One of my favorite fall traditions is apple picking with the kids, and this 4-ingredient apple dump cake is the fastest way to bring those cozy orchard vibes home, no pie crust required. Just 10 minutes of prep and a buttery cake mix topping, and it's warm, cinnamony, pure comfort.
Since this recipe uses pantry-friendly pie filling, I save my fresh apples for homemade applesauce or no-bake apple donuts.
TL;DR
- ⭐ Only 4 ingredients: Apple pie filling, cake mix, butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon if you're feelin' fancy.
- ⭐ No mixing bowls needed. Just layer everything right in the pan.
- ⭐ Tastes like apple pie, without the pie crust drama.
- ⭐ Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for max coziness.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Apple pie filling: The star of the show, and not just for convenience. Canned filling has more liquid than fresh apples, which is what lets it cook down properly in the time this recipe needs. Fresh apples don't always break down fast enough and can leave you with a drier, less saucy result. It's also a great option outside of apple season, when fresh apples aren't at their best. If you do want to use fresh, see the FAQ below for how to make it work.
- Cake mix: Yellow or spice cake mix both work although spice cake leans more fall-forward and what I use in my pumpkin dump cake recipe.
- Melted butter: Melts into the cake mix as it bakes, creating that crispy, cobbler-style topping.
- Cinnamon (optional): An extra dose of warm fall flavor.
How to make an apple dump cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray your 9x13 baking dish with baking spray. In a glass measuring cup, melt your butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds
- Dump apple pie filling into the dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the top
- In a small bowl, mix the cake mix with the melted butter until it resembles wet sand, then spread evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Apple Dump Cake in the Crockpot
Want an even more hands-off version? Toss everything in the slow cooker and let it work while you handle everything else:
Spray the crockpot with nonstick spray, then layer in the apple pie filling, cinnamon, cake mix, and melted butter, same as the oven method. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-5 hours, until golden and bubbly.
For a crispier topping, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cook time.
Add-Ins and Flavor Variations
- Caramel apple: Add caramel baking bits or a drizzle of caramel sauce over the apples before baking.
- Cherry apple: Combine a can of apple pie filling with a can of cherry pie filling for a fall twist on my cherry dump cake.
- Apple cranberry: Mix apple pie filling with whole berry cranberry sauce for a tart, holiday-ready twist.
- Blueberry apple: Combine apple pie filling with blueberry pie filling for a juicy berry blend, like my blueberry dump cake met fall.
- Looking for more fruity dump cake ideas? Try my peach cobbler dump cake or my lemon dump cake.
FAQ
Yes, peel and thinly slice 4-5 baking apples, then cook them down with a little cinnamon sugar and butter until soft and syrupy before using them in place of the canned filling. This extra step is what gets fresh apples to the same liquid, jammy consistency the canned filling starts with.
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📖 Recipe
Apple Dump Cake (Just 4-Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 2 cans apple pie filling (22oz can)
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1 TB ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray your 9x13 baking dish with baking spray. In a glass measuring cup, melt your butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds
- Dump apple pie filling into the dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the top
- In a small bowl, mix the cake mix with the melted butter until it resembles wet sand, then spread evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: Best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon or a drizzle on caramel sauce for a full on fall flavors experience.
- Storage: Covered in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Microwave, or back in the oven until warmed through.
- Crockpot Instructions: Spray your crockpot with nonstick spray, then add in the apple pie filling, sprinkle the cinnamon and top with the cake mix and melted butter situation. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-5 hours, until golden and bubbly. For a crispier topping, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cook time.
Nutrition
FAQs
Yes! Just peel and thinly slice 3-4 apples, then toss with a bit of sugar and cinnamon before layering them in the pan.
Nope! Just sprinkle it on top. You can either mix the cake mix and melted butter together like I suggest, or sprinkle the cake mix on top and then pour the melted butter over the top. Either way, you'll create that golden topping as it bakes.
Yellow cake mix is classic, but spice cake mix adds an extra warm, fall flavor that's super cozy. Feel free to play with any flavor you like though, the flavor can change, the method for making the dump cake will stay the same.
Marni Katz says
Make this for Rosh Hashana dessert this year. It's so easy and will be served room temp.