7Up cherry dump cake uses only cherry pie filling, dry yellow cake mix, and lemon-lime soda to create a golden, cobbler-like dessert without butter. The soda moistens the cake mix while bubbles help form a light topping over the thick fruit.
The 9-by-13-inch dessert serves eight and bakes for about one hour. A full two-hour cooling period is important because the hot filling is loose and thickens as it rests.
Three Ingredients for Cherry Dump Cake
Use two 21-ounce cans cherry pie filling, one 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix, and 2 cups lemon-lime soda. A clear soda with the same flavor profile can replace 7Up.
No butter is added. The soda provides the liquid that hydrates the dry mix, so careful, even pouring matters.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Cream.
How to Make 7Up Cherry Dump Cake
- Prepare. Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-by-13-inch dish.
- Add cherries. Spread 1 1/2 cans pie filling evenly in the bottom, reserving the final half can.
- Add cake mix. Sprinkle the entire dry mix across the fruit without stirring it into the cherries.
- Pour soda. Gently pour 2 cups lemon-lime soda over the powder.
- Moisten. Use the back of a spoon to swirl lightly until bubbling subsides and no large dry patches remain.
- Finish the top. Dollop the remaining cherry filling across the surface.
- Bake. Cook about 60 minutes until golden, tenting with foil after 45 minutes if needed.
- Cool. Rest at least 2 hours so the filling sets.
For storage details after serving, the USDA leftovers and food safety guidance.
Prepare the Pan Thoroughly
Coat the bottom and corners of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Cherry filling contains a great deal of sugar and can stick firmly where it bubbles against an uncoated surface.
Use a dish with enough depth to hold the fruit and rising cake layer. Place it on a rimmed sheet pan if the baking dish is unusually shallow.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Cherry Poke Cake.
Use Most of the Cherries on the Bottom
Spread 1 1/2 cans of cherry pie filling from corner to corner. This thick base supplies the moisture that cooks the underside of the cake mixture.
Reserve half a can for visible fruit on top. Level the first layer before adding dry mix so every serving contains a similar amount of filling.
Sprinkle Cake Mix Evenly
Scatter the entire box of yellow cake mix over the cherries. Work gradually and fill low spots rather than pouring one tall mound and trying to move it later.
A level layer hydrates more consistently. Break up compacted lumps with clean fingertips before the soda is added, but do not push powder down into the fruit.
Pour Lemon-Lime Soda Slowly
Pour the 2 cups soda gently across the pan, moving in a slow back-and-forth pattern. The carbonation will foam as it meets the cake mix, so pause if bubbles approach the rim.
A broad, even pour is better than soaking the center. Try to reach dry mix close to the sides and corners without disturbing the cherry layer beneath.
Swirl Only Until the Powder Is Moistened
Use the back of a spoon to make shallow swirls across the cake-mix layer. Stop once the large bubbles subside and no obvious pockets of dry powder remain.
This is not conventional cake batter and should not become fully smooth. Excessive mixing blends the fruit into the topping and changes the intended texture.
Add the Reserved Cherries
Spoon the remaining half can of filling over the moistened surface in spaced dollops. These pockets add bright cherry color and keep fruit present at the top of each serving.
Do not spread them into a solid layer. Leaving cake mixture exposed allows it to brown and form the golden cobbler-like crust.
Bake by Appearance as Well as Time
Bake on the middle rack at 350°F for about 60 minutes. The top should be golden and set, and cherry filling should bubble around the edges.
Check after 45 minutes. If the top is already well browned, cover loosely with foil for the remaining time. Oven and baking-dish materials vary, so doneness is more reliable than an exact minute.
Cool for a Full Two Hours
Set the dish on a heat-safe rack and wait at least 2 hours. Straight from the oven, the fruit and hydrated cake mix are very loose and can look underdone even when fully baked.
Cooling allows starches in the filling and cake layer to set into a spoonable consistency. Serve warm rather than hot if pairing with ice cream.
Troubleshooting
- Dry powder remains: Pour soda evenly and use shallow spoon swirls.
- Layers disappear: Avoid stirring the mix into the cherries.
- Top browns early: Tent loosely with foil after 45 minutes.
- Dessert is runny: Allow at least 2 hours to cool.
- Edges stick: Spray the dish thoroughly before layering.
Serving and Storage
Spoon into bowls once set. Vanilla ice cream or lightly whipped cream provides a cool contrast to the tart-sweet cherries. Eight portions make a substantial dessert.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions briefly in the microwave or in a 325°F oven. The topping softens in storage but the flavor remains good.
Choosing a Baking Dish
A light-colored metal pan encourages steady browning, while glass lets you see the bubbling cherry layer around the edges. If using glass, avoid moving the hot dish onto a cold or wet surface. Ceramic also works but may take several additional minutes to heat through. Whatever material you choose, keep the 9-by-13-inch capacity so the soda and cake mix form the intended shallow layer.
Make-Ahead Notes
This dessert is well suited to making earlier in the day because it requires a long cooling period. Bake, cool uncovered until no longer warm, then cover until serving.
Do not assemble raw layers far ahead. Soda begins hydrating the cake mix immediately, so the filled pan should go into the preheated oven without delay.
Conclusion
Spread 1 1/2 cans cherry filling in a sprayed 9-by-13-inch dish. Add dry yellow cake mix, pour lemon-lime soda evenly, and swirl lightly to moisten. Dollop remaining cherries on top and bake at 350°F for about 60 minutes. Cool at least 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can another lemon-lime soda replace 7Up?
Yes. A clear lemon-lime soda with similar carbonation works.
- → Does this dump cake need butter?
No. The two cups of soda hydrate the cake mix in this version.
- → Why is my cherry dump cake runny?
It is loose while hot and needs at least 2 hours of cooling to reach a spoonable consistency.
- → How long do leftovers keep?
Cover and refrigerate the cooled dessert for up to 4 days.