Apple Spice Dump Cake
This Apple Spice Dump Cake is a cozy fall dessert made with apple pie filling, spice cake mix, and melted butter. It bakes into a gooey, spiced apple layer with a buttery, crisp topping—perfect for busy weeknights, holidays, or potlucks.
Ingredients
- 2 21-ounce cans apple pie filling or canned apples; adjust sugar and spices if using plain canned apples
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice optional, brightens flavor if filling is very sweet
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if your cake mix is very strongly spiced or for spice-sensitive eaters
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice optional, adds classic apple spice flavor
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) spice cake mix such as Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted; 1 stick. Salted butter can be used; reduce or omit added salt.
- 1/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed; optional, for extra caramel flavor
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt balances sweetness
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional; toast lightly for deeper flavor
- vanilla ice cream, cinnamon ice cream, or whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Pour the apple pie filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. If the apple slices are very large, roughly chop them in the pan with a spatula to make serving easier.
- Sprinkle the lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice over the apples. Gently stir just the apples to distribute the spices evenly, giving the filling more of a homemade, slow-cooked flavor.
- Scatter the brown sugar and fine sea salt evenly over the spiced apples. The sugar will caramelize as it bakes, and the salt helps keep the dessert from tasting too flat or overly sweet.
- Open the spice cake mix and sprinkle it evenly over the apples and sugar. Do not stir. Aim for a fairly even blanket of dry cake mix completely covering the fruit layer.
- Drizzle the melted butter as evenly as possible over the dry cake mix, trying to cover as much surface area as you can. Small dry spots usually hydrate as the butter and apple juices bubble up, but you can add a little extra melted butter over any stubborn dry areas if desired.
- If using, sprinkle the chopped pecans or walnuts evenly over the top. They will toast in the oven and add a crunchy, buttery topping.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–50 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden brown and the edges are bubbling. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes. This helps it set so it scoops more neatly while still staying warm and cozy.
- Spoon the warm apple spice dump cake into bowls and serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream or whipped cream. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon or a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.
Notes
Storage & Reheating: The cake can sit covered at room temperature for up to 8 hours on the day it’s baked. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for 3–4 days, or freeze cooled portions for 2–3 months (wrap well and store in a freezer-safe container). Reheat single servings in the microwave for 30–45 seconds, or warm larger amounts covered in a 300°F oven for 15–20 minutes.
Variations: For Caramel Apple Spice Dump Cake, add 1/2–3/4 cup caramel bits to the apple layer and drizzle with caramel sauce before serving. For an oat topping, mix 1/2 cup rolled oats with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle over the dry cake mix. For a lighter version, use reduced-sugar filling, skip the brown sugar, and reduce butter to 6 tablespoons. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free yellow cake mix plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice instead of regular spice cake mix.
Tips: A few dry cake mix spots on top after baking are normal and often taste pleasantly crunchy. Taste your apple filling before adding brown sugar and adjust sweetness to your preference. If baking in two 8×8-inch pans, start checking for doneness around 35 minutes. For brunch, serve small warm squares with a dollop of Greek yogurt instead of ice cream.
Using fresh apples: Substitute about 6 cups peeled, sliced apples tossed with 1/2 cup sugar, 1–2 tablespoons flour, and the listed spices for the canned filling, then proceed with the recipe.
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