Pudding Cake Recipe (With Canned Cherry Pie Filling)

If you're looking for a little baking magic, you have to try Nana's old-fashioned pudding cake recipe. It's a simple, from-scratch dessert where a rich cake batter rises right up and over a sweet, fruity filling as it bakes. With just eight basic pantry staples, this budget-friendly cherry pudding cake will make an easy, crowd-pleasing addition to your next weeknight dinner or holiday dessert table.

🍰Old-Fashioned Pudding Cake (Nana's Recipe)

This sweet pudding cake recipe comes straight from my Nana's recipe box, just like her Apple Kuchen and Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. It makes a stunning addition to any dessert spread, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas when you want something a little extra special on the table. The real magic happens right in the oven, where the batter transforms into a warm, gooey treat reminiscent of a comforting cherry cobbler--similar to my Cherry Crumble.

🍒How This Cake Creates Its Own Sauce

The secret to this classic pudding cake dessert lies in its simple white cake batter, which relies on a generous amount of baking powder for lift. Just before baking, a hot mixture of boiling water and lemon juice is poured right on top, triggering a chemical reaction. As the cake bakes, the batter rises to the top while the sweet cherries and hot liquid sink beautifully underneath, creating an irresistible, rich, gooey sauce.

🕰️A Great Depression-Era Classic

Upside-down pudding cake recipes first rose to popularity during the Great Depression, when families needed to stretch basic pantry staples into something special. They've remained a popular dessert ever since--not just because they're easy and budget-friendly, but because they deliver retro comfort food vibes with hardly any effort.

🥘Just 8 Pantry Ingredients Needed

• Butter: Softened butter adds rich flavor and helps create a tender, moist crumb in this old-fashioned, cherry pudding cake dessert.
• Sugar: Sweetens the simple white cake batter and helps it develop a light, golden crust as it bakes.
• Milk: Adds moisture and helps bind the batter together for a soft, cake-like texture.
• Flour: Forms the base of the batter, giving the cake its structure while staying light enough to rise over the fruit filling.
• Baking Powder: The key leavening agent that gives this pudding cake its signature rise, causing the batter to puff up over the cherry filling.
• Cherry Pie Filling: Creates the sweet, fruity layer on the bottom of the dish that sinks beneath the batter as the cake bakes.
• Lemon Juice: Adds a bright, tangy contrast to the sweet cherries and helps trigger the bubbly reaction when combined with boiling water.
• Boiling Water: Poured over the batter before baking, hot water combines with the lemon juice to create the rich, gooey sauce this pudding cake recipe is known for.

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪How To Make Cherry Pudding Cake

Step 1: Combine butter and sugar; stir in milk, flour, and baking powder. Mix well, then transfer to baking dish.

Step 2: Dollop cherry pie filling on top of cake batter.

Step 3: Combine lemon juice and water; boil. Slowly pour hot mixture over the pie filling.

Step 4: Bake until cake rises to the top and a toothpick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean.

For step-by-step instructions, see the printable recipe card below.

Hint: Don't skip or alter the boiling water and lemon juice step before baking, because it's absolutely crucial to the recipe! That hot, acidic liquid is exactly what activates the baking powder (leavening agent) to create the magical inversion while the cake bakes.

🌿Healthy Ingredient Substitutions

• White Whole Wheat Flour: Try using white whole wheat flour instead of standard all-purpose flour to sneak in some extra dietary fiber. It won't drastically change the texture, but it gives this comforting dessert a nice little nutritional boost!

📖Easy Pudding Cake Recipe Variations

• Peach Almond: You can easily swap the cherry filling for canned peach pie filling and a splash of almond extract. This fun twist creates a wonderful flavor profile that'll instantly remind you of a warm, comforting peach cobbler!
• Apple Cinnamon: Try using canned apple pie filling and sprinkle a teaspoon of warm cinnamon directly into your simple cake batter. This incredibly easy tweak turns the classic recipe into a cozy, comforting dessert that's absolutely perfect for fall!
• Blueberry: Swap out the cherry pie filling for a can of sweet blueberry pie filling instead. This simple twist creates a wonderfully rich, bubbly dessert that'll definitely be a huge hit with your whole family!

See my Peach Cobbler with Canned Peaches for another easy, fruit-on-the-bottom, classic recipe.

🍽Essential Equipment Needed

• 8x8 square pan, well greased
• large mixing bowl & spatula
• hand mixer
• spouted measuring cup

🍶Storing Your Cherry Pudding Cake

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer cake to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days (cake topper will get soggy the longer it sits).

To reheat, place in a baking dish covered with foil. Reheat at 300 degrees until heated through (usually 20 minutes).

Freezing isn't recommended for this pudding cake recipe.

❓Pudding Cake Recipe FAQ

🍒More Canned Cherry Pie Filling Recipes

Looking for other recipes with luscious cherry pie filling like this pudding cake recipe? Try these, or head over to our Easy Desserts page:

🍴More Retro Desserts

These are some of my other favorite classic desserts. Find more on the From Scratch Desserts page:

📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions

Cherry Pudding Cake Recipe

Kitchen Ready Betty

This old-fashioned cherry pudding cake features a simple from-scratch batter that magically rises over a sweet fruit filling as it bakes. With just eight basic pantry staples, it's an incredibly easy and comforting dessert that tastes remarkably like a bubbling cherry cobbler!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Rest Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 486 kcal

Equipment

• 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pan (OR a 9-inch round baking pan with a 2-inch depth) well greased
• large mixing bowl
• hand mixer
• scraping spatula
• spouted measuring cup (2 cup capacity; microwave safe)
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk 2% or whole recommended
• 2 cups flour spooned and leveled into measuring cup
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling do not use light/reduced sugar pie filling
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup boiling water

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream softened butter and sugar. Stir in milk, flour, and baking powder; mix well on lowest setting, scraping down sides as needed. (It's okay if the batter is a little lumpy).
• Transfer cake batter to greased baking dish; spread batter to edges to cover the bottom.
• Dollop cherry pie filling (entire contents of can) on top of the cake batter.
• Add water and lemon juice to spouted measuring cup. Microwave until boiling (usually 2-3 minutes). Slowly and carefully pour bubbling hot mixture over the cherry pie filling. (DO NOT STIR THIS MIXTURE ONCE IT'S POURED ON TOP.)
• Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the highest part of the cake topper comes out clean (edges and top of cake will be slightly browned).*see recipe notes
• Allow cake to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Ovens vary, and depending on the thickness of your baking pan, you may need to adjust your baking time. Start checking for doneness at the 30-minute mark, and then in 3-5 minute intervals thereafter. A toothpick inserted into the highest part of the cake needs to come out clean. Keep in mind that if you accidentally overbake the dessert, the cake layer will start to absorb all the delicious sauce, leaving it slightly dry underneath.

Don't skip or alter the boiling water and lemon juice step before baking, because it's absolutely crucial to the recipe! That hot, acidic liquid is exactly what activates the baking powder (leavening agent) to create the magical inversion while the cake bakes.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer cake to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days (cake topper will get soggy the longer it sits).To reheat, place in a baking dish covered with foil. Reheat at 300 degrees until heated through (usually 20 minutes).

 

Nutrition

Calories: 486kcalCarbohydrates: 94gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 2gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 504IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 228mgIron: 1mg

Keyword cherry cobbler, cherry pie filling dessert, cherry pudding cake, easy cherry dessert, holiday dessert, old-fashioned pudding cake, pudding cake dessert, pudding cake recipe, upside-down cake

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

_{Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.}