My pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients recipe is easy and delicious! With just crushed pineapple, white cake mix, and butter, along with some lemon juice if you choose, you can make one of the best cobblers for beginner cooks who need to feed a crowd. If you want to learn how to make pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients, keep reading!
What is Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients?
Hence the name, a dump cake is a style of cobbler in which ingredients are “dumped” into a dish and then baked. The simplest versions use just 3 ingredients, canned fruit, cake mix, and butter. Since most of the ingredients are shelf-stable, dump cakes are some of the best quick and simple desserts.
The first type of cobbler I made this was was 3 ingredient apple dump cake, and I’ve been trying different versions ever since. Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits, so I decided to make the pineapple version–and I’m glad I did because it turned out great!
Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients
My easy pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients recipe is great because it has just a few ingredients:
Crushed Pineapple – 2, 20 oz cans, drained
Cake Mix – 1 15.25 oz box white cake mix
Butter – 2 sticks unsalted butter
Optional:
Lemon Juice – 1 Tablespoon
Tools:
9×13 Baking Dish – If you don’t have this large of a baking dish, you can use two 8×8 pans, too.
Spatula – To spread out the crushed pineapple in the baking dish.
Fork – For smoothing out the cake mix, I recommend a fork.
Spoon – Scooping out the last bit of pineapple from the can will probably be easier with a spoon.
Can I Use Pineapple Chunks, Tidbits, or Rings?
Yes. Although I think the texture of crushed pineapple would be best for this recipe, you can use pineapple chunks, tidbits, or rings, too: use a total of 40 oz of canned pineapple, whichever type you prefer. If using rings, cut them into smaller pieces so they are small pieces of pineapple in every bite.
How to Make Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients
Learning how to make pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients is easy. Just follow these simple steps:
Grease the Pan
Don’t forget to grease the pan before you start the recipe. You could use a non-stick spray, but I just opened one of the sticks of butter and rubbed it on the inside of the baking dish.
Put the Butter Back in the Refrigerator
After greasing the pan, be sure to put the rest of the butter back in the refrigerator. You’ll need to cut it into thin pads later on in the recipe, and this is much easier to do when the butter is cold.
Drain the Canned Crushed Pineapple
The first step of my easy pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients recipe is draining the canned crushed pineapple. To drain the cans, take off the top and use it to hold the pineapple in the cans as you tilt the can sideways over a glass or bowl.
I drained 2/3 cup of juice out of each can. Although the pineapple was drained thoroughly, there was still a bit of juice left in each can, maybe about 2 Tablespoons. If you try to get 100% of the juice out of the pineapple, your filling will be dry, so don’t overdo it.
Dump the Crushed Pineapple into the Pan
Next, as the name of the recipe suggests, “dump” the crushed pineapple into the baking dish and then spread it out evenly with a spatula or spoon. Do the best you can–I doesn’t have to be perfect.
Add Lemon Juice (If Using)
Although this is optional, I highly suggest sprinkling in 1 Tablespoon of freshly-squeezed lemon juice over the crushed pineapple and then gently mixing it into the fruit. The lemon juice will really help bring out the flavor, helping make the canned pineapple taste like fresh.
Dump in the White Cake Mix
Once you’re done with the filling, “dump” in the white cake mix by shaking the bag as you move it slowly across the top. Don’t worry about getting it distributed evenly–you’ll do that in the next step.
Smooth Out the Cake Mix
Then, take a fork and smooth out the cake mix, breaking up any lumps as you distribute the cake mix evenly across the top. Remember to NOT MIX–simply spread the raw cake mix across the top of the crushed pineapple.
Cut the Butter into Thin Slices and Lay Them On Top of the Cake Mix
Although it’s tedious and time-consuming, this next step is the most important part of the recipe. Use a sharp knife to cut the butter into thin slices, about 4-6 slices per Tablespoon. This is much easier if the butter is cold, so be sure to keep the butter in the refrigerator until you get to this step.
As you cut the butter, lay the slices on top of the cake mix, placing them 1/8 to 1/4-inch apart–basically almost touching, but not quite. The idea is for the butter to melt down and spread out as the dump cake bakes in the oven, turning the raw cake mix into buttery, crunchy crumble.
