Warm apple pie filling topped with an easy crumble made with cake mix. This Apple Dump Cake is one of the most popular apple dessert recipes on this site!
Grab a box of cake mix and let's start baking because dessert is going to be extra good today!
Using a cake mix as a crumb topping is one of my cake mix hack recipes. Apple Dump Cake is also a recipe where you literally dump everything in a casserole dish and bake!
Dump cake recipes are Easy Desserts everyone should have in their recipe box. Putting these recipes together is fast. AND...they taste amazing!
Looking for more Dump Cake Recipes? Try my Cinnamon Toast Crunch Dump Cake or my Air Fryer Peach Dump Cake...yum!
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How do you make a Dump Cake from scratch?
Yes! Simply prepare your favorite fruit filling with fresh or frozen fruit, sugar, thickener, and spices. Once cooled, spread it in a greased baking dish, top with cake mix and dotted butter, then bake until golden and bubbly.
The homemade apple pie filling will give your dump cake a fresher, brighter flavor and more balanced sweetness compared to the canned version. Try my Homemade Apple Pie Filling in place of the canned filling!
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- Apple pie filling
- Yellow cake mix
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Chopped pecans
Recipe Variations
There are so many ways you can prepare or change up this recipe:
- Pie Filling - if you don't have apple pie filling, use peach, cherry or blueberry.
- Too Sweet? - if you feel apple pie filling is too sweet for you, add a small can of crushed pineapple to the mixture.
- Add Nuts - add crushed pecans or walnuts to the top of the cake mix before adding the butter for an extra added crunchy topping.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Layer the two cans of apple pie filling in the bottom of a 9X11 baking dish that's been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Then stir in the cinnamon.
Step 2: Open the bag of yellow cake mix and sprinkle on top of the apples. Then add the brown sugar and chopped pecans.
Step 3: The final step is to top the ingredients with the melted butter which helps make the crumble topping even more delicious.
Baking Instructions
Step 4: Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the cake is bubbling.
Before You Begin!
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Tips for Baking and Serving
The most important tip is to make sure to spread out the cake mix so there are not large mounds on top of the apples.
Sometimes, no matter how well you think you've distributed the cake mix, you'll see clumps starting to form.
If you notice clumps, take a fork and break up any clumps, then return the cake to the oven to continue baking. I like to pour a little extra melted butter on top after I break up the clumps.
You can also try making this apple dump cake using a spice cake mix!
This easy recipe is delicious warm from the oven but you may want it to cool down just a bit so you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly made whipped cream.
Storage, Freezer, Thawing and Reheating Tips
Refrigerator: Any leftovers should be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Freezer: You can also freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thawing: Allow the dessert to thaw in the refrigerator the night before you want to serve it.
Reheating: You can easily reheat in a preheated 350° F oven until warmed through. Or simply use your microwave for a few seconds at a time until it is warmed through.
📖 Recipe Card
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Apple Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cans apple pie filling
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup butter; melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup to ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a 9X11 baking dish, that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, add the two cans of apple pie filling.
- Sprinkle Cinnamon over the apple pie filling.
- Next, sprinkle the cake mix on top.
- Add the brown sugar to the top.
- Then add the chopped pecans to the top.
- Finally, pour the melted butter over the entire top of the cake.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the edges are hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- This easy recipe is delicious warm from the oven but you may want it to cool down just a bit so you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly made whipped cream.
- The most important tip is to make sure to spread out the cake mix so there are not large mounds on top of the apples.
- Sometimes, no matter how well you think you've distributed the cake mix, you'll see clumps start to form.
- If you notice clumps, take a fork and break up any clumps, then return the cake to the oven to continue baking. I like to pour a little extra melted butter on top after I break up the clumps.
This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2018 with new photos, information and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Janice Stevenson says
OMG!!! This turned out SOOOOOOO good! My only twist to the recipe was I put a teaspoon of Vanilla in the peach juice. I also mixed a 1/4 cup of light brown sugar with 1/2 cup of mashed up cereal that I sprinkled for a topping with cinnamon lightly dusted over the topping.
Jenny says
This would be perfect with a hot cup of coffee. What an easy recipe to make. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday.
Paula Adams says
Mine was still mostly dry cake mix, so I stirred it all together and baked it another 5 minutes. I've had this another with eggs in it that was very good.
Lois says
I'm glad you were able to make the recipe work for you. Thanks for visiting!
Jim Smith says
This tastes wonderful. I followed your directions to the T. The only issue I have is that in my case a lot of the cake mix was still powdery and dry. Is this supposed to happen? Do you have a fix? Jim
Lois says
Next time you make the recipe, pull the cake out of the oven at about halfway through baking and using a fork, break up any lumps of cake mix that are forming during the baking. That should help next time. Thanks for the feedback Jim!
happy wheels says
This is also a very good post which I really enjoy reading
Lois says
Thank you!
HDJ says
This was a delicious recipe. The only thing is the cook time was 45 minutes not 20 or 30.
Lois says
Oh wow, that's a huge difference. I'm glad you were able to gauge the baking time accordingly to your oven. Thank you for sharing this. I'm going to make a note and check next time I bake this recipe. It's always been ready in 25 minutes for me. 🙂
Christine says
I'm at 35 minutes with barely any cooking done. I added more butter and will put it back in for 10 more minutes now that I know it could take longer.
Lois says
Recipe card has been updated to show new cooking time. Thanks!
Carol says
Lois, This cake looks so easy and quick, my kind of baking! You're one of my features tonight at SYS! Please come back and join our party again!
Lois says
Thank you for visiting and for featuring my recipe!
Edye says
LOOKS SO YUMMY!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Lois says
Thank you!!!
phyllis says
can you use fresh apples if so how would you do it
Lois says
I have never made this with fresh apples, so I wouldn't be able to give you instructions. Thank you for visiting!
Linda on Poinsettia Drive says
Yum. Hi, love your post. I have a new blog party and would like to invite you to come share this on the CLASSY FLAMINGOS BLOG PARTY held each Tuesday evening thru Friday. You'll get large picture exposure and shout outs on all of my social media sites. You may get PINKED and you'll get even more exposure! I hope you'll come by. poinsettiadr.com
Healing Tomato says
This is my new favorite way to eat apples. This cake looks so delicious.