Pineapple Dump Cake
This Pineapple Dump Cake recipe is a warm, gooey 4-ingredient dessert with a golden crumble top. You’ll have it in the oven in 5 minutes.
Juicy pineapple tidbits and chunks make every spoonful sweet and a little tangy. The buttery yellow cake mix crumble gets a light brown sugar crunch on top.
It’s an easy dessert for potlucks, Easter dinner, or a regular weeknight when you want something sweet. The cans and the cake mix keep in the pantry, so you can make it anytime. My husband likes it best warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Highlights
- Just 4 ingredients and one 9×13 pan
- Ready for the oven in 5 minutes
- Tidbits and chunks in every warm spoonful
- Brown sugar crumble bakes up golden and crisp
- Feeds 12 at potlucks and holiday dinners
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
PINEAPPLE – I like one can of tidbits and one can of chunks. Every spoonful gets small and big pieces of fruit. Two cans of either one work just as well.
CAKE MIX – Yellow cake mix is my go-to. White or vanilla cake mix works the same way. For even more fruit flavor, try a pineapple or lemon cake mix.
BUTTER – Stir the melted butter right into the dry cake mix, and it coats every crumb. I recommend unsalted butter, but use what you have on hand.
BROWN SUGAR – Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar gives the top a deeper caramel flavor.
ADD-INS – Sweetened shredded coconut, chopped pecans, or maraschino cherries are all tasty additions. Scatter them over the pineapple before you add the crumble.
How To Make A Pineapple Dump Cake
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Spread the drained pineapple in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Stir the melted butter into the dry cake mix until crumbly.
- Scatter the crumble over the pineapple and sprinkle the brown sugar on top.
- Bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit bubbles at the edges.
More Dump Cake Recipes
Leftovers and Storage
STORE – Cover the baking dish or move leftovers to an airtight container. Keep the dump cake in the fridge for up to 4 days.
FREEZE – Yes, you can freeze Pineapple Dump Cake for up to 3 months. There are two methods I recommend. For the paper plate method, set single portions on paper plates and wrap each one in plastic wrap and foil. For the mason jar method, spoon portions into wide-mouth, freezer-safe mason jars and leave a little room at the top. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Method 1 – Paper Plate Method: Plate individual portions of the cake onto paper (or plastic plates) and wrap those with plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil.
Method 2 – Mini Mason Jars: I love this method because it’s more sustainable than the first. Mason jars are great for freezing because, if intact, they will provide an airtight seal.
The easiest method to reheat a dump cake is to pop a slice in the microwave. But if you have a larger batch, you can set your oven to 300º Fahrenheit and gently warm it for 10 minutes.
MAKE AHEAD – Bake the dump cake up to 1 day ahead. Let it cool, then cover it and keep it in the fridge. Warm it in the oven right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
ICE CREAM – Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My Mint Whipped Cream is another favorite topping.
POTLUCKS AND COOKOUTS – This dessert travels in the same dish it bakes in. Set it on the dessert table next to a Strawberry Pie.
EASTER DINNER – Pineapple and ham are a classic pair. Serve this dump cake for dessert after my Crockpot Ham.
THANKSGIVING – Planning a holiday dessert table? This Pineapple Dump Cake goes great next to an Apple Crisp.
COFFEE AND CAKE – A small square with afternoon coffee is a real treat. For a bigger spread, add my Blueberry Coffee Cake or a German Bee Sting Cake.
Recipe Success Tips
EVEN LAYERS – Spread the pineapple into the corners of the dish, then scatter the crumble evenly. Each serving gets fruit and topping.
GOLDEN AND BUBBLY – Your dump cake is ready when the topping is golden brown and the fruit bubbles at the edges. Ovens run a little differently, so go by the color.
LET IT REST – Give the cake about 15 minutes on the counter after baking. The fruit layer thickens as it cools and scoops more easily.
EXPERT TIP – Stir the butter and cake mix until you coat all of the dry mix. The whole top bakes up golden that way, from the edges to the center.
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I Prepare The Cake Mix First?
