Easy 3-Ingredient Apple Dump Cake with Cake Mix: Your Go-To Cobbler-Style Dessert
Discover the sheer joy of creating a mouth-watering dessert with minimal effort! This incredibly easy apple dump cake recipe features just three simple ingredients: a spiced cake mix, creamy butter, and luscious apple pie filling. The result is a delightful, cobbler-style dessert that boasts a warm, gooey fruit base topped with a perfectly crumbly, cake-like crust. It’s an absolute dream for anyone craving homemade goodness without the fuss, making it an ideal sweet treat for family dinners, potlucks, or even a show-stopping addition to your Thanksgiving feast.
Using convenient cake mix boxes to whip up delicious desserts is a fantastic kitchen hack that saves time and guarantees a consistent, delightful result every time. This particular recipe is just as fabulous and foolproof as other beloved cake mix creations like the Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake, the summery Peach Dump Cake, and the vibrant Blueberry Dump Cake. What makes these “dump cakes” so special is their signature texture: a wonderful cobbler-like base with an ooey-gooey, fruit-filled center, all crowned with a golden, buttery, and slightly crumbly topping. It’s truly a dessert experience that balances comfort and incredible flavor with impressive simplicity.
The beauty of a dump cake lies in its name – you literally “dump” the ingredients into a pan without any extensive mixing. This layered approach allows the flavors and textures to meld beautifully during baking, creating a unique dessert that’s more than the sum of its parts. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s quick to prepare but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, this apple dump cake is your perfect match.
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Apple Dump Cake
Achieving this delectable apple dump cake requires just three core ingredients. Each plays a crucial role in creating the signature layers and flavors:
- Apple Pie Filling: For this recipe, you will need two large (21 oz. each) cans of your preferred apple pie filling. Canned pie filling is the cornerstone of this dump cake’s convenience, offering perfectly spiced and tender apple slices without any need for peeling, coring, or seasoning fresh apples. It forms the sweet, tangy, and incredibly gooey foundation of our dessert.
- Spice Cake Mix: A single 15.25 oz. box of spice cake mix is ideal for this recipe. The pre-blended spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves naturally complement the apple flavor, creating a warm and inviting aroma as it bakes. This dry mix will transform into the deliciously crumbly, cake-like topping.
- Unsalted Melted Butter: You’ll need ¾ cup of unsalted butter, fully melted. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall sweetness and flavor profile of your dessert. Melting the butter ensures it can be poured evenly over the dry cake mix, leading to a consistent golden-brown and crispy top layer after baking. Avoid cold or cubed butter, as it tends to leave dry patches in the final product.
Creative Variations for Your Apple Dump Cake
One of the best things about this apple dump cake is how adaptable it is! Feel free to experiment with these delicious variations to customize it to your taste:
- Add a Nutty Crunch: Stir in about ½ to 1 cup of chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds, or even cashews into the dry cake mix powder before sprinkling. For an enhanced flavor, consider toasting the nuts lightly beforehand.
- Crockpot Convenience: Transform this into a “set-it-and-forget-it” dessert. First, grease the inside of your slow cooker. Pour in the apple pie filling, then mix the melted butter and cake mix in a separate bowl until combined into a crumbly mixture, and spread it evenly over the filling. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours. The texture will be slightly moister than the oven-baked version, but equally delicious.
- Tropical Twist with Shredded Coconut: For an added layer of texture and a hint of tropical flavor, sprinkle ½ cup of shredded coconut over the apple pie filling before adding the cake mix, or mix it directly into the dry cake mix.
- Chocolate Lover’s Delight: If you’re a fan of the classic apple and chocolate pairing, sprinkle a handful of mini chocolate chips (about ½ cup) over the apple pie filling or mix them into the dry cake mix. Adjust the amount based on your personal preference.
- Explore Different Cake Mix Flavors: While spice cake mix is highly recommended for its complementary notes, you can absolutely use other flavors. Vanilla or yellow cake mix works wonderfully. If opting for these, I suggest adding an extra teaspoon of ground cinnamon and half a teaspoon of nutmeg to the cake mix to replicate that warm, spiced apple flavor.
