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Looking for an easy dessert with just a handful of ingredients? Fresh apple dump cake is a perfect choice! This recipe only requires six ingredients and can be made in one pan—no extra bowls, no hassle.
If you’re not familiar, a dump cake is a dessert where ingredients are literally “dumped” into a baking dish and baked to perfection. It’s as simple as it sounds, and there’s no need to worry about mixing or complicated steps. The magic happens as the cake bakes, creating a sweet, buttery, cobbler-like dessert.
Dump cakes usually use canned fruit fillings for convenience, but this recipe is unique. It swaps out the usual canned filling for fresh apples, giving it a homemade touch that elevates the flavor. The freshness of the apples makes all the difference.
Only Six Ingredients & No Clean Up
Fresh apples
Brown sugar
Spice cake mix
Butter
Sugar (or monkfruit as a substitute)
That’s it—just six ingredients. No mixing bowls required.
The process couldn’t be simpler. Peel and slice your apples, layer them in a baking dish, sprinkle on the remaining ingredients and top the whole cake with sliced butter. Pop it in the oven and bake until golden and bubbling.
There’s no need to stir or mix the ingredients. The butter melts down into the cake mix, forming a rich, crumbly topping that pairs perfectly with the sweet, tender apples underneath.
Why Fresh Apples?
Using fresh apples instead of canned filling is a game-changer. The apples provide a natural sweetness and texture that canned fruit just can’t match. As the cake bakes, the apples soften and release their juices, blending with the brown sugar and butter to create a perfectly gooey filling.
Plus, using fresh fruit feels a little more wholesome—who doesn’t want that?
The Perfect Fall Dessert
This fresh apple dump cake is ideal for fall, with its warm spices and juicy apple filling. It’s a great dessert for any occasion, whether you’re hosting a family dinner or just want a quick and easy treat.
Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent experience. You’ll love the combination of the spiced cake, buttery crust, and the fresh apple goodness in every bite.
So, if you’re craving a fuss-free, crowd-pleasing dessert, give this fresh apple dump cake a try. It’s a delicious twist on the classic dump cake, with the added bonus of fresh fruit and minimal cleanup.
Skip the canned apple pie filling and make this fresh apple dump cake takes less than 15 minutes to prep and is only six ingredients. Prep the recipe in the same dish you bake it in for less mess.
Ingredients
Scale
1box spice cake (or yellow cake) mix (15.25 oz.)
7–8medium apples, peeled and sliced
1Tcinnamon
1/3cbrown sugar, packed
1/2csugar or monkfruit substitute
3/4 – 1cbutter (more as needed, see below)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan well with butter.
Peel and slice apples into 1/4 inch thick pieces, bite sized or long slices. Layer them evenly in the greased baking pan. Add the sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon to the apples and toss to coat evenly. Pour the dry cake mix over top of the apples and spread evenly.
Thinly slice the butter and evenly spread over top of the cake mix trying to cover completely.
Bake the dump cake for about 45-55 minutes, checking to make sure there are no dry spots about half way through. If you see any areas where the butter has not melted into, add a slice of butter to cover the area and continue baking. The apples will be bubbling and the top layer will be golden brown when the apple dump cake is ready.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator sealed for about 5 days.
