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Caramel Apple Dump Cake is an easy dessert made with yellow cake mix, apple filling and caramel bits and baked until golden brown and delicious. This easy recipe makes the perfect fall dessert!

Slice of caramel apple dump cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce on a plate.

Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!

This easy caramel apple dump cake recipe is the perfect dessert for caramel apple lovers. Filled with tender bites of apples and a gooey caramel layer under a buttery crust, this delicious dessert is sure to be a family favorite! My family loves it!

This easy dump cake recipe is not only one of the easiest desserts you can make, but it’s also made with five simple ingredients, and it’s easy to transport. So it’s perfect for family dinners and fall gatherings and potluck dinners. Everyone will be asking for the recipe!

Love apple desserts? Try my apple crisp without oats — homemade with fresh apples from scratch, like this homemade apple cake! You may also like slow cooker apple cobbler — made in the crock pot. Or, try these crescent roll apple dumplings!

yellow cake mix, caramel bits, butter, apple pie filling, cinnamon.

Easy Caramel Apple Cake Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.

  • 2 cans of apple pie filling — any brand
  • Box cake mix — Yellow, vanilla cake mix or white cake mix. You can use spice cake mix, but I personally think the mix without extra spice pairs better with the sweet caramel filling.
  • Butter — I use sliced butter in dump cakes, but you can use melted butter if you like.
  • Cinnamon — optional, but adds a little extra fall flavor
  • Caramel bits — usually located in the baking aisle. Sub wrapped caramel candies that are sliced in half or caramel syrup.

How to Make Caramel Apple Dump Cake

First, preheat the oven, and spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non stick spray. Next, pour apple filling into the prepared pan. Spread the apples evenly on the bottom of the baking dish with a spatula.

spread apple filling in baking dish with spatula.

Sprinkle cinnamon over the filling. Then, sprinkle the bag of caramel bits on top of the apple layer. If you want less caramel, use half of the bag. Using the whole bag of caramel is perfect, though! Make sure you spread the caramel evenly over the apples.

add caramel bits over apples.

Pour the dry cake mix over the layer of caramel candy. Use a knife or spatula to spread it in an even layer. Then, place the butter slices on top of the cake mix in even rows.

pats of butter on top of cake mix.

Bake the dump cake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

How to Serve Dump Cakes

Dump cakes are best served warm with a scoop of ice cream, and this fall dump cake is no exception! We like to drizzle a little extra caramel syrup on top of the ice cream — it tastes absolutely perfect this way!

caramel apple dump cake on plate with ice cream.

Storage

Store this delicious cake at room temperature in an airtight container or in the pan covered with plastic wrap. It should keep for a day or 2 days — it if lasts this long! You can refrigerate the caramel dump cake if your house is warm or if you prefer a chilled cake for up to 4 days. Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months for best results.

gooey caramel apple cake on fork with melted ice cream.

Recipe Tips

To cut this recipe in half, use 1 can of pie filling, 1 cup caramel and half a box of cake mix and enough butter to cover the cake mix. Bake in an 8 x 8 pan.

Don’t follow the recipe on the box of cake mix. Use the dry cake mix only and the ingredients called for in the recipe card.

For more apple pie flavor, sprinkle a teaspoon of apple pie spice over the apples.

More Easy Dump Cake Recipes to Try

I have lots of recipes for dump cakes on the blog! Just vary the fruit fillings and use different cake mix.

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5 from 5 votes

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

By: Dee
Caramel Apple Dump Cake is an easy dessert made with yellow cake mix, apple filling and caramel bits and baked until golden brown and delicious. This easy recipe makes the perfect fall dessert!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients  

  • 2 cans apple pie filling
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
  • 1 bag caramel bits
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • sticks butter cut into thin slices

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 ℉
  • Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or non-stick spray
  • Spoon apple pie filling into the baking dish, and spread evenly over bottom of baking dish with spatula. Sprinkle ground cinnamon over pie filling, if using
  • Pour bag of caramel on top of the apples
  • Sprinkle dry cake mix over pie filling, and spread with a spatula or knife so that it completely covers the apple filling
  • Place pats of butter in neat rows over cake mix, and bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is hot and bubbly

Video

Notes

Caramel bits are usually located in the baking aisle or seasonal aisle. If you can’t find caramel bits, use wrapped caramel candies sliced in half
Don’t mix all of the ingredients together in the baking pan. Keep all layers separate.
If you only have 1 can pie filling, halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8 baking dish.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 78g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 503mg, Potassium: 114mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 46g, Vitamin A: 386IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 128mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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About Meatloaf and Melodrama!

Iโ€™m the blogger, cookbook author, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. Brian says:

    Yummy and so easy to make. Love the sweet desserts! Will be making this often.5 stars

  2. Ileana Lucio says:

    This looks so good. Definitely going to try it. Can this be done the day before?

    1. Dee says:

      Yes, you can definitely make it a day ahead of time.

  3. Paul says:

    Just tried this one! Love the sweet apple and caramel! Served hot with vanilla ice cream. Awesome!5 stars

    1. Dee says:

      So glad you liked the cake, Paul. Thanks for the wonderful review!