- Try Other Fruit Fillings: This recipe is incredibly versatile with other fruit fillings! Experiment with peach, blueberry, cherry, mixed berry, or even a combination of your favorites. Each will create a uniquely flavored dump cake that’s perfect for any season.
How to Make Easy Apple Dump Cake with Cake Mix
Creating this irresistible apple dump cake is a breeze with these simple, no-fuss steps. Remember, the key is not to mix the layers once they are in the pan!
- Lay Out Pie Filling: Begin by spraying your rectangular 9×13 inch cake pan with cooking oil or butter. Then, evenly spread both cans of apple pie filling across the bottom of the prepared pan, creating a generous fruit layer.
- Dump Dry Cake Mix: Carefully sprinkle the entire box of dry cake mix evenly over the top of the apple pie filling layer. Use a spatula to gently spread it if needed, ensuring it covers as much of the fruit as possible without disturbing the layer underneath.
- Evenly Spread Mix: Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread the dry cake mix powder to create an even layer over the entire surface of the pie filling. This ensures a consistent topping texture.
- Pour Melted Butter: Slowly and carefully pour the melted butter as evenly as possible over the dry cake mix. Try to cover as much surface area as you can.
- Tilt the Pan: Gently tilt the baking pan from side to side to help the melted butter spread out and saturate the dry cake mix layer. Don’t worry if there are a few small patches of dry mix; they will eventually absorb moisture during baking.
- Bake and Enjoy: Bake the dump cake at 350°F (175°C) for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown, firm, and the filling is visibly bubbling around the edges. Serve warm with your favorite toppings like whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate indulgence.
Expert Tips and Techniques for a Perfect Dump Cake
Follow these insights to ensure your apple dump cake turns out flawlessly every time:
- Elevate with Topping Options: While delicious on its own, a simple topping can take your dump cake to the next level. Before serving, consider a drizzle of rich Homemade Caramel Sauce or creamy Dulce de Leche. For an extra special touch, you can even top it with Caramel Frosting, a light and tangy Sour Cream Frosting (Vanilla), or a simple Powdered Sugar Glaze. Of course, classic vanilla ice cream or even a dollop of frozen yogurt are always crowd-pleasers.
- Melted Butter is Key: I strongly recommend using melted butter over cold butter slices or cubes. Melted butter spreads much more effectively and evenly over the dry cake mix, ensuring that the entire topping develops into that coveted golden, crumbly crust. Cold butter, even when sliced, can leave behind patches of dry, unbaked cake mix.
- Opt for Unsalted Butter: Stick to unsalted butter to maintain control over the sweetness of your dessert. Canned pie fillings and cake mixes already contain a fair amount of sugar and often some salt, so adding extra salt from salted butter can make the final product overly salty.
- Any Cake Mix Brand Works: Don’t stress over cake mix brands! I’ve experimented with various popular brands, and they all yield excellent results. Feel free to use your favorite or whatever is on sale.
- Canned Apple Filling for Convenience: While fresh apples are wonderful, using canned apple pie filling is essential for the “dump cake” method. It’s significantly quicker and easier, eliminating the need for peeling, slicing, and seasoning. Attempting to use fresh fruit would require a different, more involved recipe.
- Resist the Urge to Mix: It can be tempting to stir the layers together, but for a true dump cake, it’s crucial to leave them in distinct layers. The magic happens as the butter and fruit juices seep into the dry cake mix during baking, creating its unique texture. Trust the process!
- Always Spray Your Pan: Don’t skip this step! Generously spray your baking pan with cooking oil or butter to prevent the delicious fruit filling and cake from sticking to the bottom. This makes serving much easier and cleanup a breeze.
- Don’t Worry About Dry Pockets: As you pour the melted butter, you might notice some small sections of dry cake mix that don’t get fully saturated. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. During baking, the moisture from the fruit filling will rise and hydrate these dry bits, incorporating them into the crumbly topping. You won’t taste any raw flour in the final baked cake.
Storage Solutions for Your Apple Dump Cake
Proper storage ensures your delicious apple dump cake remains fresh and enjoyable for longer:
- Room Temperature: While irresistible, I don’t recommend leaving this cake at room temperature for more than 2-3 hours, especially if you’ve already added perishable toppings like whipped cream or ice cream.
- Refrigerate: For best results, allow the cake to cool completely, then transfer any leftovers to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This helps maintain its freshness and prevents spoilage.
