This pineapple dump cake is one of the easiest desserts you can make! With just 4 ingredients - crushed pineapple, yellow cake mix, butter, and pecans - it only takes about 5 minutes to prep.
Why You'll Love Pineapple Dump Cake
Ok, imagine if you mixed my lemon dump cake and pineapple poke cake together - this Pineapple Dump Cake would be the result! It has warm, gooey pineapple with a crisp, buttery cake topping. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for the easiest sweet treat!
It's a great last-minute recipe that uses shelf-stable ingredients - so easy to keep these on hand for those times that you need a delicious treat that doesn't require a whole lot of work.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 16 (great for big parties!)
Baking Difficulty: Easy
I can't wait to see what you think of this easy recipe!
Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient measurements.)
- Crushed Pineapple in Heavy Syrup - Don't drain the pineapple for this recipe. You want the pineapple and its syrup in the baking dish. That liquid helps create the gooey fruit layer and gives the dry cake mix moisture as it bakes. If possible, go with crushed pineapple - the smaller pieces spread evenly across the pan and give you pineapple in every bite.
- Yellow Cake Mix - Yellow cake mix gives the topping a buttery flavor that works really well with pineapple. Use the cake mix dry, straight from the box. Don't prepare it according to the package directions, so no eggs, oil, or water listed on the box.
- Butter - Cold butter is going to be easier to slice; I recommend cutting the butter into thin (around ⅛") slices. Spread the pieces over the cake mix as evenly as you can so the butter can cover as much of the dry mix as possible while it melts.
- Pecans - I love that crunch they add against the pineapple filling, but the pecans are totally optional. You can leave them off for a nut-free pineapple dump cake or add chopped walnuts instead.
Variations & Additions
It's really easy to change up this recipe with a different cake mix or a few simple additions.
- Try a different cake mix. Yellow cake mix is my favorite for that buttery flavor, but white, lemon, or pineapple cake mix all work well too.
- Use pineapple tidbits. If you can't find crushed pineapple, use about 40 ounces of pineapple tidbits instead.
- Make it less sweet. Use crushed pineapple packed in juice instead of heavy syrup. Keep the juice in the pan so the cake mix still has enough moisture to bake properly.
- Add cherries. Add maraschino cherries to the pineapple layer for a fun cherry-pineapple twist.
- Add coconut. Sprinkle shredded coconut over the top before baking for a tropical twist.
How to Make Pineapple Dump Cake
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 9x13" glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add the pineapple - Pour both cans of undrained crushed pineapple into the prepared baking dish. Spread the pineapple into an even layer, making sure the fruit and syrup reach the edges and corners of the dish.
- Add the dry cake mix - Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the pineapple. Gently level the cake mix if needed, but do not stir it into the pineapple. You want layers of fruit and cake mix.
- Cover with butter - Cut the butter into roughly ¼" slices and arrange the pieces across the cake mix. Try to cover the surface as evenly as possible. Large areas of cake mix without butter are more likely to stay dry and powdery instead of turning golden and crisp.
- Add the pecans - Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the top.
- Bake - Bake the dump cake uncovered at 375°F for 30-40 minutes. It's ready when the top is golden brown and you can see the pineapple filling bubbling around the sides of the dish.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Step-by-Step Recipe Video
What's the difference between a cobbler and a dump cake?
They're similar fruit desserts, but I think the biggest difference is the topping texture.
A cobbler has a softer, more cake-like topping. A dump cake has a crisper, buttery topping because dry cake mix is layered over the fruit instead of being mixed into a batter. My cake mix peach cobbler uses a lot of the same basic ingredients as this recipe, but a different method gives it a softer cobbler texture.
And if you love that crispy dump-cake topping, you'll want to try my strawberry dump cake or caramel apple dump cake next!
Why is my dump cake still powdery on top?
Dry cake mix patches are one of the most common dump cake problems. Since the mix isn't combined with eggs, oil, or water, it needs moisture from the pineapple below and butter above to bake into a crispy topping.
A few tips to prevent a powdery top...
- Spread the pineapple evenly. You want fruit and syrup under the whole cake-mix layer.
- Keep the cake mix even. Thick piles are harder to hydrate.
- Cover the top well with butter. Avoid leaving large bare spots.
- Don't mix the layers. Stirring changes the texture you're going for.
- Bake until bubbly and golden. Those are better doneness signs than time alone.
A few tiny dry spots are no big deal, but larger powdery areas usually need more butter or moisture. If you spot one while baking, very gently stir the melted butter into that dry patch - just don't mix it into the pineapple.
Leftovers & Storage
STORAGE: as a general rule, if there's a wet element in your recipe, refrigerate it. Leftovers of this cake recipe can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days after baking. Cover the baking dish with an airtight lid or plastic wrap to prevent outside odors from seeping in.
REHEATING: When you're ready to enjoy your cake again, reheat a serving in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
FREEZING: I don't recommend freezing this cake. The texture of the cake layer tends to get soggy, losing that crispness that makes the texture combo so great. Just make it from scratch when needed!
Leslie's Tips and Tricks
- Bake your cake uncovered to make sure the top gets nice and crispy.
- This recipe can be made in a slow cooker...just know that the top won't be as crispy. You can see my Crock Pot Tropical Dump Cake as an example. Layer the ingredients as instructed and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours.
- Use a 9x13" glass baking dish. This makes sure the ingredients spread properly and cook to the right consistency.
- Watch the cake, not just the clock. It's finished when the top is golden and the pineapple is actively bubbling around the edges.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
More Pineapple Desserts
So glad you stopped by today! If you try this recipe, I'd love for you to ⭐️ rate and review it below. And, for more great recipes, make sure to follow along!
Pineapple Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 40 oz canned crushed pineapple in heavy syrup (undrained)
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 ½ sticks butter (cut into ⅛" slices)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13" glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Pour both cans of undrained crushed pineapple into the baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the pineapple. Do not mix.
- Arrange butter slices evenly over the cake mix, covering as much of the surface as possible.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the pineapple is bubbling around the edges.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Do not drain the pineapple. The heavy syrup is part of the liquid needed for this version of the recipe.
- Don't prepare the cake mix according to the box. Use the powder straight from the box.
- For fewer dry cake mix spots, spread the pineapple and cake mix evenly and spread the butter over as much of the surface as possible.
- White, lemon, or pineapple cake mix can be substituted for yellow cake mix.
- Pecans are optional. Leave them out for a 3-ingredient pineapple dump cake.
- For a less-sweet version, use pineapple packed in juice, undrained. If you want it closer to the sweetness of the heavy-syrup version, add ½ cup brown sugar to the pineapple packed in juice.
- Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for 3-4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
