Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease your 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Layer the fruit base. First, pour the crushed pineapple (with its juice) into the baking dish. Spread it evenly across the bottom. Then, layer the sliced bananas evenly over the pineapple.

Add the cherry filling. Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly across the top of the bananas. Don’t worry about mixing—just layer each component and let the oven do the work.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix. Evenly sprinkle the chocolate cake mix directly over the layered fruit. It may seem strange to add the mix dry, but this is the signature technique of dump cakes.

Top with butter slices. Arrange the slices of butter evenly across the top of the dry cake mix, ensuring that the surface is mostly covered. This will help moisten and bake the cake properly.

Add toppings (optional). Sprinkle chopped nuts or chocolate chips over the butter if you like added crunch or richness.

Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and the cake mix is mostly set. Some areas may be gooey, and that’s okay—it adds to the charm.

Let cool slightly, then serve warm on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream for a classic banana split finish.