- Freeze: This dump cake freezes beautifully! Once cooled, place individual portions or the entire cake (if well-wrapped) in a freezer-safe, sealed container. It can be frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then warm gently in the microwave or oven. While still tasty, it is always best served fresh from the oven.
- Make Ahead: If you’re planning for a special occasion, you can assemble and bake this dump cake up to 3 days in advance. Store it in a sealed container in the fridge. Warm it up in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) for about 15-20 minutes before serving to revive its warmth and gooey texture.
Recipe FAQs About Apple Dump Cakes
A dump cake is an incredibly easy dessert that lives up to its name: you simply “dump” all the ingredients into a pan, typically in layers, without any pre-mixing or extensive preparation. It’s often compared to a cobbler or a crisp, featuring a fruit base topped with a cake-like or streusel-like crust. The beauty of a dump cake is its minimal effort and impressive, delicious results.
Absolutely, yes! A dump cake is definitely meant to be wonderfully gooey, especially in the fruit-filled bottom layer. While the top cake layer should be cooked through and have a pleasant crumbly texture, the fruit filling beneath will remain soft, luscious, and saucy. This gooey consistency is a hallmark of the dessert and contributes to its rich, comforting appeal. You’re aiming for a moist, flavorful dessert, not a dry or crumbly one.
You can tell your apple dump cake is perfectly done when the top cake layer has turned a beautiful golden brown and appears firm, not doughy, to the touch. Another key indicator is the fruit filling around the edges of the pan should be visibly bubbly, showing that it’s heated through and simmering. While a few small dry spots on top are fine (they’ll absorb moisture when scooped), the majority of the topping should look baked.
For this specific “dump cake” recipe, which relies on simplicity and minimal prep, canned apple pie filling is highly recommended. It comes pre-sweetened and spiced, making the process incredibly fast. If you wish to use fresh apples, you would need to peel, core, slice, and then pre-cook or at least thoroughly season them with sugar, cinnamon, and other spices to achieve a similar gooey consistency and flavor, essentially creating a homemade pie filling first. This would, however, defeat the “dump” cake purpose of extreme ease.
More Delicious Apple Desserts to Try
If you’re an apple enthusiast, you’ll love these other fantastic apple-based dessert recipes:
- Easy Apple Crisp (1 Hour Only)
- Easy Apple Cake Recipe (With Cake Mix)
- Apple Pie Cake (With Pie Filling)
- Easy Apple Crumble Pie
- Easy Apple Turnover (With Puff Pastry)
Recipe Card
Apple Dump Cake (Cake Mix)
Abeer Rizvi
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Ingredients
- 2 cans Apple pie filling 21 oz. can each
- 1 box Spice cake mix 15.25 oz. box
- ¾ cup Butter Unsalted, Melted
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Generously spray a rectangular 9×13 inch cake pan with cooking oil or baking spray.
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Spread both cans of apple pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan, forming the first layer.
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Evenly sprinkle the entire box of dry spice cake mix over the apple pie filling. Use a spatula to gently spread it, ensuring the fruit layer is covered as much as possible.
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Carefully pour the ¾ cup of melted butter as evenly as you can over the dry cake mix. Gently tilt the pan from side to side to help the butter spread. It’s perfectly fine if there are small patches of dry cake mix visible, as they will hydrate during baking.
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Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and firm, and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. A few dry bits on top are okay and will blend with the gooey filling when served.
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Let the cake cool for a few minutes before serving warm. Enjoy it as is, or top with a generous dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat!
Video
Notes
- While spice cake mix is highly recommended for its complementary flavors, you can substitute it with yellow or vanilla cake mix. If you do, consider adding an extra 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg to the dry mix for added warmth.
- Feel free to replace apple pie filling with other fruit fillings of your choice, such as peach, blueberry, cherry, or mixed berry.
- Enhance your dessert with various toppings. Popular choices include whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of warm caramel sauce, or a light dusting of cinnamon sugar.
- For added texture and flavor, incorporate mix-ins like chopped pecans, walnuts, or even some shredded coconut into the dry cake mix before baking.
- For more detailed insights, refer to the “Tips and Techniques” and “Variations” sections above.
- Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze portions for up to 1 month and reheat as desired.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.