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This sweet and moist apple dump cake is ready in no time.
No fancy ingredients or methods, this is an easy apple dessert. Simply dump the ingredients in a pan and bake! All of the classic flavor of apple pie in a cobbler-style cake with almost no effort.
Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
An Easy Apple Dump Cake!
A dump cake gets its name from how easy it is to prepare. Simply dump in the ingredients and bake. No mixer, no stirring!
- Just five ingredients! So easy!
- The addition of fresh apples is optional but we love the flavor it adds.
- This takes about 5 minutes to prepare, perfect to pop into the oven while you sit down to dinner!
- This simple dessert has room for variety, so save this recipe formula for future mix-and-match dump cake dessert combos!
- Cook apple dump cake up to a day in advance and keep refrigerated until ready to reheat and serve.
Ingredients in Apple Dump Cake
Cake Mix – No need to buy a fancy brand or specific flavor. Try white cake, yellow cake mix, or even spice cake mix!
Apple Filling – Use fresh fruit to up-level your dump cake! Homemade apple pie filling works in this recipe too or a used canned from the store. I love to add a few fresh apples if I have them on hand.
Optional Additions & Variations
- Add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts.
- Punch up the apple pie flavor with a DIY apple spice blend.
Dump Cake Combos – Dump cakes are so easy to make and the options are endless! Try some of the following…
- Dark chocolate or fudge cake + cherry pie filling
- White cake + peaches
- Yellow cake + blueberry or raspberry
- Red velvet cake + blueberries
How to Make a Dump Cake
This cake is quick and easy to throw together. Perfect for a last-minute dessert for the next potluck or picnic.
- Spread the pie filling & fresh apples into a baking dish.
- Top with the dry cake mix.
- Pour melted butter on top of the cake mix. Do not stir the layers.
- Bake until golden brown and cool per the recipe below.
Drizzle the cake with caramel sauce or top with ice cream if you’d like.
Storing Leftover Dump Cake
Keep leftover apple dump cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s very moist so won’t last long on the counter.
Easy as (Apple) Pie!
Did you make this Apple Dump Cake for a crowd? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Apple Dump Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces vanilla cake mix white cake, yellow cake or spice cake mix
- 42 ounces apple pie filling 2 x 21 ounces each
- 3 large apples optional
- ¾ cup melted butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or to taste, or 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Peel apples, remove the core, and dice into bite-sized pieces. Spread diced apples on the bottom of the prepared bottom. Top with apple pie filling.
- Evenly sprinkle cake mix over top of pie filling. DO NOT MIX.
- Pour melted butter over cake mix and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
Notes
- Fresh apples are optional but add great flavor to the cake.
- Use white, yellow, or spice cake mix.
- Do not mix the layers together.
- Ensure you cover as much of the cake mix as possible with the melted butter to avoid dry spots.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cake, Dessert
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great idea!!
I decided to use the spice cake variation and added chopped pecans. I mixed the cinnamon and some chopped pecans with the chopped apples for my first layer. I omitted the cinnamon from the top layer because the spice cake contained it already. I added chopped pecans to the cake layer.
I served it with cool whip. It was SO good! Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe! I can’t wait to try it different ways (cake and fruit types).
Your version sounds delicious Sarah!
Made this with canned peaches soooooo good and very easy.
Absolutely delicious!!!!! I did make the filling rather than using the canned and it was perfect.
Thanks for such a wonderful and easy recipe.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Thanks for the recipe. Absolutely scrumptious!
I am so glad you loved this recipe Kristine!
I made the dump cake for Sunday supper dessert … if it lasts that long sitting on the counter! My husband had a “taste” with some ice cream and he positively raved about it. I actually split it and baked in two pans .. one for us, one for my friend whom I’m cooking for … one pan was 8×8 (foil), the other about 8 x7 (glass). I just tried to divvy it up fairly equally. The cake in the foil pan seemed to cook faster.
Long story short… THANK YOU HOLLY for another simple, yummy recipe!!! It’s a winner!!!
So glad your family loved this Mo!
Yum Yum Yum!!!!! This is definitely a keeper. Prep time took me a little longer than “normal” but it was so worth it. It is now one of my favorite dessert recipes. Thank you for a great recipe!
Going to make this tomorrow using your recipe for Apple Pie Filling instead of two cans of apple pie filling. I plan on doubling the filling recipe for this Dump Cake. Stay tuned….
Hello,
I haven’t made yet as there are only two of us. So, my question is, can you cut this recipe in half for two people. If so, would it be in an 8×8 size pan?
Hi M C, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. But I think it would work just fine to half the recipe! I would try it in an 8×8 pan. If you try it, I would love to hear how it works out!
What do you do with the 2 eggs?
No eggs are needed for this recipe.
If I make a pumpkin dump cake, would it work if I prepared and dumped the pumpkin filling part first, then followed by layering the cake mix /applesauce mixture?
I haven’t tried it that way, let us know how it works out for you if you do try it!
What a moist cake! I told my husband as it was cooling that I thought I made a mistake because I added the apple pie filling by hand after mixing the cake mix and applesauce, leaving the apples in slices. Before he had his second forkful to his mouth he said “I don’t think you should change a thing!”
Have you ever made this with blueberry pie filling? I think he would like that too.
I have only made this recipe as written Kat, but that sounds amazing! Let us know if you try it!
Quick, easy and healthy. Just made it tonight and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing it!
Do you follow directions for cake mix first, or just use the cake mix, and the other ingredient?
Just use the cake mix and other ingredients. No eggs, oil, water etc. :)