**this post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission for products purchased through my link.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• So easy: I just love dump-and-go recipes like this one! After you layer the apple pie filling on the bottom of your baking dish, simply top with cake mix and lots of butter before baking.
• Homemade or not: You can also take plenty of shortcuts with your ingredients — nothing’s stopping you from using all store-bought instead of from scratch.
• Delicious: The classic combination of apples, caramel, and buttery cake is such a crowd-pleaser. So yummy for fall.
• Tasty enough for entertaining: Caramel apple dump cake may be easy, but it’s nothing short of impressive! It would make for a perfect addition to a Thanksgiving dessert spread.

Ingredients and Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for apple caramel dump cake. Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.

Cake Mix: I used a yellow cake mix, but you could also use white. Even a spiced cake mix would work.

Butter: Adds moisture, richness, and buttery flavor to your caramel apple dump cake. You’ll need it for the cake plus the homemade apple pie filling.

Apples: I used Honeycrisp, but you can use your favorite baking apple. Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala are all great options. 

Tapioca Starch: Acts as a thickener when added to cold water. You could also use cornstarch or arrowroot flour instead.

Vanilla Extract: For a touch of warm flavor in the apple pie filling.

Cinnamon: This classic spice complements the apples so well.

Maple Syrup: My favorite natural sweetener! It pairs so well with the apples, caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Caramel Sauce: My go-to homemade dairy-free caramel sauce! It’s made with coconut sugar, coconut cream, maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

How to Make Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Prepare the apple pie filling

Add the butter to a medium skillet and melt over low heat. Introduce the apple and salt, then sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Combine the tapioca, water, and vanilla extract to make a slurry and add it to the skillet. Drizzle with maple syrup, reduce the heat to medium, and stir until thickened before adding the cinnamon. Set aside.

Make the caramel sauce

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for about 25-30 minutes or until thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon without falling off. Set aside to cool before using.

Assemble the dump cake

Layer the chopped apples on the bottom of a greased baking dish. Drizzle half a cup of the caramel sauce on top, then sprinkle with the cake mix. Cut the butter into thin slices and add those on top of the cake mix.

Bake

Bake the caramel apple dump cake recipe at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks 

• The homemade apple pie filling is super easy to make and tastes so good. That said, you can absolutely use canned apple pie filling if you don’t have time to make it from scratch.
• When making the coconut caramel sauce, I recommend refrigerating the can of coconut cream at least 4 hours before starting. It makes it a lot easier to separate the solids from the liquids — you only need the solid part for your caramel. 
• Don’t mix the layers: The entire idea behind a “dump” cake is to dump all the ingredients into a dish and then bake. Resist the temptation to mix the cake mix, caramel sauce, and butter once you add them to your pan.

How to Serve and Store Apple Caramel Dump Cake

You’ll know your apple dump cake with caramel sauce is ready when it turns golden brown and bubbly, with a crispy crust on top. Let it set for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving warm. It slaps with vanilla ice cream!

Let any leftovers cool completely before placing them in an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat single servings, use your microwave and heat in 30-second bursts to prevent it from burning. I recommend using your oven for larger portions — 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F should do the trick.

Taste And Texture

Caramel apple dump cake tastes just like apple pie… without all of the effort! It’s comforting, indulgent, and perfect for fall. The sweet caramel sauce balances out any tartness from the apples, and the cinnamon adds a warm and spicy note. Oh, and did I mention the whole thing is incredibly buttery too? SO delish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dump cake supposed to be gooey?

Your apple caramel dump cake should come out more gooey than regular cake thanks to the layer of apple pie filling. So, it’s totally normal if yours looks a little more on the sticky side!

Do you refrigerate leftover dump cake?

Yes, I always refrigerate leftovers. There’s quite a bit of butter in my caramel apple dump cake recipe, plus storing it in the fridge will extend its shelf life by several days.

Other Recipes You May Like:

• Healthy Caramel Apple Dip
• Apple Truffles
• Caramel Apple Yogurt Bites
• Whole Baked Cinnamon Apples
• Mini Apple Pies

If you make this caramel apple dump cake recipe, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest!

Pin Print

Caramel Apple Dump Cake

5 from 2 ratings

Hannah Kling

This lazy Caramel Apple Dump Cake requires just 4 main ingredients to make. It’s warm, cozy, and perfect for the holidays — and is ready in 1 hour!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

Homemade apple pie filling

• 2 tbsp grass-fed or regular butter
• 4 large honey crisp apples (diced)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch (can sub corn starch or arrowroot powder)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Coconut sugar caramel sauce

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 13.5oz can of coconut cream, solid parts only
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Dump Cake

• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• 1.5 sticks of grass-fed butter (sliced thin)
• Enjoy with vanilla ice cream and more coconut caramel sauce

Instructions

To make homemade apple pie filling

• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over low heat. Add in the diced apples and salt and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until softened.
• In a small cup, whisk the water with the tapioca and vanilla to make a slurry.
• Once the apples have softened, add in the slurry, then drizzle in the maple syrup.
• Turn the heat to medium and stir until the apples have thickened. Once thick, immediately remove from heat. 
• Then, stir in cinnamon, taste and add more if desired.

To make the coconut caramel sauce:

• I recommend refrigerating the can of coconut cream at least 4 hours before starting. This makes it easier to separate the solids from the liquids. Refrigerate it upside down.
• When ready, start by adding all the ingredients to a sauce pan and mix over medium to low heat.
• Stirring occasionally for about 25-30 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Use the back of a spoon and once the caramel sauce coats it without falling off it’s done.
• Remove from heat and let cool before pouring into a storage container.

To make the dump cake:

• Start by making the apple pie filling, otherwise you can use canned apple pie filling and skip this step.
• Add the apples to the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.
• Then layer in this order (and do not mix). Drizzle 1/2 cup caramel sauce evenly over the apples. Sprinkle evenly with 1 box yellow cake mix. Cut 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter into thin slices and arrange over the cake mix in an even layer, covering the entire surface as best you can.
• Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. The top should look golden brown, be bubbling, and have a crispy crust formed on top.
• Let set for 5 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream and more caramel sauce if desired.

Notes

• The homemade apple pie filling is super easy to make and tastes so good. That said, you can absolutely use canned apple pie filling if you don’t have time to make it from scratch.

• When making the coconut caramel sauce, I recommend refrigerating the can of coconut cream at least 4 hours before starting. It makes it a lot easier to separate the solids from the liquids — you only need the solid part for your caramel. 
• Don’t mix the layers: The entire idea behind a “dump” cake is to dump all the ingredients into a dish and then bake. Resist the temptation to mix the cake mix, caramel sauce, and butter once you add them to your pan.

Did you make this recipe?Don’t forget to tag @lovelydelites across all social media platforms!