For a dump cake, you use the cake mix dry, straight from the box. Skip the eggs, oil, and water listed on the package. Melted butter is all the dry mix needs to bake into a crisp crumble topping. My Blueberry Dump Cake starts with a box of dry cake mix too.
What Size Cans Of Pineapple Do I Need?
Pineapple Dump Cake uses two 20-ounce cans of pineapple. Look for the larger cans, since the small ones hold only 8 ounces. Together, the two cans cover a 9×13 baking dish with a generous layer of fruit. A reader asked about the can size, so the recipe card lists it now too.
Do I Drain The Pineapple?
Yes, drain most of the juice from both cans of pineapple before the fruit goes into the dish. A little juice left on the pineapple keeps the fruit layer soft and gooey. You stir the butter into the cake mix first, so the topping bakes up crisp without extra liquid. Save the juice for smoothies.
Can I Add Cherries Or Other Fruit?
Yes, pineapple and cherries taste great together, and several readers bake them that way. One reader used a can of cherry pie filling with a can of pineapple. Another loved one can each of peaches and pears. For an all-cherry dessert, try my Cherry Dump Cake. For berries, make my Strawberry Dump Cake.
Can I Use Crushed Or Fresh Pineapple?
Yes, crushed and fresh pineapple both work in this dump cake. Frozen pineapple works too once you thaw and drain it. One reader simmers fresh pineapple chunks in brown sugar syrup first and loves the result. The table below shows how to prep each kind and what to expect.
|
Pineapple |
How To Prep It |
What To Expect |
|
Tidbits and chunks |
Drain most of the juice |
Small and big pieces of fruit |
|
Crushed |
Drain most of the juice |
A softer, gooier fruit layer |
|
Fresh |
Cut about 4 cups into small chunks |
Firmer fruit with a little more tang |
More Pineapple Recipes
Pineapple Upside Down Cake – A from-scratch classic with brown sugar, pineapple rings, and maraschino cherries.
Cherry Pineapple Pie – A no-bake pie with cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple, and a graham cracker crust.
Pineapple Casserole – Sweet pineapple and Cheddar cheese under a buttery cracker topping. It uses the same two cans of pineapple.
Pineapple Pretzel Salad – A salty pretzel crust, a creamy cheesecake layer, and pineapple gelatin on top.
Pineapple Popsicles – Just pineapple, pineapple juice, and vanilla ice cream, frozen into a cool treat.
Pineapple Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits juices mostly drained
- 1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks juices mostly drained
- 1½ sticks butter unsalted, melted
- 1 15.25-ounce box cake mix yellow, vanilla, or pineapple
- ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º Fahrenheit.
- Drain most of the juice from both cans of pineapple. Spread the fruit in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Combine the cake mix and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly.
- Scatter the cake mix crumble evenly over the pineapple. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit bubbles at the edges.
Equipment
Notes
PINEAPPLE
Use one can each of tidbits and chunks, or two cans of either one.MAKE AHEAD
Bake up to 1 day ahead, cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm at 300º Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.STORAGE
Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.FOOD SAFETY
Refrigerate leftovers the same day you bake the cake.Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.
Request you specify if the cans of pineapple are 8 ounces or 20 ounces.
Hi Fred. You are absolutely correct! Thank you for pointing it out. If you ever see this, just also know that I add a link to the product in the recipe card. But you are correct, it should also be specified. I’ve update the recipe card accordingly. Happy New Year.
Great recipe! I’m an American expat, living in Thailand now. I saw this Pineapple Dump Cake recipe and since pineapple is pervasive here, I went to the fresh market, bought a couple of pineapples, cut them into chunks, and then simmered the chunks in a brown turbinado sugar syrup, before using the chunks to finish your recipe. WONDERFUL, with vanilla ice cream!
Loved this. I made this using one can ea, peach and pear.
Anothet good flavor combo.
I make a combination of Pineapple and Cherries into one dump cake. My family loves it. I usually just sprinkle the cake mix over the pineapple and cherries, but I love the idea of combining the butter and cake mix first, makes much more sense.
Easy and delicious I didn’t have any cherries so used cherry pie filling and a can of pineapple, juice and tid bits . Turned out great Thanks for the recipe