Bake the Dump Cake
Once your pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients is assembled, bake it at 350F, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Serve
Let the dump cake cool at least 10-15 minutes before serving, at least 30 if you want the slices to hold their shape, then enjoy!
Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients FAQ’s
Although learning how you make pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients is easy, here are answers to some frequently asked questions to make sure you can enjoy the best dessert possible.
How Many Servings Does this Recipe Make?
Even though it depends on how large you make the slices, this recipes makes about 12-16 servings that are large enough for a satisfying dessert after a normal meal.
What to Serve with Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients?
Although my pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients is delicious on its own, it’s also great served with vanilla ice cream, Cool Whip, or whipped cream. If you want something especially tasty, make my easy homemade whipped cream recipe for a special treat.
How Long To Bake Pineapple Dump Cake? *
Bake pineapple dump cake for 60 minutes at 350F, uncovered. If your oven is hotter / cooler than normal or if your filling has more / less juice than mine did, baking time may vary, so check the dump cake at the 45-minute mark.
How Do You Know When a Dump Cake is Done?
You know a dump cake is done when the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Since there are no eggs, all you really need to do is melt the butter and heat everything through.
How to Store Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients?
Once it cools down completely, store your pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients in the refrigerator, uncovered. I recommend uncovered because covering it will trap in the moisture and making the topping soggy.
How Long Does Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients Last?
Your pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients should last 2-3 in the refrigerator. Although it will likely be safe to eat for longer, the moisture in your refrigerator will start making the topping unpleasantly soggy.
Can I Use Margarine Instead of Butter?
Yes, you can use margarine instead of butter, but I wouldn’t recommend it since butter adds flavor that magarine doesn’t. If you do decide to use margarine, UnfussyKitchen.com suggests using stick margarine because it’s better for baking than margarine spread.
Do You Drain Pineapple For Dump Cake?
Yes, it’s best to drain pineapple for dump cake so the filling doesn’t have too much liquid. If the filling has too much juice, you won’t get a crispy, golden brown top, one of the best parts of a dump cake.
Although I drained my canned pineapple fairly thoroughly, you could add back in some juice if you prefer a juicier filling, between 1/4 and 1/2 cup in total. Any more than that, and I think you could sacrifice the crispy crumble topping.
Why Don’t You Mix a Dump Cake?
As explained by Kaitlyn Yarborough writing for SouthernLiving.com, you never mix dump cake ingredients. Instead, you layer the fruit, cake mix, and butter, resulting in a cobbler with a goey filling and crispy topping. If you mix the ingredients together, you’ll get something more like a cake than a cobbler.
Can I Use a Different Type of Cake Mix?
Yes! Although I almost always use white cake for dump cakes, yellow dump cake is another cook choice because of its neutral flavor. Lemon goes well with pineapple, so lemon cake mix would be good, too.
Can I Use Pineapple Chunks, Rings, or Tidbits?
Yes! Crushed pineapple is used in most dump cake recipes because it’s easiest to distribute evenly. However, you could definitely use pineapple chunks, rings, or tidbits. If using rings or large chunks, I recommend cutting them into smaller pieces so each bite has a bit of pineapple in it.
Can I Use Pineapple In Syrup?
Yes! I used crushed pineapple in 100% juice, but you can use pineapple in syrup as well. The dump cake will be sweeter because of the added sugar, but I don’t think the cobbler will be sickeningly sweet, especially if you add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice so the tartness can balance out the sweetness.
Can I Use Fresh Pineapple in this Recipe?
Yes, but the recipe won’t turn out the same. Although you could use fresh pineapple, I don’t recommend it for a few reasons.
First of all, pineapple is a fairly firm fruit, and I’m not sure if 1 hour in the oven would be enough to truly make it soft. Also, the fresh pineapple would give off a lot of juice while in the oven, so you’d add to mix in some cornstarch to thicken the filling.
I will have to experiment with fresh pineapple in this recipe in the future. However, I think I’d have to make some significant changes to the recipe, so for now, I don’t suggest using fresh.
