Try this caramel apple dump cake for an easy and delicious dessert. It is a spoonable dessert with overtures of bread pudding and apple cobbler. It is filled with soft caramel candy, which enhances its gooey texture.
What is a Dump Cake?
A dump cake is a dessert similar to a cobbler and might remind you of bread pudding. However, it is easier to make because the ingredients are placed in layers in a baking dish. It is so simple to assemble that it earned the name “dump cake” because the ingredients are dumped, without stirring, in a specific order and then baked.
Caramel Apple Dump Caked uses Fresh Apples
This recipe differentiates itself from other apple dump cake recipes because it uses fresh apples instead of canned apple pie filling. It takes a few minutes longer to cut the apples, but the taste of freshly cooked apples in this dump cake is delicious! Also, you wonโt have to precook them before putting them into the baking dish, making this dessert easy to assemble.
Ingredients for Caramel Apple Dump Cake
This recipe uses mainly pantry ingredients you might have on hand.
Apples: Peel and cube the apples. Types of apples you can use for this recipe include Rome, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, and Braeburn although any cooking apple will work.
Apple Cider: Add the apple cider to provide flavor and moisture to the dump cake.
Lemon Juice: This keeps the apples from turning brown and also enhances the apples’ flavor.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is used to sweeten the dump cake.
Cinnamon: Gives the apple dump cake a taste of autumn and complements the apple flavor.
Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract to add another layer of flavor.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour to help thicken the juices.
Butter: Adds richness to the dump cake and helps keep the filling from overflowing while cooking.
Caramel Cubes: Adds caramel flavor to the dump cake. These can be omitted and the dump cake will still be delicious.
Cake Mix: The cake mix acts as a crust for this dump cake. Use white or yellow cake mix.
Pecans: (Optional) Add a crunchy texture and toasted flavor with chopped pecans to the dump cake. Buy pre-chopped nuts to make it easy.
Steps for Making Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Follow these steps to assemble the caramel apple dump cake.
Servings for Caramel Apple Dump Cake
This recipe makes approximately 6-8 servings that can be scooped with a large spoon.
Baking Dish
Make this dessert in a 10-inch round or square pie dish.
Serve it Warm
Serve this dessert warm so that the caramel is soft. If cold, the caramel can harden and might be chewy. This dessert heats well in the microwave and should be stored in the refrigerator.
Pecans are Optional
This dessert is great with or without pecans. You place them on top of the cake mix topping. They can start to brown too much and even burn, so add a sheet of aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray to the top of the dessert to prevent further browning near the end of the baking time.
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Easy Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Equipment
- (1) 10-inch square or round deep baking dish
Ingredients
- 4 large Rome apples, peeled and cubed (about 5-6 heaping cups)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 24 caramel cubes (Kraft used)
- (1) 15.25 ounces white cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
- ยพ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 8 tablespoons butter, thinly sliced
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray the baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add the cubed apples, apple cider, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and flour to a large mixing bowl. Stir to coat the apples. Place the apple mixture into the baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Layer the caramels over the apples.
- Pour the cake mix over the cake and spread it out evenly. If using pecans, layer them now. Cut the butter into small slices and layer them over the cake mix, spreading them out evenly.
- Bake for 50 minutes until lightly brown and a crust has formed on top. If the cake mixture starts to brown too much, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top.
- Serve warm. Top with ice cream if desired.