cherry pie filling. Dairy-free chocolate chips and chopped pecans are added for an even more gooey delicious chocolate flavor.
It’s cherry season here on our farm. Wait! I don’t live on a farm (It just sometimes feels like I do). I’m a big fan of cherries with chocolate but I do wish there were a better name for this Chocolate Dump Cake.
Interestingly enough, the Dump Cake came onto the scene at the same time as the wacky cake, in the early 1900s. This was a time when people were forced to be creative with desserts either due to a lack of available ingredients or time.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Using cherry pie filling makes this recipe easy to throw together and full of indulgent flavor too
- Chocolate cake mix is drizzled over the cherry pie filling creating a dense, chocolate-infused cake layer.
- Garnishing with chocolate chips and chopped pecans means each bite is full of gooey chocolate flavor and crunchy baked pecans.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Cherry Pie Filling — You’ll need 2 15-ounce cans of lite or regular cherry pie filling.
- Chocolate Cake Mix — Make sure the ingredients don’t include eggs or dairy.
- Vegan Butter — Any vegan butter or dairy-free margarine will work.
- Dairy-free chocolate chips
- Pecans — You’ll need 1 cup of chopped pecans.
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Are you wondering how to make a dump cake? There’s a little more to it than simply combining a chocolate cake mix with cherry pie filling, but not much. In fact, there are only a few easy steps to make this tasty vegan chocolate and cherry dump cake:
- Spread cherry pie filling across the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 cake pan.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix over the cherry pie filling.
- Drizzle melted butter over the dry cake mix, spreading it evenly across the cake mix.
- Spread chocolate chips and chopped pecans over the top.
- Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
- Allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Here’s a more detailed step-by-step instructions:
Step One: Cherry Pie Filling
Let’s start this cherry pie filling dump cake by opening two cans of cherry pie filling. Spread it all into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 cake pan. You can use low sugar pie filling if you prefer.
Spread the pie filling evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
Step Two: Add Dry Cake Mix
Next, sprinkle the dry, chocolate cake mix over the cherry pie filling. See below for vegan cake mix options. I used a gluten-free vegan chocolate cake mix and it worked perfectly.
Step Three: Melted Vegan Butter Pour Over
Next, place the vegan butter in a microwave-safe dish and heat until melted. I heat it in 30-second increments.
Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix. Be sure to spread the love a little and get an even amount across the cake mix.
Use a spoon to gently stir any areas of dry cake mix that might be peaking through the melted butter.
Step Four: Chopped Pecans + Chocolate Chips
I’ve seen some dump cake recipes that exclude the pecan and chocolate chip toppings. I’m sure those are great too, but by adding just two more ingredients, you’ll take this vegan dessert over the top.
Spread the chopped pecans evenly across the top of the melted butter.
Next, spread the chocolate chips over the top. You can adjust the amount of toppings if you’d like — either by adding more or less chocolate chips and pecans.
Step Five: Bake
- Oven — Bake the cake in the oven for 50 minutes. Then remove it from the oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Crockpot — Make chocolate cherry dump cake in a crockpot by following all the instructions above, except doing so in your crockpot. Then cook on high for 2 hours.
Serving Suggestions
Serve individual slices in a bowl. It’s particularly good when the slices are warm and have any of the following on top:
- Coconut whipped cream
- Vegan chocolate syrup
- More chopped nuts
- Vegan caramel sauce
Storage Tips
Store this cake by covering and refrigerating. It will keep 3 to 5 days in the fridge. It can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
Vegan Cake Mixes
I’m sure you could create your own cake mix, but this recipe is for chocolate cherry dump cake recipes using cake mixes. Today, there are plenty of accidentally vegan foods in grocery stores, including cake mixes.
Here are some favorite vegan chocolate cake mixes for chocolate dump cake recipes:
- Duncan Hines — Many of these cake mixes don’t have dairy and eggs (always read package labels), including this Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix.
- Betty Crocker — A lot of these cake mixes also don’t have eggs these days (again, always read labels), including this Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake Mix.
- Pillsbury — Some of these cake mixes are accidentally vegan as well, but I always check the labels because it’s changing every day. This Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Cake Mix is made without dairy or eggs.
- Simple Mills — For an organic, gluten-free option, Simple Mills Chocolate Cake Mix is made with almond flour and organic ingredients.
Marly’s Tips
- You can add about ½ cup coconut flakes to the top before baking for some added flavor
- Halve this recipe and bake it in a square 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking pan, and reduce the cooking time by about 20 minutes
- Make a cherry brownie dump cake by substituting a brownie mix for the chocolate cake mix (just be sure to use one that’s dairy-free)
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Of course, if you want to skip the cake and go straight for the chocolate, this Vegan Fudge recipe is perfection.
That’s it in this chocolate cherry dump cake. enjoy!
Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 15 ounce cans cherry pie filling
- 1 16.5 ounce box chocolate cake mix (dairy-free, egg-free)
- 1 cup vegan butter
- 2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Open the 2 cans of cherry pie filling and spread it into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 cake pan.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the cherry pie filling.