A Chef’s Review
My pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients recipe turned out great. The filling had a lot of fruit flavor and the topping was nice and butter. Along with the crispy, crumbly texture and golden brown color of the topping, this cobbler was amazing.
I think there are two keys to this recipe. First, although it’s technically optional, is adding some lemon juice to the filling to help bring out the flavor. The second is taking your time to slice the butter and lay the pads on top of the cake mix as evenly as possible. That will make your cobbler really good.
However, this pineapple dump cake is super easy because you only need 3 shelf-stable ingredients that are also very budget-friendly. If you need to make a dessert quickly and easily, this recipe is perfect.
Even though I thought this was great as is, some people might say that the filling is a bit dry. I recommend draining the juice from the canned pineapple, otherwise you won’t have a crispy topping, but I could see adding somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of pineapple juice back into the filling.
Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s versatile. If you don’t have crushed pineapple, you can use chunks, tidbits, or rings. If your pineapple is in syrup and not juice, you can use it, too.
Overall, this pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients was a big success. If you’re a beginner cook who needs to feed a crowd quickly, easily, or unexpectedly, this 9×13 cobbler would be perfect.
Possible Changes to the Recipe
Even though this dump cake turned out great, possible ways to switch up the recipe include:
Use Pineapple Tidbits – FunFamilyMeals.com has a dump cake with pineapple tidbits and yellow cake mix recipe, so the filling would have a slightly different yet good texture.
Crushed Pineapple and Tidbits – 1 can of crushed pineapple and 1 can of tidbits or chunks would give the filling a good variety of textures.
Add More Juice to the Filling – As stated above, adding between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice back into the filling would make it juicier without totally sacrificing the crispy crumble topping.
Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients Recipe Variations
If you’re looking for ways to build on this base recipe, be sure to try:
Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake – Paula Deen’s recipe from Grandma Peg combines replaces one of the cans of pineapple with cherry pie filling to make an amazing dessert.
Add Coconut and Nuts – This Food.com recipe calls for adding flaked coconut and chopped nuts. I’ve never tried it, but I think the flavor and texture would be delicious. For the nuts, I think both chopped walnuts or peanuts would be delicious, whichever you prefer.
More Pineapple Recipes
If you agree that pineapple is delicious, especially in desserts, then don’t miss my other recipes:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Crushed Pineapple – Cake mix makes this class dessert easy.
Pineapple Pie Recipe – This double-crust, old-fashioned pie is one of my favorites. Definitely worth a try!
Pineapple Coconut Cake with Cake Mix – Cream cheese frosting and pineapple filling make this amazing.
More 3-Ingredient Dump Cake Recipes
3-ingredient cobblers are great recipes for beginner cooks, so be sure to check out these as well:
Pumpkin Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients – This easy dessert is perfect for fall, especially Thanksgiving.
Cherry Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients – Bright red filling and golden brown topping are great together.
3 Ingredient Apple Dump Cake – This cobbler is even better with the addition of lemon juice and spices.
Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients Recipe Instructions
Pineapple Dump Cake with 3 Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 20 oz cans crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 15.25 oz box white cake mix
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (226g)
- Optional: 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- *For a juicier filling, add back in between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the drained pineapple juice
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Drain most of the juice off the pineapple. For a juicier filling, reserve the juice for later in the recipe.
- Dump the drained pineapple into the baking dish and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
- If you want a juicier filling, add between 1/4 and 1/2 cup to the filling.
- Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon lemon juice on top of the pineapple filling.
- Dump the raw cake mix on top of the pineapple, trying to distribute it as evenly as possible.
- Use a fork a spoon to even out the cake mix, breaking up lumps along the way.
- Cut the butter into thin slices, about 4-6 per Tablespoon, and then lay the pads of butter on top of the cake mix. Spread them out so they are almost touching–but not quite–about 1/4 inch apart, if not a bit closer.
- Bake the dump cake at 350F, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Cool the pineapple dump cake with 3 ingredients for at least 10-15 minutes, 30 minutes if you want the slices to hold their shape.
- Serve and enjoy!
YouTube Video
Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial, too:
