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Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake - A Cozy, Crowd-Pleasing Dessert

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box (about 15–16 oz) chocolate cake mix (devil’s food or classic chocolate)
  • 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), thinly sliced or melted
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional but recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, to stir into the cherry filling)
  • Pinch of salt (optional, to balance sweetness)
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving (optional)

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
  2. Pour the cherry pie filling into the dish. If you like, stir in vanilla extract and a small pinch of salt right in the pan to brighten the flavor.
  3. Sprinkle the chocolate cake mix evenly over the cherry layer. Don’t stir. Aim for a level layer so the topping bakes evenly.
  4. Scatter chocolate chips over the dry mix for extra decadence. You can add more or less depending on how chocolatey you want it.
  5. Top with butter. Place thin pats evenly over the surface or drizzle melted butter across the top, making sure to moisten as much of the dry mix as possible. A few dry patches are fine; they usually hydrate as the cake bakes.
  6. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is set, the edges are bubbly, and the surface looks mostly crisp. If there are a few moist spots of mix, give it another 5–10 minutes.
  7. Cool for 10–15 minutes before serving. The filling will thicken as it rests. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.