Name: Caramel Apple Dump Cake – Sweet Easy Recipes for Cozy Cravings
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 (20 oz) cans apple pie filling; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup caramel sauce (plus extra for topping); 1 box yellow cake mix; 3/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced into thin pats

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Let’s talk about comfort. The kind that smells like cinnamon, sounds like a spoon clinking on a ceramic bowl, and tastes like caramel-drenched apples hiding beneath a golden, buttery topping. That’s this cake. It’s the kind of dessert that doesn’t demand much from you—just a few ingredients, a dish to dump them into (hence the name), and maybe a friend to share it with if you’re feeling generous. I’ve made this on rainy days, slow Sundays, and once in the middle of a Tuesday when the week just felt too long. It always delivers. The caramel seeps into every bite, hugging the apples like a warm blanket. And that topping? Golden, crumbly, with just the right hint of vanilla cake mix magic. No mixers, no fuss, just you, a can opener, and a dream. If you’re the type to feel skeptical about cake mixes—same here. But trust me, in this case, it works. And works well. By the time it hits your fork, you’ll forget it ever came from a box. Let’s bake this, messily and joyfully, like all the best desserts are made.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe
3) Ingredients for Caramel Apple Dump Cake
4) How to Make Caramel Apple Dump Cake
5) Tips for Making Caramel Apple Dump Cake
6) Making Caramel Apple Dump Cake Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Caramel Apple Dump Cake
8) Try these Desserts next!
9) Caramel Apple Dump Cake
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This caramel apple dump cake is a one-dish wonder—fast, rich, and deeply comforting.
It uses simple pantry staples like cake mix and canned apple pie filling.
The recipe shines in flavor without needing baking skills or fancy gadgets.
Sweet easy recipes don’t get more rewarding or more hands-off than this.

2) Easy Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe

I’ve never been a morning baker. But one afternoon, after a long week, I threw a few ingredients into a dish and hoped for dessert magic. It worked. And that’s how this caramel apple dump cake became my go-to when I need something warm, sweet, and easy—without the mental math or extra dishes.

It’s loaded with soft cinnamon-spiced apples and sweet caramel that oozes into every bite. The topping, made from boxed cake mix, bakes into a golden layer with just the right crunch. It’s like apple pie and cobbler had a laid-back, cozy baby. And the best part? You don’t need to whisk, cream, or measure precisely.

This sweet easy recipe lets you make something soul-soothing without much effort. You open cans, sprinkle a few things, add butter (don’t be shy), and into the oven it goes. It’s dessert therapy in a pan—fast, forgiving, and freakishly good.

3) Ingredients for Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Apple Pie Filling: You’ll need two cans of apple pie filling. This gives the base its thick, jammy texture and loads of cinnamon-kissed apple flavor. Don’t swap it for fresh unless you enjoy peeling and prepping apples for an hour. This is a sweet easy recipe, not an apple farm.

Ground Cinnamon: Just a pinch—half a teaspoon—sprinkled over the filling adds depth. It wakes up the apple flavor without stealing the show.

Caramel Sauce: Pour in a quarter cup (plus extra for drizzling later). It melts into the filling and brings that rich, buttery sweetness that pairs beautifully with the tart apples.

Yellow Cake Mix: Grab your favorite brand and pour the dry mix evenly on top. Don’t stir. This trick is what makes dump cakes work—it’s chaos that turns golden and crispy in the oven.

Unsalted Butter: Use about three-quarters of a cup, sliced into thin pats. Dot them across the top like little landing pads for flavor. They melt into the mix and create that irresistible crusty topping.

4) How to Make Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Use a bit more butter than you think you need. You’ll thank me later when nothing sticks and cleanup is a breeze.

Step 2. Pour the apple pie filling into the dish. Spread it out with a spatula. Sprinkle on cinnamon, then drizzle caramel over the top like you’re painting dessert dreams.

Step 3. Open the yellow cake mix and shake it across the surface. It might look weird, but this dry blanket will bake into a golden top that’s the heart of this sweet easy recipe.

Step 4. Dot the entire surface with thin butter slices. Think of it like planting flavor bombs. Try to cover as much of the top as you can so it bakes evenly.

Step 5. Bake uncovered for about 50 minutes. Peek toward the end and check if the top looks dry in places—if it does, give it five more minutes. When it’s done, the top should be golden brown and bubbling at the edges.

5) Tips for Making Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Don’t overthink the butter placement. Just get it spread across the top. As long as you don’t leave big dry patches, you’re fine. The butter melts into the cake mix, so trust the process.

If you love texture, try sprinkling some chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before baking. It adds a nutty crunch that plays well with the gooey apples underneath.

This sweet easy recipe is also perfect for tweaking. Want more cinnamon? Go for it. Fancy a sprinkle of sea salt on top to cut the sweetness? Chef’s kiss. Once you make it once, you’ll see how flexible it really is.

6) Making Caramel Apple Dump Cake Ahead of Time

Want to prep ahead? You can absolutely do that. Assemble everything up to the point of baking, cover it with foil, and slide it into the fridge. When you’re ready, bake it straight from the cold—just add 5 or so extra minutes.

Some people even freeze the pre-assembled cake (minus the butter). When they’re ready to bake, they add the butter on top and go. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe. It doesn’t need to be warm to taste good, either. Room temp? Still delicious.

That’s the magic of this dessert. It holds up over time, doesn’t dry out, and still delivers those sweet easy recipe vibes with zero last-minute panic.

7) Storing Leftover Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Leftovers? Store them covered in the fridge for up to four days. The topping softens a bit over time, but it still tastes amazing. If you want that fresh-baked texture, warm it up in the oven or toaster oven.

Microwave works too—30 seconds per slice is usually enough to bring it back to gooey, caramel heaven. Bonus points if you throw another drizzle of caramel on top.

This dessert might be a quick & easy dessert recipe on a budget, but it keeps well and satisfies like a homemade pie.

8) Try these Desserts next!

9) Caramel Apple Dump Cake