Apple dump cake is a quick and cozy fall dessert with tender, crumbly cake and warm apple pie filling. You only need 3 ingredients to make it – apple pie filling, cake mix, and butter!
Why this recipe works
Dump cakes reinvent the dessert game. They’re insanely easy to prepare, you only need a cake mix, pie filling, and butter to make the magic happen. This apple dump cake incorporates spiced apple pie filling with a box of yellow cake mix that creates a crumbly soft cobbler-like topping.
Dump, bake, and scoop into a bowl with a generous amount of vanilla ice cream. That’s all! With only 15 minutes of prep and 3 pantry staple ingredients, it’s definitely bound to be your new favorite apple dessert. If you want to razzle dazzle it up even more, add some vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle, or hop over to our caramel apple dump cake for an entire cake centered around that caramel goodness.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CAKE MIX – You will need one package (15.25 ounces) of yellow cake mix. Optionally substitute with white cake mix, French vanilla, or even a spice cake mix. Do not prepare or bake the cake mix, you only need the dry mix to make this dish work.
APPLE FILLING – You can use canned apple pie filling, canned “fried apples”, or make your own apple pie filling. We opt for canned apple pie filling as it’s quick and convenient which falls right in line with the concept of dump cake!
BUTTER – Do not omit or skimp on the butter, it’s needed in order to bake the cake.
ADDITIONS – Most pie filling already has warm spices added, but feel free to add cinnamon, nutmeg, or apple pie spice. You can also incorporate nuts such as walnuts or pecans into the mixture if desired.
How to Make Apple Dump Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the apple pie filling evenly into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apple pie filling.
- Use a sharp knife or a mandolin to slice very thin pieces of butter. Spread the pieces of butter over the top of the dry cake mix, covering as much of the cake mix as possible.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is browned and the apple pie filling is bubbling from under the topping.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and/or caramel sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store your cake covered with an air-tight lid or plastic wrap at room temperature for 3-4 days. It should keep longer if you store it in the refrigerator, around 5-7 days.
You can freeze this dump cake for up to 1 month. Wrap it a couple of times in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and optionally reheat.
If you would like a caramel-centered recipe, check out our caramel apple dump cake which incorporates caramel into the actual cake. Otherwise, you can use caramel sauce as garnish.
Serving Suggestions
Serve apple dump cake warm, chilled, or at room temperature scooped into a bowl. We’re partial to serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an optional drizzle of caramel sauce. Other garnish ideas include a dollop of whipped cream with a dash of apple pie spice, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips.
More Dump Cake Recipes
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pineapple Dump Cake
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Peach Cobbler Dump Cake
- Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
- Blueberry Dump Cake
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Apple Dump Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 42 ounces canned apple pie filling two 21 ounce cans
- 15.25 ounces dry yellow cake mix 1 package
- ¾ cup salted butter cold. sliced thin
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You will need one package (15.25 ounces) of yellow cake mix. Optionally substitute with white cake mix, French vanilla, or even a spice cake mix. Do not prepare or bake the cake mix, you only need the dry mix to make this dish work.
- You can use canned apple pie filling, canned “fried apples”, or make your own apple pie filling. We opt for canned apple pie filling as it’s quick and convenient which falls right in line with the concept of dump cake!
- Most pie filling already has warm spices added, but feel free to add cinnamon, nutmeg, or apple pie spice. You can also incorporate nuts such as walnuts or pecans into the mixture if desired.
- Store your cake covered with an air-tight lid or plastic wrap at room temperature for 3-4 days. It should keep longer if you store it in the refrigerator, around 5-7 days.
- You can freeze this dump cake for up to 1 month. Wrap the cooled cake a couple of times in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and optionally reheat.
- Serve apple dump cake warm, chilled, or at room temperature scooped into a bowl. We’re partial to serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an optional drizzle of caramel sauce. Other garnish ideas include a dollop of whipped cream with a dash of apple pie spice, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the apple pie filling evenly into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apple pie filling.
- Use a sharp knife or a mandolin to slice very thin pieces of butter. Spread the pieces of butter over the top of the dry cake mix, covering as much of the cake mix as possible.TIP – You can also melt the butter and pour it over the top of the cake mix, though I find it a little easier to cover the top with pats of butter. Typically, ½ cup butter will just cover a dump cake. You may have some dry patches of cake mix when the dump cake is done baking and that is okay. You can also check on the dump cake after about 30 minutes of baking and add some additional pieces of butter over any dry patches.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is browned and the apple pie filling is bubbling from under the topping.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and/or caramel sauce.
Nutrition
Kristen Rittmer
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Robert says
I love your ink!
Amanda Davis says
Thank you! :)
Carol says
Can you use a box of gluten-free cake mix?
Amanda Davis says
We have not tested that, however I would imagine it should be fine.
Barb says
I don’t buy cake mixes in a box, so what should you recommend for a person to do who would like to try your recipe??
Thanks, Barb Malone
Amanda Davis says
We have a homemade yellow cake here https://amandascookin.com/my-birthday-cake-dedicated-to-the-memory-of-my-mother/ and a homemade white cake here https://amandascookin.com/twd-perfect-party-cake/