Black Forest Dump Cake
This Black Forest Dump Cake is a shortcut spin on classic German Black Forest cake using chocolate cake mix, cherry pie filling, and melted butter. It bakes into a warm, gooey chocolate-cherry dessert that feels special but takes just minutes to assemble.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling good-quality, with plenty of whole cherries
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder optional but recommended, to deepen chocolate flavor
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix devil’s food, dark chocolate, or regular chocolate
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted; about 1 1/2 sticks (170 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional, stirred into cherry filling
- Whipped cream for serving
- Vanilla ice cream for serving, optional alternative to whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Spoon both cans of cherry pie filling into the prepared baking dish. Add the vanilla extract, if using, and gently stir right in the pan to combine. Spread the cherry filling into an even layer, all the way to the corners.
- Sprinkle the unsweetened cocoa powder evenly over the cherry layer. It doesn’t need to be perfect; just dust it across the top to deepen the chocolate-cherry flavor.
- Open the box of chocolate cake mix and sprinkle the dry mix evenly over the cherries and cocoa. Try to cover all of the fruit, but don’t worry if a little cherry filling peeks through. Do not mix.
- Scatter the semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the dry cake mix. They will melt into the cake as it bakes, creating gooey, fudgy pockets of chocolate.
- Slowly pour the melted butter over the surface of the cake mix, trying to cover as much of the dry mix as possible. Some small dry patches are fine; steam from the cherry filling will help moisten them. If you see large dry areas, drizzle on 2–3 extra tablespoons of melted butter if desired.
- Bake on the center rack for 35–45 minutes, or until the top looks mostly set and lightly browned in spots. The cherry filling should be bubbling up around the edges. The center should look dry on top but still feel soft when gently pressed with a spoon.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the dump cake cool for 15–20 minutes. This rest time allows the cherry filling to thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop clean servings.
- Spoon warm portions into bowls and top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with fresh cherries or chocolate shavings if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutions: Use gluten-free chocolate cake mix for a gluten-free version, sugar-free cherry pie filling for lower sugar, or vegan butter and dairy-free cake mix for a dairy-free version. The cake keeps well: store covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30–45 seconds or warm the whole pan covered with foil at 300°F (150°C) for 15–20 minutes. The dessert is meant to be rustic, so don’t stress about perfectly even layers. Allowing it to rest 15–20 minutes before serving helps it set to a spoonable, not soupy, consistency.
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