recipe: tony's dump cake

There is precisely one dessert recipe that Tony knows how to make. And for years now, whenever he's called upon to bring a dessert to a dinner party or potluck, he turns to his trusty dump cake. Easy and tasty. So last Friday, when our neighbor invited Tony over for a man night with a group of guys (complete with steaks and whiskey), Tony volunteered to bring the dessert.

This recipe is simple. There are four ingredients, all of which can be kept in the pantry and fridge or freezer, ready for last-minute dump cake emergencies. Crushed pineapple. Cherry pie filling. Yellow cake mix. Butter. And as the name implies, you just dump it all into a pan and bake it.

(I should note that we only had pineapple chunks at our house, so Tony used a potato masher to break the chunks up. It's easiest just to buy the right stuff, though.)

Tony's Dump Cake

• 1 can crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 2 sticks butter

In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, pour crushed pineapple. Spread cherry pie filling on top. Spread yellow cake mix over the fruit. Top with pats of butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.