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This apple dump cake will make you say OMG (just ask Robin below)! With just 5 ingredients and no bowls, this dump cake with apples is ready in under an hour and tastes just like homemade apple crisp, but way easier to make.
I made this apple dump cake and OMG !!!! It was absolutely wonderful. We made it exactly as described and wondered how the dry cake mix was going to be …. no worries… it was awesome. This is a keeper and will be made over and over. Thank you so much Beth for this wonderful recipe.
-Robin
This Apple Dump Cake Recipe is The Perfect Fall Treat
We live 10 minutes from an apple orchard and I’ve been stalking their website the past few weeks waiting for them to say that the u-pick honey crisp apples are ready!
I’m not really a big apple connoisseur – but I do know that honey crisps that come straight from the tree taste amazing! There’s just something joyful about munching on an apple while you fill your bag full with a haul to take home.
This apple dump cake recipe is all about ease.
It uses apple pie filling instead of whole apples which cuts down on preparation time. Some people may be more inclined to make a yummy fall recipe if it’s quick and easy to make meaning they don’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
What is Dump Cake?
A dump cake is known for ease because you dump ingredients into the cake pan. Most dump cakes are made in 9×13 inch pans. Most dump cakes use canned/frozen/fresh fruit or canned pumpkin.
Dump cakes are known for sprinkling a box of dry cake mix over the ingredients in the pan and then adding melted butter on top of the cake mix.
It’s magical what happens inside the oven. The result is a cobbler like dessert with fruit pieces and cake mixed together! It’s not the type of cake you cut into neat squares, just scoop it onto your plate and eat!
Apple Pie Dump Cake Ingredients
- apple pie filling – It wouldn’t be apple dump cake without it! Use two 20 oz cans, any brand is fine.
- spice cake mix – I like to use spice cake mix instead of yellow or white cake. It amps up the spice flavor, which is what you want in apple cake.
- cinnamon and nutmeg – For added flavor, we really want this cake to taste like fall!
- butter – My recipe calls for both melted and “pats” of butter. I found that using both really evenly distributes the butter, which is what we want.
We like to use a spice cake mix in this recipe because it adds a lot of flavor. I saw online that Duncan Hines makes a caramel apple cake/cupcake mix and that would be delicious too! So if you find that in your grocery store, lucky ducky you!
How to Make Apple Pie Dump Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the apple pie filling to the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the filling, then sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over that.
- Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake. Add the butter pieces evenly.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden yellow.
Apple Dump Cake Recipe Tips
- It’s okay if the melted butter doesn’t cover all of the cake mix!
- This recipe turned out great using a box of gluten free yellow cake mix.
- If you bake this in a smaller pan, the baking time will need to be increased.
Can Dump Cake Be Made Ahead of Time?
Most people prefer a warm dump cake, since it does resemble a cobbler. So with that in mind, yes, you can make apple spice dump cake ahead of time, but I would recommend not making it more than 1 day in advance. You can re-heat the entire pan in the oven.
How do you know when dump cake with apple pie filling is done baking?
Unlike traditional cakes, the toothpick method won’t work for an apple dump cake with pie filling. The top of the dump cake should look golden in color and look and feel like a “crust”. But once you break the the crust, the cake will be moist because of the fruit.
Rule of thumb: look for the top of the cake to be golden in color.
How to serve Apple Dump Cake with Pie Filling
Most people prefer a warm dump cake, since it does resemble a cobbler. Serve dump cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic dessert.
Apple Pie Dump Cake Storage
Store in the fridge covered with a lid. Best eaten within 3-4 days.
Does apple dump cake need to be refrigerated?
If eaten within 24 hours, you can store it at room temperature. For longer storage I recommend covering and storing it in the refrigerator.
Apple Dump Cake Recipe FAQs
The number one mistake people make when making a dump cake is mixing it. Dump cake ingredients are purposely supposed to be layered, so do not mix them.
It’s important to remember that a dump cake isn’t like a traditional cake in terms of a light, fluffy texture. A dump cake is a mash up between a cake and a cobbler, where the layers separate into a filling and a crust. Because they contain a lot of moisture from the added fruit, the bottom layer (the filling) of the dump cake will be moist.
If your dump cake has a powdery texture, it’s probably because the cake mix or butter wasn’t evenly spread. If you notice this happening while baking, you can use a spoon to spoon juice from the corners onto the dry spots and put it back in the oven.
Dump cakes are amazing! There are a lot of different variations so you’ll be able to find one that you love!
Dump cakes gained popularity particularly during the 1960s and 1970s. The concept of dump cakes, which involve layering ingredients and “dumping” them into a pan without extensive mixing, was well-suited for the convenience-focused cooking trends of that era.
More Dump Cake Recipes
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Apple Dump Cake With Pie Filling
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cans apple pie filling, 20 oz per can
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 box cake mix 15.25 oz, yellow, vanilla or spice cake
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (not melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Melt 1/2 cup of butter, allow the butter to cool slightly.
- Empty the 2 cans (20 oz each) of apple pie filling into the pan, spreading to make an even layer.2 cans apple pie filling
- Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the pie filling.1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Sprinkle the box of cake mix evenly on top. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the cake mix.1 box cake mix 15.25 oz, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Place the pieces of butter on areas of the cake mix where there isn’t enough melted butter.¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is brown and the apple juices are bubbling.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving. This is not the type of cake that you can cut into slices, it’s more scoopable like apple crisp.
This cake looks so easy to throw together and sooo delicious. And caramel sauce on top? Yes please!
I know, divine!!
You can order the Carmel apple cake mix right from Pillsbury. I think you need to order 6 but I gave a few boxes away and used the rest. It makes a to die for dump cake with canned or jars of apoles
This looks really easy and delicious! Planning to make this for a teen get together at my church. How many servings does a 13×9 pan make (approximately)?
I would say 10-12 for sure!
Can not wait to try some of these!!!!
It’s so delicious!
I made this apple dump cake and OMG !!!! It was absolutely wonderful. We made it exactly as described and wondered how the dry cake mix was going to be …. no worries… it was awesome.
This is a keeper and will be made over and over. Thank you so much Beth for this wonderful recipe.
I also saw cinnamon-apple filling, I wonder if that would be good too ? Your thoughts on that ?
Thanks, Robin.
Hi Robin! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I definitely think the cinnamon apple filling would be delicious in this recipe!
This was AMAZING!! I made it as a dessert for book club and it was a huge success! I only had a 12×12 baking dish, so I had to bake it a bit longer, but it was worth the wait! SOOOO DELICIOUS! I will make this again and again! Thank you for this yummy recipe!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Elise!
I made this today. I added walnuts on top. So delicious!
Can this be made in a crock pot? If so, what are the times?
Hi Rose! I wouldn’t recommend making this recipe in the crock pot. We have a crock pot apple crisp you could try instead: https://thefirstyearblog.com/crock-pot-apple-crisp/