I have been making this for years, and always get asked for the recipe! I even make it one step easier, and just dot the butter on top - not melt it!

My family has been preparing this recipe for years, it is always a hit! My grandmother has fine-tuned it by adding a small can of crushed pineapple to the cherry pie filling, it takes away some of the tartness and makes it a little sweeter. We also use a stick of soft butter and with a pastry blender, crumb out the butter and cake mix, then just sprinkle over filling. It gives the topping a more consistent appeal, there are no dry spots of just cake mix. Regardless, it's an amazing recipe and is loved by everyone who tries it.

Can you use the cherries with the filling in the can with them...like you use for pies...or do you have to use plain cherries in the can?

Love this recipe! First time I had it was a family. Reunion. I add drained crushed pineapple to mine. Good & easy!

I think pie filling in the can would work, but the consistency would be different. I find that if I am going to use a thickened pie filling with this type of dump cake, that it is best to combine the butter and cake mix first, like Julied, above, suggested.