This easy caramel apple dump cake recipe delivers gooey caramel goodness, spiced apples, and a crisp, buttery cake layer — all without any fuss. Made with just 5 ingredients, this fall dessert is a guaranteed hit, especially when paired with a scoop of ice cream!
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Test Kitchen Review
Why I Love Caramel Apple Dump Cake
I have to admit, I’m a huge fan of dump cakes. The idea of throwing together a few simple ingredients and ending up with a delicious dessert still amazes me. This caramel apple dump cake is one of my favorite versions as the combination of gooey caramel, tender apples, and buttery cake is unbeatable! It’s particularly perfect for when you’re craving apple pie, but you’re feeling lazy. Here’s why I know you’re going to make it again and again:
- So Quick and Easy: You only need about 5 minutes to dump the cake mix over the filling and then pour melted butter on top. The oven will take care of the rest!
- Budget Friendly: With just five simple ingredients, you can whip this dessert up without a long grocery list.
- Crowd Favorite: Every time I make this, it disappears fast! The combination of melted caramel and tender spiced apples all topped with ice cream is always a hit.
- Feeds a Crowd: Perfect for a party, this dump cake is big enough to share and you can even prep it in advance to bake later!
Looking for more quick and easy dump cake recipes to try? Try our peach dump cake, easy strawberry dump cake, or my favorite pumpkin dump cake!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for caramel apple dump cake. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Apple Pie Filling: Try my recipe or use your favorite canned filling.
- Spices: You need ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Feel free to swap them for apple pie spice!
- Caramel Squares: I use Kraft caramel squares, but my soft rum caramels are also great for this.
- Yellow Cake Mix: White cake mix or spiced cake mix works too. See the tips section below for more information on the different options!
- Butter: I prefer unsalted butter, but salted is okay as well.
How to Make Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Dump it all in the baking dish and let the oven do the work for you! Below is a quick recipe overview. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and a step-by-step video.
- Make the filling: Mix together apple pie filling, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread it into an even layer in a casserole dish.
- Add caramels and cake mix: Arrange caramel squares on top of the apple filling. Top with cake mix and smooth it all into an even layer.
- Add butter: Pour melted butter all over the cake mix.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.
Chef’s Tips & Variations
- Spiced Cake: For a more spiced cake flavor, use a box of spiced cake mix instead of yellow cake mix. Or you can whisk in 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, or some cinnamon and nutmeg, into your yellow cake mix!
- Add Nuts: Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the top before baking for a little extra crunch.
- Add Oats: You can mix in about 1 cup of old-fashioned or quick oats with the cake mix for a crispier, heartier topping!
- Don’t Stir: Please avoid the need to stir the cake mix, butter, and apple filling together. The layers need to be separate for the cake to bake properly!
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the dump cake in the morning and bake it just before serving. It can sit out at room temperature without issue, just be sure to cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap.
- Toppings: Ice cream is a must in our house! We also like to top it with a little extra salted caramel sauce drizzled on top, but that’s totally optional.
How To Store Leftovers
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days. You can also tightly cover the entire baking dish with foil.
- Reheat: Place a portion in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you’re reheating the whole cake, you can cover it with foil and warm it in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
- Freezer: While dump cakes are best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze them if needed. Once it has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in foil and place it in a freezer-safe container. It will last for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven.
Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 2 (20 oz) cans apple pie filling, or 5 cups homemade
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 ½ cups caramel squares, sliced in half
- 1 (13.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
- ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) melted butter
Optional toppings:
- salted caramel sauce
- vanilla ice cream
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9 casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together apple pie filling, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into the casserole dish and smooth with a spatula.
- Arrange caramel squares on top of apple filling layer and then top with yellow cake mix. Smooth cake mix into an even layer. Pour melted butter evenly on top of the cake mix.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the edges are bubbling.
- Scoop into serving bowls and top with ice cream and caramel sauce, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Excited to try this but will definitely sub spice cake mix for yellow cake mix. So tasty!!
Hello! The video looks like you put slices of butter on but recipe calls for melted butter? If melted, do you cover all the dry mix or just pour throughout where you can? Thank you?
I just finished baking this and while it smells delicious it doesn’t look quite right, I am so nervous to serve it tonight after dinner. The top still seemed to have pockets of dry cake mix after cooking. I mixed the top gently with a fork and added a bit more melted butter and then cooked it for about 5 more mins. It looks better now but I’m still nervous. However my house smells amazing!!
Hey Sarah! Honestly, melted or sliced butter BOTH work exactly the same, it really doesn’t make a difference. Either one you do will work! Hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!
Is it ok to use the Kraft caramel bits instead of the squares?
Yes!
Do you mix the cake mix as box directs you to or do you dump dry mix?
Dump the dry mix right on top! Do not mix it as the box directs.
This looks delicious! Wondering if I can use caramel apple pie filling, or caramel ice cream topping instead of the caramel squares.
Sure! It will bake just fine without the caramel.
When you say carmel squares what do you mean? It seems very sweet instead off Apple pie filling could I use comstock apples?
I mean Kraft caramel squares! The individually wrapped caramel squares in the baking aisle made by Kraft. You can use any kind of apples or apple pie filling that you like!
Is there anything you can substitute for the butter? All these yummy sounding dump cakes call for butter & I can’t stand the taste lol.
You could use oil instead.
Oh, Mylanta! This is AMAZING!! I used fresh apples (slightly cooked to soften) and homemade salted caramel sauce. The absolute YUMMIEST!!
Sounds amazing!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Were can I find a video for the recipe
Hi Linda! Yes there is a video for this recipe. Look in the recipe card and you will see it! If you don’t see it, do you have an ad-blocker on? If you are using an ad-blocker, it will block the video. Hope this helps!
This is delicious! I forgot the ice cream this time, but next time I will try it with. It is also extremely simple to make.
Can I make this in a crock pot?
Yes, it will take 2 to 3 hours to bake. The caramel may get extra sticky in the crockpot – just FYI.
Made this simply amazing cake !! I’m a reluctant baker to say the least and am never confident of even following the most simple of recipes . Made this recipe for my husband’s birthday and even I was amazed by him simple it was . The end result was fabulous ,., the birthday boy loved it !!
Do I put the leftover cake in the fridge or can I leave it out?
You can do either, but I prefer to store it in the fridge and reheat any leftovers as desired!
I wonder if you could use a gluten free cake mix? My dil is gluten free. This would be an easy recipe to change.
I make this recipe with gluten free cake mix and add an extra 1/2 cup of butter. It turns out great.
This was one of the easiest tastiest desserts I’ve made in a long time. My family of 8 was still talking about it the next morning. I made it with yellow cake mix. I melted the butter and spooned it over the top covering every spot of cake mix Lol.
Pure deliciousness!!!
Love to hear that! Glad you enjoyed it Candy!
Can you use fresh apples?
I am making this, is my cake mix suppose to be like cake after it has been cooking or is it just dry mix that turns a little hard on top but just cake mix under the hard crust that it has created.
The top turns crunchy and the under part is soft where it combined with the apples and caramel.
Do u put the cake mix on dry or do U mix it according to the box instructions then pour it on???
You put it on dry!
This was delicious and even good served cold the next day. My hubby whipped this up as our Valentine’s dessert and it was delicious both last night, warm and today, cold. Thanks!
Could you cook this in a crock pot? If so how long would you cook it for?
Do you think you could use fresh apples? What would you recommend?
Hi Vicki! If you wanted to use fresh apples, I would probably soften them a little in a pan with butter, sugar and cinnamon first. Otherwise, the apples will never soften enough.