Dump cake, oh, how I’d like to sing the praises of thee! It doesn’t get much easier than a dump-and-go cake, and this caramel apple dump cake absolutely screams fall! Made with apple pie filling, spices, caramel sauce, and cake mix, it’s a simple recipe that comes together quickly. The cake mix gets drenched in butter as it cooks, and the filling gets so gooey and caramelized. It has the texture of a cobbler, but, in my opinion, it’s way easier to make. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any chilly fall evening!
Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe
When I’m craving an autumnal dessert but don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, I make this caramel apple dump cake. It’s so easy to make with pantry staples like cake mix and canned apple pie filling. The butter does all the heavy lifting in this one, drenching the dry cake mix with moistness and flavor. It’s truly amazing to watch this cake come together in the oven!
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How to Store
Store leftover caramel apple dump cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to reheat it in the microwave before enjoying. I do not recommend freezing this dump cake.
Tips for Success
- If you don’t want to use walnuts, you can always replace them with pecans or peanuts, depending on which ones you like best.
- You can substitute homemade caramel sauce for the ice cream caramel sauce in this recipe.
- Take care to evenly cover the cake mix with thin slices of butter. If the pieces of butter are too far apart, they won’t evenly moisten the cake.
Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 40 ounces apple pie filling (2 cans)
- ¾ cup caramel ice cream topping plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅔ cup chopped walnuts plus more for serving
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix (1 box)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream optional, for serving
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the apple pie filling, caramel ice cream topping, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and ground cardamom until well-combined. Pour the filling into the prepared baking dish.40 ounces apple pie filling, ¾ cup caramel ice cream topping, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over the apple filling.⅔ cup chopped walnuts
- Sprinkle the cake mix over the walnuts and filling and spread it out evenly.15.25 ounces yellow cake mix
- Cut the unsalted butter into thin squares and cover the entire top of the cake with the squares of butter.1 cup unsalted butter
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until there are no more dry spots on top of the cake and the filling is warmed through and bubbling.
- Drizzle additional caramel topping over the cake and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle of walnuts if desired.1 pint vanilla ice cream
Notes
How to Make Caramel Apple Dump Cake Step-by-Step
Mix the Apples: Preheat your oven to 350°F, grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray, and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together 40 ounces (2 cans) of apple pie filling, ¾ cup of caramel ice cream topping, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of ground allspice, and ½ teaspoon of ground cardamom until well-combined. Pour the filling into the prepared baking dish.
Top with Nuts: Sprinkle ⅔ cup of chopped walnuts evenly over the apple filling.
Top with Cake Mix: Sprinkle 15.25 ounces (1 box) of yellow cake mix over the walnuts and filling and spread it out evenly.
Top with Butter: Cut 1 cup of unsalted butter into thin squares and cover the entire top of the cake with the squares of butter.
Bake the Cake: Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until there are no more dry spots on top of the cake and the filling is warmed through and bubbling.
Drizzle with Caramel: Drizzle additional caramel topping over the cake and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle of walnuts if desired.
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