Desserts like apple pie, apple cobbler and apple crisp are my weakness. There’s just something about warm, cinnamony apples paired with buttery crust or crumbles, especially with a scoop of ice cream on top.
So it’s no wonder I’m in love with this easy apple dump cake (and I’m pretty sure you will be too)! It has all the cozy flavors of apple pie, but with way less fuss.
There’s no peeling or slicing apples, no crust to roll out, and no electric mixers involved.
At its most basic, you just dump 3 ingredients in a baking dish and bake.
Of course, I like to add a couple extras that take this fall dessert from amazing to incredible.
Why You’ll Love Apple Dump Cake
Feeds a crowd. This recipe fills a 9×13 pan, perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or parties.
A shortcut to apple pie. Love apple pie but not the effort? This dessert takes 10 minutes to throw together (and that includes opening the cans).
Great last-minute dessert. Keep canned apple pie filling, boxed cake mix, and butter on hand, and you’re never far from a cozy homemade treat.
Perfect for Thanksgiving. If your Thanksgiving is more potluck than formal, this is a low-stress dessert that everyone loves. Tip: Prep it ahead, then bake once the turkey and rolls are out of the oven. That’s what I do.
Also try this easy pumpkin dump cake for another fall favorite!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Canned apple pie filling
- Ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
- Yellow cake mix (or butter or spiced cake mix)
- Salted butter
- Chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Brown sugar (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream (optional, for serving)
Ingredient Notes & Tips
Apple pie filling – Canned pie filling does the heavy lifting in this recipe. Just open the can and dump in the dish.
Yellow cake mix – Cake mix also does the heavy lifting. There’s no flour to measure, butter to cut in, or crust to roll out. Simply open the box and pour the dry mix on top of the apples (you read that right-dry).
Feel free to substitute with butter cake mix or spiced cake mix.
Cinnamon or apple pie spice – While not 100% necessary, I think adding a little extra spice really make this cake extra warm and cozy. The aroma while it bakes is worth it.
Salted butter – This dump cake has plenty of sweet going on so salted butter is the perfect balance and helps enhance all the flavors.
Below I’ll show you my trick for evenly spreading the butter across the top of the dry cake mix.
Chopped nuts (optional) – Here’s where this dessert becomes a little more elevated. Chopped pecans or walnuts give the topping some crunch and nutty flavor. And when they’re baked into the butter, they taste amazing.
Brown sugar (optional) – I love the sweet caramelized flavor of brown sugar and how it goes perfectly with apples.
More Fall-Inspired Sweet & Salty Treats
• Marshmallow Fluff s’mores Bites – No-bake, sweet and salty, and perfect for fall bonfires.
• Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites – A little salty, a little sweet, and dipped in chocolate.
How to Make the Apple Dump Cake (Step-by-Step)
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Dump in both cans of apple pie filling and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle half the cinnamon or apple pie spice over the apples, if using.
- Sift all but about 1/2 cup of the dry cake mix on top to break up clumps. Spread it into an even layer. (You will use the reserved cake mix in step 5 to help grate the butter.)
- Grate cold butter that’s been chilled in freezer using a box grater and spread it evenly over the top, like you’re adding shredded cheese to a pizza. Make sure all the cake mix is covered to avoid dry spots. Tip: For less mess, coat the butter stick in a little dry cake mix while grating. This helps keep it from melting or sticking to your hands. Add any remaining cake mix back to the dish before covering in grated butter. If grated butter is soft, place it in the freezer for a few minutes so it’s easy to add on top of the dump cake.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix (optional), followed by a light layer of brown sugar (optional) and the remaining cinnamon or apple pie spice.
- Bake until the top is golden and bubbly, and a toothpick inserted into the cake mix layer comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes to keep top from burning.
- Let the dump cake set for about 15 minutes before serving. This helps the filling thicken and makes it easier to scoop. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream topping.
Why I Grate the Butter for Dump Cakes
The trickiest part of making any dump cake is getting the butter evenly distributed so there aren’t dry patches of cake mix.
Some people slice the butter into thin pats and lay them across the top—but honestly, that’s a lot of slicing and a little too fussy for me.
The more common method is to melt the butter and pour it over the cake mix. That can work (I did it for my pumpkin dump cake), but it takes a bit of precision to cover all the cake mix.
Grating cold butter is my favorite method. It’s quick, low effort, and gives even coverage. Just make sure your butter is cold from the fridge or freezer before grating!
How to Grate Butter for Dump Cake (Without the Mess)
The key to grating butter is to keep it really cold—straight from the fridge or even slightly frozen.
Here’s my go-to method:
- Before you start, reserve about ½ cup of the dry cake mix.
- As you grate, lightly coat the stick of butter in the dry mix to help keep it from melting in your hands or sticking to the grater.
- Dust the butter with more cake mix as needed while you go. It makes the process easier and cleaner.
- Once you’re done grating, dump the reserved cake mix back into the pan and lightly spread everything into an even layer.
- If grated butter is soft, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes. This makes it easier to add to the dump cake.
It’s a quick, low-mess trick that makes this step foolproof.
More Cozy Fall Bakes to Try
- Moist Banana Bread – I show you the trick to getting it just right every time.
- Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling – Just like the Starbucks seasonal ones.
- Pumpkin Dump Cake – Another easy fall favorite.
Craving even more Cozy fall snacks?
- Cinnamon Sugar Candied Pecans – Crunchy, sweet, and great for snacking or gifting.
- Maple Glazed Pecans – Warm, buttery, and perfectly maple-y.
Easy Apple Dump Cake
This easy apple dump cake is the ultimate fall dessert—made with yellow cake mix, canned apple pie filling, warm spices, butter, and a few optional extras to take it over the top. Sweet, gooey apples are layered with buttery cake mix and crunchy pecans, then baked until golden and cozy. It takes just 10 minutes to dump together and is perfect for cool fall nights, Thanksgiving, or anytime you’re craving a warm apple treat.
Ingredients
- 2 (20 oz) cans apple pie filling
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup salted butter, cold and grated
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or apple pie spice, divided
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans, optional
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Dump in both cans of apple pie filling and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle half the cinnamon or apple pie spice over the apples, if using.
- Sift all but about 1/2 cup of the dry cake mix on top to break up clumps. Spread it into an even layer. (You will use the reserved cake mix in step 5 to help grate the butter.)
- Grate cold butter that's been chilled in freezer using a box grater and spread it evenly over the top, like you’re adding shredded cheese to a pizza. Make sure all the cake mix is covered to avoid dry spots. Tip: For less mess, coat the butter stick in a little dry cake mix while grating. This helps keep it from melting or sticking to your hands. Add any remaining cake mix back to the dish before covering in grated butter. If grated butter is soft, place it in the freezer for a few minutes so it's easy to add on top of the dump cake.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix (optional), followed by a light layer of brown sugar (optional) and the remaining cinnamon or apple pie spice.
- Bake until the top is golden and bubbly, and a toothpick inserted into the cake mix layer comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes to keep top from burning.
- Let the dump cake set for about 15 minutes before serving. This helps the filling thicken and makes it easier to scoop. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream topping.