Use apple pie filling and a box of spice cake mix to make 5 ingredient apple dump cake! It tastes just like homemade apple crisp but is way easier! No mixing or additional bowls needed for this dump cake with apples.

scoop of apple dump cake with whipped cream and caramel drizzle on wooden spatula

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.

ingredients to make apple dump cake on brown background

Ingredients

  • apple pie filling
  • spice cake mix
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • butter

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!

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 dump cake with 3 ice cream scoops and caramel sauce in metal bowl

How to Make Apple Dump Cake

  1. 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. 
  2. Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the filling, then sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over that.
  3. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake. Add the butter pieces evenly.
  4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden yellow.

How Do You Know When a Dump Cake 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.

Easy to make 5 ingredient apple dump cake! It’s one of the best fall desserts and turns out to be similar to apple crisp!

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 to Store Dump Cake

Store in the fridge covered with a lid. Best eaten within 3-4 days.

scoop of apple dump cake with whipped cream and caramel drizzle on wooden spatula

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. 

More Apple Desserts

Apple Dump Cake

4.44 from 16 ratings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 20 servings
Use apple pie filling and a box of spice cake mix to make 5 ingredient apple dump cake! It tastes just like homemade apple crisp but is way easier! No mixing or additional bowls needed for this dump cake with apples.
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Ingredients

  • 2 cans apple pie filling, 20 oz per can
  • 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 box spice cake mix, 15.25 oz
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted, 1/2 cup
  • ½ stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces (not melted), 1/4 cup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Melt the 1 stick of butter, allow the butter to cool slightly.
  • Empty the 2 cans of apple pie filling into the pan, spreading to make an even layer.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the pie filing.
  • Sprinkle the box of spice cake mix evenly on top. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the cake mix.
  • Place the pieces of butter on areas of the cake mix where there isn’t enough melted 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.

Notes

You could substitute a white, yellow, or apple cake mix in place of the spice cake mix.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Beth
Calories: 233kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 218mg, Potassium: 118mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 227IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg
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