- Next, place vegan butter in a microwave-safe container and cook in 30-second increments until melted. Drizzle melted butter over the dry cake mix. Be sure to spread the butter evenly across the cake mix.
- Evenly spread the chocolate chips over the top and then follow with the chopped pecans.
- Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
- Store this cake by covering and refrigerating. It will keep 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
Recommended Equipment
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The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
I agree…I much prefer Cherry Chocolate Clutter Cake! This looks really yummy!
It is so good. If it weren’t so rich I’d probably eat more of it! Maybe I’m glad it is so rich now that I think of it!
Hey Marly! Me and my Mom just read this. I like YOUR FARM! Now you have a farm and a park that’s Marly’s (smile).
This cake sounds so good to me right now. We tore through the tres leches (my mom couldn’t believe that it was vegan). I need to make another vegan sweet-maybe we’ll make this tonight.
Hope your’e doing well, Marly. I’ve been sick this last week, but I’m going to write you back soon-wanted to tell you something…
I like it. I can just name everything in my world after…ME! That’s Marly’s grocery store…where she went and bought some coconut milk to make her very own Tres Leches cake (based on your recipe). It looks so good. I can’t wait!
You won’t be disappointed with this cake. It is one of the easiest cakes I’ve made. I would make it more often, but I can’t fool myself into thinking it is even remotely healthy, so it is just an occasional treat here. Oh, you’ve piqued my curiosity. I’m looking forward to your email!
You’re not the only one that loves to change things around a lot. I’ve been there and done it many times…I believe it was also for the better ;o) In your dessert’s old title…absolutely for the better!!!
Marly…a big smile was plastered on my face when I saw the photos of your cherry tree. So many fond memories.
Your recipe sounds simple enough to whip up in no time at all!
Thanks for sharing and flavourful wishes, Claudia
I love the trees in this yard. It’s true – this is one of the simplest recipes out there. It takes awhile to bake, but it’s just so easy to throw together and put in the oven while you have dinner going. I love it!
Marly,
It was so wonderful talking with you this morning. I only wish we lived closer so that we could schedule regular chats over coffee or tea. This cake looks fabulous…as do those beautiful cherry tree pics. Thank you for sharing!
It’s not one of the more healthier foods we’ve had, but it is a nice treat. I wish we could get together too. Who knows, maybe one of these days we’ll find ourselves in nearby cities. You have so many exciting days ahead of you – I’m looking forward to updates! Marly
My Dad was just saying something about a cherry cake – I think he was hinting for Father’s Day. This clutter cake looks scrumptious – love the name. Your cherries are coming along great! You’ll be enjoying them soon…
Hi Marly,
I can’t wait to try this recipe. THis sounds delicious! I love changing things around too and have had most of my coworkers change to using Allison yay. Thanks for giving me the courage. Have a great day!
Allison
Wow, that is a great step! I think you had it in you all the time. It just helps to know that others have done it too. Best wishes! Marly
Love the chocolate cherry combo
Like peanut butter and jelly! The two just go together so well. Of course, I think chocolate goes with just about anything…except my hips trying to fit into my favorite jeans!
Wow…this cake looks sooooooo good. Love the crunchy topping. Yummmm.
It is so difficult to keep portion sizes reasonable because that crunchy topping keeps calling for one more bite. Good thing it’s so rich…that really helps!
ROFL – Clutter is DEFINITELY and infinitely better!! I L-O-V-E this!!!! Thanks for sharing a gorgeous recipe with things I love (chocolate and cherries!) and none of the things I don’t love (eggs! :P)
Sorry, but I think eggs are gross! They smell gross, they look gross, and the texture is gross. They’re gross to the third power (cubed)! 😉
I am so jealous Marly, wish I had fruit trees in my yard. My parents had peach, apple, apricots, cherry and grapes. I miss walking out to the yard and picking a piece of fruit and eating right off the tree, no pesticides. When we first moved to our current home I was working a ton of hours and asked the landscapers to put in all low maintenance plants and trees, with a half acre lot we could have had a number of fruit trees, I made a big mistake, now that I am home I long for what I grew up with.
It’s never too late. Plant one now! Mine were way overgrown when we moved here – very little pruning has been done to these trees. So we’ve been in the process of pruning them back. it’s not easy to do, but necessary to prolong their life…and to get more fruit. Our plumb tree is producing more fruit this year than it has in the past and it still has very little fruit on it. I’m going to do some fierce pruning to it this year. Watch out plumb tree!
I’ve been thinking about this some more. Only plant a fruit tree if you don’t have any squirrels. Otherwise, your it increases your stress too much. I’m constantly running out in the yard with my hands flailing shewing the little buggers off! I spray the fruit trees with the cayenne pepper spray and that certainly is helping, but we’ve been getting a lot of rain so it’s been a constant battle to get out there before they do. Also, I wouldn’t recommend cherry trees. We have two of them and I LOVE the cherries, but pitting them is not my favorite thing in the world. That said, I’m not planning a George Washington or anything…not planning to chop them down. 😉
I made this Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake and it was delicious! We had it for desert that evening and then for breakfast the next morning. So easy to make and tastes incredible!
So glad you to hear this Rachel! 🙂