Golden Pineapple Cherry Crunch Cake

Sweet pineapple, juicy cherries and a buttery golden cake topping come together in this incredibly easy Golden Pineapple Cherry Crunch Cake. With just a handful of ingredients and almost no mixing required, it's the kind of dessert you can put together quickly when you need something warm, fruity and crowd-friendly.

As the dessert bakes, the pineapple and cherry filling becomes hot and bubbly while the dry cake mix and melted butter form a rich, lightly crisp topping. Sliced almonds or chopped walnuts add extra crunch and contrast beautifully with the soft fruit underneath.

Serve it warm on its own or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert that's especially good for family dinners, potlucks, holidays and casual gatherings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 55–60 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American-Inspired
Method: Baking
Pan Size: 9 × 13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

• 1 can (20 oz / 567 g) crushed pineapple, including the juice
• 1 can (21 oz / 595 g) cherry pie filling
• 1 package yellow cake mix
• ½ to 1 cup sliced almonds or chopped walnuts
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) butter, melted
• Vanilla ice cream, optional for serving

How to Make Pineapple Cherry Crunch Cake

1. Prepare the baking dish

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Make sure the corners are coated as well so the sticky fruit mixture is easier to serve after baking.

2. Create the pineapple layer

Pour the entire can of crushed pineapple, including its juice, into the prepared baking dish.

Use the back of a spoon or spatula to distribute the pineapple evenly across the bottom.

Don't drain the pineapple. Its juice provides moisture that helps transform the cake mix as the dessert bakes.

3. Add the cherries

Spoon the cherry pie filling over the pineapple.

Gently spread it across the surface. You don't need to thoroughly mix the two fruit layers—the different pockets of pineapple and cherry are part of what makes this dessert so good.

4. Add the cake topping

Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit.

Try to cover the entire surface, including the edges and corners. There's no need to prepare the cake mix according to the package directions.

5. Add some crunch

Scatter sliced almonds or chopped walnuts over the cake mix.

You can use around ½ cup for a lighter nut topping or closer to 1 cup if you want a crunchier finish.

6. Finish with melted butter

Slowly drizzle the melted butter over the entire surface.

Try to distribute it as evenly as possible so that plenty of the dry cake mixture is moistened. During baking, the butter combines with the cake mix to create the dessert's golden, crumbly topping.

7. Bake until golden and bubbling

Bake uncovered for 55–60 minutes.

The dessert is ready when the topping is golden brown and you can see the cherry-pineapple filling bubbling around the edges.

Allow it to rest for approximately 10–15 minutes before serving. The fruit filling will be extremely hot immediately after leaving the oven.

Tips for the Best Pineapple Cherry Cake

One of the advantages of this recipe is its simplicity, so resist the temptation to stir all the layers together. Keeping the pineapple, cherry filling and cake mix relatively distinct creates a much better combination of soft fruit and golden topping.

Pay particular attention when adding the melted butter. Distributing it across as much of the cake mix as possible helps prevent large patches of dry powder from remaining after baking.

For extra texture, sliced almonds give the dessert a delicate toasted crunch, while walnuts provide a richer, more robust flavor.

What to Serve With It

This dessert is particularly good served warm with vanilla ice cream. The cold ice cream begins melting into the warm cherry and pineapple filling, creating an almost creamy sauce beneath the crunchy topping.

Whipped cream is another easy option. For something simpler, serve the cake warm or at room temperature without any additional topping.

Easy Variations

The basic combination of pineapple and cherry works particularly well, but the recipe is easy to customize. Pecans can replace the almonds or walnuts, while a butter-style or vanilla cake mix can provide a slightly different flavor.

A small amount of cinnamon can also be sprinkled over the cake mixture before baking if you prefer a warmer, spiced dessert.

Storing Leftovers

Once cooled, cover the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Individual portions can be gently reheated before serving. If you're adding ice cream or whipped cream, wait until after reheating before adding them.

Why You'll Love This Easy Dessert

There's no complicated batter, frosting or decorating involved. The ingredients are simply layered in the baking dish and the oven does most of the work.

The finished dessert combines tart cherries, sweet pineapple, buttery cake and toasted nuts in every spoonful. It's somewhere between a fruit cobbler and a soft cake, with a crisp golden topping that makes it especially satisfying served warm.