Apple Dump Cake (pie filling and cake mix)
An old-fashioned apple dump cake with canned pie filling, cake mix, and butter. A vintage one-pan dessert (no bowl or mixer needed) with tips to avoid dry spots and get a crisp, golden top every time.
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cans apple pie filling 21 ounces each
- 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix 1 box
- 1 cup unsalted or salted butter 1 ½ sticks, cold and thinly sliced, or melted
Optional extras:
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
To serve:
- vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spread 2 cans apple pie filling in the dish. If the slices are large, cut them into smaller pieces right in the pan. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, if using. Mix lightly and spread to even out the fruit.
- Sprinkle 15.25 ounces yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit. Gently level it with the back of a spoon or a spatula without pressing down. Do not stir.
- Cover the top with 1 cup unsalted or salted butter, cold and cut into thin slices, until almost no cake mix shows. Thin slivers between butter pieces are fine to allow the juices to bubble up. Or use melted butter and drizzle it slowly and evenly over the whole surface.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges. At about ¾ of the baking time, check if there are large dry spots and fill them with a little extra melted butter.
- Cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm on its own, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you like.
Notes
If not sure about it being salty, use unsalted butter.
Nuts: Scatter ½ to 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before the butter goes on. They toast as it bakes.
Cinnamon sugar top: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon over the butter for an extra crackly crust.
Storage and reheating: Room temperature: Covered, for the first day. Refrigerator: Covered, up to 4 days. The top softens in the fridge.
Reheat: For a crisp top, warm the pan at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. For a single serving, microwave 20 to 30 seconds; it’ll be softer but still good. Freezer: Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven.
Reheat: For a crisp top, warm the pan at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. For a single serving, microwave 20 to 30 seconds; it’ll be softer but still good. Freezer: Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven.
