Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake
This Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake is a cozy, low-effort fall dessert made with apple pie filling, boxed cake mix, melted butter, and salted caramel sauce. Minimal prep, big payoff, and perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 2 cans apple pie filling 20–21 oz each; can use homemade
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25 oz; white or spice cake mix also work
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted; about 1 stick / 113 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce plus more for serving; thick, spoonable jarred caramel
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt such as Maldon, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped, optional
- 1/3 cup oats quick or old-fashioned, optional
- nonstick spray or butter for greasing the baking dish
- vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving, optional but recommended
- extra salted caramel sauce for drizzling when serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray to help the caramelized edges release easily.nonstick spray or butter
- Pour both cans of apple pie filling into the prepared baking dish. Stir in the ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg (if using), and vanilla extract right in the pan. Spread the apples into an even layer.2 cans apple pie filling, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Warm the 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce slightly in the microwave (about 10–15 seconds) until pourable. Drizzle it evenly over the apple layer, then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt over the top.3/4 cup salted caramel sauce, 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Open the box of yellow cake mix and sprinkle the dry mix evenly over the caramel-covered apples. Do not stir. Gently spread the mix with your hand or a spoon so it fully covers the fruit.1 box yellow cake mix
- Sprinkle the oats and chopped pecans or walnuts evenly over the dry cake mix if using, for added texture and crunch.1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, 1/3 cup oats
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish (about 30–40 seconds). Slowly pour the melted butter over the entire surface of the cake mix, covering as much of the dry mix as possible. A few dry spots are fine.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Place the baking dish on the middle oven rack and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Remove the dump cake from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes. This allows the filling to thicken slightly while staying gooey and scoopable.
- Spoon warm portions into bowls. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, drizzle with extra salted caramel sauce, and finish with a small pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, extra salted caramel sauce, 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Notes
Storage: Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze portions for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. Reheat single servings in the microwave for 30–45 seconds, or larger portions covered with foil at 325°F for 15–20 minutes. Make-ahead: Assemble through the butter step, cover, and refrigerate up to 6–8 hours; bake just before serving, adding 5–10 minutes if baking from cold. For a less sweet version, you can use 1 1/2 cans of pie filling, add a splash of lemon juice to the apples, and go lighter on the caramel when serving.
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