Apple Dump Cake

No ratings yet

🍎🍏 The easiest apple cake you'll ever make because you don't even need to stir it! Just dump cinnamon-sugar coated apples and cake mix into a pan, pour melted butter over the top, and bake this 5-ingredient dessert. This ultra simple apple dessert reminds me of apple cobbler minus the work. It's the perfect way to enjoy fall apples! 🍁

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Course: Cakes & Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: apple cake with cake mix, apple cake with fresh apples, apple cake with yellow cake mix, apple dump cake

Servings:

Calories: 487cal

Equipment

(9x13 inch) Pan

Ingredients

6 cups apples peeled, cored, and sliced into thin wedges (about 5–6 medium apples; Granny Smith and green apples will create a more tart dessert; use Honeycrisp, Gala, Braeburn, or other firm red apples for a bit sweeter dessert; mix and match apples as desired)
⅓ to ½ cup light brown sugar packed(depending on apple variety and desired sweetness)
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste
15.25 ounce box yellow cake mix or similar sized cake mix (spice cake cake mix may be substituted)
1 cup unsalted butter melted (2 sticks)
Vanilla ice cream optional and for serving
Whipped topping or whipped cream optional and for serving
Salted caramel sauce or caramel sauce optional and for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Baking Pan Tips - You can use either glass or metal but the cake will cook quicker in metal and be more prone to getting darker so keep an eye on it sooner rather than later. Glass heats through more slowly so your baking time will likely be longer than if you had baked it in a metal pan.
To a large bowl, add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and toss to combine.
Spice Tips - If desired, you can add a bit of allspice, ground ginger, pumpkin pie spice, or your favorite warming spice(s).
Evenly scatter the apples over the baking pan.
Tip - If you'd like to add nuts, adding about 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans now is fine. Scatter them evenly over the apples.
Evenly sprinkle the dry cake mix over the apples; do not stir or mix. Just sprinkle it as evenly as you can, and pat it lightly with your fingers.
Melt the butter in a 2-cup glass measuring cup or similar sized small bowl in the microwave (cover the top with paper towel or plasticwrap so it doesn't splatter).
Evenly drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix, making sure to go slowly and moisten as much of the dry cake mix with the butter as possible, making sure not to neglect the corners and sides.
Tip - Don’t mix the butter and cake mix. Letting the butter soak into the cake mix creates the crispy topping.
Bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set and bubbly, and the top is as golden browned as desired. Rotate pan once midway through baking to ensure even browning.
Baking Tips - Since all climates, ovens, and cake pans (exact size, material, and thickness) vary a bit, so will baking time. Make sure to keep an eye on it starting at about 30 minutes especially if baking in a metal pan. This cake is going to be gooey underneath the top layer which should be crisped and golden but a toothpick test won't really work; go by how it looks on top and if it's set, bubbly, and golden.
Allow the cake to cool sufficiently so you don't burn yourself, and then serve it warm.
Optionally, but recommended, serve with ice cream, whipped topping or whipped cream, and salted caramel sauce or your favorite ice cream sundae sauce.

Notes

Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight for up to 3-4 days. If I'm only have a bit left and will consume it within 24 hours, I keep it airtight on the countertop. However, for longer durations, store airtight in the fridge. I like to zap it for 10-20 seconds in the microwave or just long enough to warm it slightly.

Note that both covering the pan and storing this cake (either at room temp or in the fridge) will cause the topping to turn softer rather than staying crisp. It's just what happens with leftovers. You could technically pop it into a 300F oven to crisp it up but not sure it's really worth the effort.

Nutrition