Could it have been called Dump Cake? It is made with a can of chunk style pineapple and cherry pie filling and pecans, cake mix WITHOUT pudding, and pecans. Then served with Cool Whip.

No, it was just the cherry pie filling, no pineapple.

I just googled and found this recipe which is cherry pie filling only. It is the same recipe but left the pineapple out and added a second can of cherries. I was going to suggest that but didn't know if the "juiciness" of the pineapple was needed. LOL I guess not. At any rate, I hope this helps.

Cherry Dump Cake

1 box white or yellow cake mix
1/4 pound butter or margarine -- at room
1/2 cup nuts* -- chopped
2 cans prepared cherry pie -- filling
walnuts or pecans are best for this recipe

In a mixer blend the cake mix with the butter until it is fine and crumbly. Take out and save about 1 cup of the mixture. The remainder is pressed into the bottom of a 9x14" baking pan.

Bake at 350* for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown. Pour the cherry pie filling over the hot baked crust. Mix the chopped nuts to the remaining cake mix mixture, and sprinkle over the pie filling. Return to the oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until the mix mixture is lightly browned.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Kathy, is it possibe the cake mix had been augmented with 4 eggs, pudding mix and oil?
That may make it heavy enough for the pie filling not to sink.