Apple Spice Dump Cake

3 Ingredient Apple Dump Cake

Some nights, you want a warm dessert without turning it into a whole project. This Apple Spice Dump Cake is perfect for that. With just three ingredients, you can make a pan of sweet apples with a buttery spice cake crumble on top, and most of the work happens in the oven.

Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, and you have an easy dessert for Sunday night dinner. It’s also a great option when you need something inexpensive to bring to an office party, church potluck, or holiday gathering.

There’s no peeling apples, making a pie crust, or pulling out the mixer. A couple of cans of apple pie filling, a box of spice cake mix, and a stick of butter are all you need.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Dump Cake

• Only three ingredients: A short shopping list keeps this dessert simple and budget friendly.
• Quick to put together: Spread the apples in the dish, mix the topping, and get it in the oven.
• Easy to share: A 9×13-inch baking dish makes this a convenient dessert for potlucks and family gatherings.
• Perfect for fall and the holidays: The apples and spice cake mix brings cozy flavors without a long ingredient list.

It’s the kind of recipe you can keep in mind for a last-minute invitation or a Sunday dinner that needs something sweet at the end.

Why I Mix the Cake Mix With the Butter

After seeing other similar recipes, I tried the topping a few different ways before deciding how I wanted to make mine.

First, I tried sprinkling the dry cake mix over the apples and placing pats of butter on top. I also tried covering the cake mix with grated butter. Finally, I melted the butter and mixed it with the cake mix before adding it to the baking dish.

The mixed topping is the one I went with. Stirring the melted butter into the spice cake mix gives you a crumbly mixture that’s easy to distribute over the apples.

Now, it does mean another dish to wash. You know I try to keep dishes to a minimum, but this one is worth throwing an extra bowl in the dishwasher!

Ingredients for Apple Spice Dump Cake

Here’s everything you need for this three-ingredient apple dump cake:

• 2 cans apple pie filling, 21 ounces each: Using canned filling saves you from peeling, slicing, and cooking fresh apples.
• 1 box spice cake mix, 15.25 ounces: The spice cake mix brings the flavor and forms the crumble topping. Use it dry, straight from the box.
• ½ cup butter, melted: That’s one stick of butter, mixed into the cake mix before baking.

Optional for serving: Vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. These aren’t part of the three base ingredients, but they’re how I served mine.

You do not need the eggs, oil, or water listed in the cake mix directions. We’re using the mix to make a topping, rather than preparing it as a traditional cake batter.

How to Make Apple Spice Dump Cake

*printable recipe card is available at the bottom of this page

Step One: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Get out a 9×13-inch glass baking dish. I used mine without greasing it.

Step Two: Add the Apple Pie Filling

Add both 21-ounce cans of apple pie filling to the baking dish. Spread the filling evenly across the bottom.

Step Three: Melt the Butter

Place one stick of butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl and microwave in short intervals until melted.

Use a bowl large enough to hold the cake mix, too, so you can mix the topping right in the same bowl.

Step Four: Mix the Crumble Topping

Add the 15.25-ounce box of dry spice cake mix to the melted butter. Stir until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly.

You’re making a cake mix crumble topping, so it won’t look like a smooth cake batter.

Step Five: Add the Topping

Distribute the crumb mixture evenly over the apple pie filling. Keep it as a separate layer on top rather than stirring it into the apples.

Step Six: Bake

Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. Oven temperatures can vary, so check the appearance along with the baking time.

Step Six: Serve Warm

Spoon the warm apple spice dump cake into dessert bowls or onto dessert plates. Top with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

The warm apples, spiced topping, and cold ice cream are such a good combination. This is a scoop-and-serve dessert, so there’s no need to worry about cutting perfect slices.

An Easy Dessert for Dinner, Potlucks, and Holidays

I love a dessert that works just as well for an ordinary Sunday night as it does for a holiday gathering. This apple dump cake with spice cake mix is easy enough to make while you’re getting dinner ready, and it doesn’t require a shopping cart full of ingredients.

For an office party or church potluck, you can bring it right in the baking dish. Pack the caramel separately so everyone can add their own drizzle. If ice cream isn’t practical for your gathering, the cake can also be served on its own.

It’s a simple option for Thanksgiving or Christmas, especially when you already have plenty of other cooking to do.