Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, grease a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size) with butter or cooking spray, making sure to coat the bottom and sides evenly. This prevents sticking and ensures even browning of the cake layer.

Pour the cherry pie filling into the greased baking dish and stir in the almond extract until well combined. The almond extract adds a subtle depth to the cherries and complements their tartness beautifully. Spread the filling evenly across the bottom of the dish, making sure no dry spots remain on the bottom.

Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the cherry filling, covering it completely. I like to break up any large clumps of cake mix with my fingers or a fork before sprinkling so it distributes more uniformly. Then sprinkle the ground cinnamon over the top of the cake mix for a subtle spice note.

Arrange the thinly sliced butter evenly over the cake mix layer, spacing the slices so they're distributed across the surface (they'll melt and spread during baking). Don't worry about complete coverage—the butter will distribute as it melts and create a golden, moist topping. Slide the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and you can see the cherry filling bubbling slightly around the edges.

Remove the dump cake from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This cooling time allows the filling to set slightly so it won't run all over the plate, and gives the cake structure time to firm up. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.