Ingredients:

  • 42 oz no-sugar-added cherry pie filling
  • 0.5 tsp pure almond extract
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, frozen
  • 0.5 cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread two 21-ounce cans of cherry pie filling into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Directly in the baking dish, stir the almond extract and lemon juice into the cherry filling. Smooth the top with a spatula.
  3. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit base. Use the back of a spoon to lightly press the powder into the juices without stirring. Wait until the powder looks slightly damp in spots before moving to the next step.
  4. Using a box grater, grate the frozen butter evenly over the entire surface of the cake mix, ensuring edge to edge coverage.
  5. Top the butter layer with sliced almonds or chopped pecans.
  6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes on the center rack until the filling is bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown.
  7. Check the center at 45 minutes; if the cake mix still looks like dry powder, use a spoon to gently dab a little butter or juice over the spot.
  8. Remove from the oven and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Note: The filling needs this time to thicken.