Apple Dump Cake

If you’re searching for an easy fall dessert, it doesn’t get much easier (and more classic) than a dump cake. We turn to them all year long when we need something fast, easy, and reliable, but this apple version might just be one of our favorite variations. With a homemade spiced apple filling and the simplest buttery topping, this dessert hack is what we turn to when we just don’t have the patience for an apple pie or apple crisp. Serve with a big scoop of ice cream, and you’ve got the most delicious dessert with practically zero effort. 

How to make an apple dump cake:
Dump cakes are a classic for a reason: they’re so simple to make. All you need to do is dump everything into a baking dish and bake—seriously, that’s it! First you’ll prepare your spiced apple mixture, ten layer it in a baking dish topped with box yellow cake mix and small cubes of butter. While baking, the butter will melt into the cake mix, turning it into a buttery, crumbly topping. It may seem like a lot of butter at first, but trust us—you don’t want to end up with any dry spots on your topping. Once baked, serve warm with vanilla ice cream, and get ready to dig in.

Fresh vs canned apples.
While many apple dump cakes include apple pie filling, we decided to make ours from fresh apples instead. This way, we can control the amount of our spices and sugar to avoid an overly-sweet dessert. We suggest using a semi-firm type of apple for this recipe, but most of your favorite baking apples will work fine here!

Storing apple dump cake.
This cake is best the day it's made, but you can store any leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature for another day, or chill in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (just make sure you reheat in the oven before serving).

Tried this recipe? Let us know how it came out in the comments below.