I can’t believe how ridiculously easy this Apple Dump Cake recipe comes together. I get it, I get it, it’s called “dump cake” for a reason. You literally add apples, boxed cake mix, and melted butter into a baking dish, pop it in the oven, and then dessert magic comes out. Talk about quick and budget-friendly!! If you’re stuck with dessert duty this holiday season but don’t identify as a baker, this recipe for apple dump cake is your saving grace! Serve it warm with a big scoop of ice cream and try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting. 😉
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Classic Apple Dump Cake with Cake Mix
This delicious apple dump cake is almost too easy to make. Think apple pie meets apple cobbler, with an apple filling and buttery yellow cake topping. I use a mix of tart, firm Granny Smith apples and juicy, flavorful Honey Crisps for the perfect balance and texture. A quick toss in the usual suspects of cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, then all that’s left is to DUMP on a box of cake mix, drizzle with melted butter, and slide it into the oven!
My biggest tip for this fresh apple dump cake (aside from not mixing!) is to not overcomplicate it. It’s supposed to be simple and quick. Boxed cake mix and melted butter are the perfect combo to create the old-fashioned flavor dump cakes are known for! For an easy from-scratch cake, try our ‘Do Nothing’ cake recipe.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- DON’T mix all the ingredients together. You literally just evenly dump the apples in the baking dish, then top it with the cake mix and melted butter. You don’t mix it at any point. I know it seems like it will create a powdery mess, but it doesn’t. The butter and juices from the apples combine with the cake mix to make a golden, cakey topping. I promise.
- You don’t have to peel the apples if you like a bit of texture. I usually peel mine, but it’s totally up to you.
- Feel free to adjust the spices. You can use pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, powdered ginger, cardamom, or any warm fall spices.
- If you’re in a big rush, you can use canned apple pie filling or your favorite canned pie filling. But I promise you, there’s nothing like fresh apples! If you use a canned pie filling over fresh apples, skip the sugar and seasonings and pour the filling directly into the baking dish (this would be a 3-ingredient apple dump cake, as all you need to make it is apple pie filling, cake mix, and melted butter).
- Budget-saving tip. Honey Crisp apples can be on the pricer side, so feel free to use just Granny Smith apples.
Apple Dump Cake
Cost $9.51 recipe / $0.79 serving
Ingredients
- 3 Granny Smith apples (peeled, and medium dice, (3 cups, 660g uncut) $2.39)
- 3 Honey Crisp apples (peeled, and medium dice, (3 cups, 625g uncut) $4.49)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (110g, $0.19)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon ($0.10)
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg ($0.01)
- ⅛ tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1 box yellow cake mix (15.25 oz. box, $1.12*)
- 1 cup butter (melted, (2 sticks) $1.21)
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Peel and cut the apples into medium-sized cubes and place them in a 9×13 oven-safe dish.
- Pour the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt on top of the apples and toss to coat. Spread out evenly to fit the pan.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apples, covering them completely.**
- Evenly pour the melted butter over the cake mix, covering as much as possible.
- Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Remove the apple dump cake from the oven and enjoy.
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Equipment
- 9×13'' Oven-Safe Dish
Notes
Nutrition
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Gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prep the apples: Peel and cut 3 Granny Smith apples and 3 Honey Crisp apples into medium-sized cubes.
Make the apple filling: Place the diced apples into a 9×13 oven-safe dish. Sprinkle ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg, and ⅛ tsp salt over the apples and toss to coat. Spread the apples out evenly to fit the pan.
Assemble the dump cake: Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the apples. Make sure to completely cover the apples. DO NOT mix it in! It should sit on top of the diced apples.
Now evenly pour 1 cup melted butter over the cake mix, covering as much as possible. Again, DO NOT mix this in!
Bake: Place the baking dish into your preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. The top will be golden brown, and the apples will be tender once baked.
Serve: Remove your baked apple dump cake from the oven, serve, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I think this recipe for apple dump cake is most delicious warm from the oven. I love spooning it into a bowl and enjoying it as is, but I’ll never say no to a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top. Some caramel sauce would be ultra decadent and level up this dump cake for a special occasion.
Storage & Reheating
Cover leftover apple spice dump cake tightly or transfer leftovers to an airtight container, then refrigerate for up to 3–4 days (depending on the freshness of your apples). When you’re ready to enjoy it again, you can warm individual portions in the microwave for about 20–30 seconds, or pop the whole dish in a 325°F oven for about 10–15 minutes.
I really love checking in here every morning, and this recipe absolutely hit my “must try” button! While I’m a huge fan of Granny Smith apples, a bag of Gala picked up at a bargain price from Aldi is what I had. It was just fine for this recipe. I did use less sugar than called for, 1/4 c–Gala are less tart than Granny Smith. Aside from that, I followed the recipe exactly. Yum!! I would say, use any apples you have on hand or find on sale, but next time I will look for Granny Smith.