Easy Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe With Vanilla Ice Cream For Perfect Fall Dessert
A cozy, comforting fall dessert featuring tender apple slices baked under a crisp, buttery cake topping with sticky caramel, served warm with creamy vanilla ice cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (21 oz each) apple pie filling (or about 6 medium tart apples peeled, sliced, and tossed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar)
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix (gluten-free mix optional)
- 1 cup (240 ml) caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade, salted caramel preferred)
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, sliced thinly (vegan butter optional)
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
- Optional: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- Optional: Chopped pecans or walnuts for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- If using canned apple pie filling, open cans and stir to loosen syrup. If using fresh apples, peel, core, slice about 6 medium apples, toss with cinnamon and sugar.
- Spread the apple filling evenly in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the apples without stirring.
- Pour the caramel sauce evenly over the cake mix layer.
- Arrange thin slices of butter evenly over the caramel layer, covering as much surface as possible.
- Bake in the center rack for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and caramel is bubbling around the edges. Tent with foil if edges brown too quickly.
- Let the cake rest for 10-15 minutes to thicken the caramel.
- Serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Notes
Do not stir the layers to maintain texture contrast. Use cold, thinly sliced butter for a crisp topping. Watch baking time closely, especially if using a metal pan. Warm caramel sauce slightly if very thick before drizzling. Optional nuts add crunch and flavor. Can substitute gluten-free cake mix and vegan butter for dietary needs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of the
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: caramel apple dump cake, fall dessert, easy apple dessert, caramel dessert, dump cake recipe, vanilla ice cream dessert, quick dessert, autumn recipe