That name is perfect—”Minister’s Delight” sounds like the kind of dessert that inspires a sermon! With just three ingredients, it’s also delightfully simple. This is a classic “dump cake” recipe, where the ingredients are layered and the magic happens in the oven.
Here is how to make this heavenly dessert.
Minister’s Delight (3-Ingredient Cherry Dump Cake)
This recipe is incredibly easy and serves about 8-10 people.
Ingredients
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1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
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1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced into thin pieces
Instructions
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Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) . Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with butter or non-stick spray.
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Layer the Fruit: Pour the entire can of cherry pie filling into the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer covering the bottom.
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Add the Cake Mix: Sprinkle the entire box of dry yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the cherry pie filling. Do not stir. Just let it sit as a dry layer on top.
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Top with Butter: Take your thin slices of butter and distribute them evenly over the surface of the dry cake mix. Try to cover as much of the surface as possible—the butter will melt and create those delicious, buttery, cake-like pockets.
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Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbly around the edges.
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Cool (Slightly): Let it cool for at least 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows it to set up a little, though it’s still meant to be a warm, gooey, cobbler-like dessert.
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Serve: Serve warm, preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. The cold cream with the warm, fruity, buttery cake is the true “divine intervention” moment!
Tips for the Best “Minister’s Delight”
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Don’t Stir! The magic of a dump cake is that the layers remain separate. As it bakes, the cake mix absorbs the cherry juice and the melted butter, creating a crispy, crumbly, cobbler-like topping all on its own.
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Butter is Key: Make sure your butter slices are thin and evenly distributed. This ensures the dry cake mix gets moistened evenly.
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Mix it Up: Feel free to experiment with other fruit pie fillings! Peach, apple, or blueberry would all be fantastic. A classic variation is “Peach Delight” using peach pie filling and adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to the top.
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Add-ons: For extra crunch, you can sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts over the butter slices before baking.