This easy Pineapple Dump Cake is made with just 4 ingredients and takes less than an hour from start to finish. You can use your favorite boxed cake mix or make your own topping for a delicious dessert that’s practically effortless.
Dump cakes are the ultimate no-fuss dessert, and this Pineapple Dump Cake is as easy as it gets. With just four ingredients and no mixing bowls required, you can have a warm, bubbly, golden-topped dessert ready in under an hour.
The sweet-tart flavor of pineapple shines through in every bite, and the cake topping gets buttery crisp in the oven. It’s perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
You can use a boxed yellow cake mix for convenience or make your own quick homemade cake mix with pantry staples. Whether you’re baking for a crowd, a last-minute get-together, or just need something simple and delicious, this recipe is a go-to favorite you’ll want to keep in your back pocket.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pineapple: For this recipe, you’ll need 2-20 ounce cans of crushed pineapple. I highly recommend using pineapple in juice, not syrup.
- Brown sugar: You can adjust the amount of brown sugar to taste.
- Cake mix: Cake mix sizes have been shrinking. Be sure that your cake mix is the 15-15.25 ounce size. You can also make a homemade yellow cake mix if you prefer.
- Salted butter: If you prefer to use unsalted butter, add a couple of pinches of salt to the melted butter and stir in to combine before using.
How to make pineapple dump cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 2: Add the pineapple with juices to an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish, and spread it into an even layer.
Step 3: Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the pineapple.
Step 4: Sprinkle the cake mix on top, spreading it out into an even layer. Be sure to spread it gently. You don’t want to mix the cake mix in.
Step 5: Pour the melted butter on top of the cake mix, spreading it out as evenly as possible. Again, spread it gently. You won’t want to mix the butter in, but you will want to try to get the butter everywhere so you don’t have dry spots.
Step 6: Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden.
Step 7: Serve warm.
Recipe Tips!
- Serving suggestions: I like to serve this cake topped with either homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Don’t stir: Dump cakes are different than normal cakes because you won’t want to stir everything together. The pineapple, sugar, cake mix, and butter are all layered, not stirred.
Storage
Store any leftover pineapple dump cake in an airtight container at room temperature. It is best eaten within 2-3 days.
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Pineapple Dump Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
Ingredients
- 40 oz crushed pineapple in pineapple juice undrained
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 15.25 oz yellow cake mix be sure cake is 15 oz
- 1 ¼ cups salted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Add the pineapple with juices to an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish, and spread it into an even layer.40 oz crushed pineapple in pineapple juice
- Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the pineapple.1/2 cup light brown sugar
- Sprinkle the cake mix on top, spreading it out into an even layer.15.25 oz yellow cake mix
- Pour the melted butter on top of the cake mix, spreading it out as evenly as possible.1 ¼ cups salted butter
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Pineapple: For this recipe, you’ll need 2-20 ounce cans of crushed pineapple. I highly recommend using pineapple in juice, not syrup.
- Brown sugar: You can adjust the amount of brown sugar to taste.
- Cake mix: For this recipe, you’ll just need the cake mix powder and won’t be preparing the cake mix. Cake mix sizes have been shrinking. Be sure that your cake mix is the 15-15.25 ounce size. You can also make a homemade yellow cake mix if you prefer.
- Butter: I recommend using salted butter or adding a couple of pinches of salt to your unsalted butter. The salt helps to balance out the sweetness in the cake and makes it taste better.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Cindy says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but it looks great! Kate, when I make the homemade cake mix, do I use all the ingredients? Because this will make it wet mix and I don’t know if that will work for this recipe. I would prefer not to mess it up and have to throw it out!
Thanks for your help,
Cindy
Kate Dean says
Hi! I’m so glad that you asked! No, you’ll just use the dry cake mix if using a box cake mix. If you’re making my homemade cake mix, you’ll just need the ingredients in the cake mix section – the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, and vanilla. Please let me know if you have any other questions!