Decadent Cherry Chocolate Dump Cake

1.Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

2.Pour both cans of cherry pie filling evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the filling to cover the entire base.

3.Evenly sprinkle the dry chocolate cake mix over the cherry pie filling. Do not stir the mixture; the cake mix should form a dry layer on top of the cherries.

4.In a small bowl, melt the butter. If using, stir in the vanilla extract.

5.Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix layer. Ensure that the butter covers as much of the dry mix as possible, as this is what will moisten the cake during baking.

6.If using, sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over the top layer of butter and cake mix.

7.Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges. The cake topping should look set and slightly crisp.

8.Remove the dump cake from the oven and let it cool slightly for 10-15 minutes before serving.

9.Serve warm directly from the dish, topped with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.