4-Ingredient Apple Dump Cake
Apple dump cake is the dessert you make when you need a warm, fruit-filled comfort with nearly zero effort. Four ingredients and a few minutes of layering give you a bubbling cinnamon-apple base under a buttery, golden crust.
It comes together in one dish with no mixing bowls, and the smell in your kitchen is better than any candle.
What Makes This Dump Cake So Good
The canned apple pie filling does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so the fruit layer tastes like it simmered for hours. The dry cake mix transforms into a crisp, buttery lid that cracks when you scoop it.
Every spoonful has soft apples coated in sticky cinnamon syrup and a crunchy top that soaks up just enough juice to stay tender underneath. It is the kind of dessert people ask for the recipe, then laugh when you tell them how easy it is.
Ingredients
- 2 (21 oz) cans apple pie filling: any brand is fine, choose the one with the most fruit chunks you can see through the jar if you have a choice.
- 1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix: the plain yellow kind, not the kind with pudding in the mix. A spice cake mix works great too.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted: salted butter works if that’s what you have, just skip any extra salt.
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, optional: it deepens the apple flavor and makes the whole thing smell like a bakery.
Variations / Substitutions
- Swap the fruit: use 2 cans of cherry, peach, or blueberry pie filling instead of apple. Cherry is especially good with a chocolate cake mix.
- Cake mix swap: spice cake mix, butter pecan, or even white cake mix all work. Each one shifts the flavor noticeably.
- Add crunch: scatter ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix layer before the butter.
- Dairy free: use a dairy-free yellow cake mix and melted vegan butter sticks, the kind that firm up when cold. The texture stays close.
- Less sweet: cut one can of apple filling with 2 cups of fresh peeled sliced apples that have been tossed with a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of cornstarch.
If cherry is your thing, the same method works perfectly for Cherry Dump Cake, with a buttery almond-scented top.
How to Make Apple Dump Cake
Step 1: Spread the Apples
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray or a smear of butter. Pour both cans of apple pie filling into the dish and spread them into an even layer with a spoon. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the top if you’re using it. The fruit should cover the bottom completely, right into the corners, so no dry edges form later.
Step 2: Sprinkle the Cake Mix
Open the box of yellow cake mix and sprinkle the dry powder directly over the apple layer in an even blanket. Use your fingers to break up any big clumps, but do not stir or press it down. Let the cake mix sit loose and airy so the butter can seep through it evenly.
Step 3: Drizzle the Butter
Slowly pour the melted butter over the surface of the cake mix, moving in a steady back-and-forth motion to cover as much of the dry powder as you can. Some dry spots will remain and that is fine. They will absorb moisture from the fruit and steam below during baking and turn into soft, crunchy patches. If any quarter-size dry areas still show, pour a little extra butter there.
Step 4: Bake and Scoop the Cake
Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The topping will turn a deep golden brown and the apple filling will bubble thickly around the edges. The center should look set, not wet. Let the dish cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes so the juices settle, then scoop big spoonfuls into bowls while it is still warm. A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the hot apples is the right way to serve it.
A Few Notes Before You Start
- A clear glass dish lets you peek at the bottom to make sure the crust is done without lifting the tin, but metal works fine.
- If the top browns faster than the filling bubbles, lay a loose sheet of foil over the dish after 30 minutes.
- Leftovers taste even more apple-forward the next day after the flavors meld overnight.
Bake times by pan:
| Pan size and material | Bake time |
|---|---|
| 9×13 inch glass dish | 45-50 mins |
| 9×13 inch metal pan | 40-45 mins |
| 8×8 inch glass (halved recipe) | 35-38 mins |
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: cover the dish tightly and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The topping will soften but stay tasty.
- Reheating: warm individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute, or reheat the whole dish in a 300°F oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. The oven restores some crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh apples instead of canned?
No, fresh apples release less liquid and the cake mix will not cook through properly. Canned pie filling is necessary for the right amount of moisture and sweetness.
Why does my dump cake come out dry?
Dry spots usually mean the butter did not cover the cake mix widely enough, or the pan was too large and spread the layers thin. Drizzle the butter slowly and cover as much of the powder as you can.
Can I make this in a smaller pan with a half batch?
Yes, use one can of filling, half the box of cake mix, and half a cup of melted butter baked in an 8×8 inch dish. Bake around 35 minutes and check for bubbling.
Is it normal for the middle to look soft when I pull it out?
A little jiggle in the center is fine as long as the edges are bubbling and the top is deeply golden. It will firm up as it cools on the counter.
Apple Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread apple filling in a greased 9×13 inch dish and sprinkle with cinnamon if using.
- Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over apples, breaking up clumps. Do not stir.
- Drizzle melted butter slowly over the cake mix, covering as much as possible.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until golden and bubbling. Cool 10 minutes, then scoop and serve warm.
