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Apple Dump Cake

Apple dump cake with a golden, crispy butterscotch-style crumble top and bubbling apple filling underneath. You layer apple pie filling, dry cake mix, thin sliced butter, and bake until deeply golden at 350°F.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

apple pie filling
  • 2 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
yellow or spice cake mix
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow or spice cake mix
unsalted butter
  • 1 cup unsalted butter thinly sliced
pecans or walnuts
  • 0.5 cup pecans or walnuts chopped (optional)
vanilla ice cream
  • 1 vanilla ice cream for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and layer
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Make sure the dish is fully coated so the crumble releases cleanly.
  2. Spread apple pie filling across the bottom of the dish, then stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Aim for an even layer so the filling bubbles consistently.
  3. Dump the dry cake mix evenly over the apple filling and do not stir. Keep the surface level so the topping crisps uniformly.
  4. Arrange thin slices of unsalted butter in a single layer over the entire surface of the dry cake mix. Cover every inch to create deeply golden, crispy edges.
  5. Scatter chopped pecans over the top if using. Distribute them lightly for crunch throughout the cake.
Bake and serve
  1. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until the top is deeply golden and crispy and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. Look for vigorous bubbling at the perimeter as the visual cue.
  2. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Add it right before serving so the ice cream starts melting over the hot crumble.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the butter thinly and cover every inch—this is what helps the dry cake mix turn into a crisp, buttery topping. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. Freeze leftovers up to 2 months. For a dietary swap, use a gluten-free yellow or spice cake mix and check that it’s a 1:1 style for similar texture.