This easy apple pie filling cake mix recipe makes a warm, buttery dessert with only a few ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep. Spread two cans of apple pie filling in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, cover them with dry yellow or spice cake mix, pour melted butter over the top, and bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes.
The finished apple dump cake has tender cinnamon apples, a crisp golden topping, and a soft, cobbler-like center. Serve it warm after a 10–15 minute rest with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a comforting dessert that tastes like homemade apple pie with much less effort.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This apple pie filling cake mix recipe is one of the easiest ways to put a hot fruit dessert on the table. There is no peeling apples, measuring a long list of dry ingredients, or preparing a separate pie crust. The ingredients are layered directly in one baking dish, which keeps both the preparation and cleanup pleasantly simple.
The texture is what makes this dessert so appealing. Canned apple pie filling stays soft and saucy as it bakes, while the buttered cake mix forms a golden topping with crisp edges and tender spots throughout.
It is also flexible without changing the basic method. Yellow cake mix gives the dessert a mild, buttery flavor, while spice cake mix brings warm notes that naturally suit apples. For another apple dessert idea with a different style, try our easy apple cake mix dessert with cinnamon crumble.
This recipe makes about 12 servings, making it a useful choice for family dinners, potlucks, holiday gatherings, and relaxed weekend baking. Since it needs only about 10 minutes of prep, you can assemble it while the oven preheats and have dessert baking before dinner is finished.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Every ingredient has a clear job in this easy dump cake. The apple filling provides the fruit and sauce, the dry cake mix becomes the topping, and butter helps the powdery mix bake into a rich golden crust.
- Apple pie filling: Use two 21-ounce cans. Spread the filling evenly so every serving contains tender apples and sauce.
- Yellow or spice cake mix: Use one dry 15.25-ounce box. Yellow cake mix creates a classic buttery topping, while spice cake mix makes the dessert taste especially autumnal.
- Unsalted butter: You need 1 cup, or 2 sticks. Melt it for easy coverage, or use thin slices of cold butter across the surface.
- Ground cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon if you want extra cinnamon warmth in the apple layer.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts: Add 1/2 cup for crunch. Either nut works well, so choose based on what you have available.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish before adding anything. A shallow pan is important because it gives the apple layer and topping enough room to bake evenly instead of leaving a thick center that takes longer to cook.
For a more traditional apple dessert to serve alongside this one, our rustic French apple cake offers a lovely alternative with a tender cake texture.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Make sure the oven reaches temperature before the dish goes in, since a properly heated oven helps the butter and cake mix brown at the expected rate.
Step 2: Spoon both cans of apple pie filling into the prepared baking dish and spread them into an even layer. Take the filling all the way toward the corners so the topping has a consistent fruit base underneath.
Step 3: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon over the apple filling if you are using it. Keep the cinnamon on the fruit layer rather than mixing it into the cake mix so its warm flavor stays close to the apples.
Step 4: Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apples. Do not stir the layers together; the dump-cake method depends on the dry mix staying above the fruit so it can absorb butter and bake into a topping.
Step 5: Pour 1 cup of melted unsalted butter slowly over the cake mix. Move the stream across the whole dish and pay attention to the corners, because uncovered dry spots may remain powdery after baking.
Step 6: If you prefer not to melt the butter, cut cold butter into very thin slices and arrange them over the surface. Try to distribute the slices as evenly as possible, using the same goal of covering most of the dry cake mix.
Step 7: Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts over the top if desired. The nuts toast as the cake bakes and add a pleasant contrast to the soft apples and tender topping.
Step 8: Bake for 45–50 minutes, watching for a golden-brown top and bubbling apple filling around the edges. If the top looks done before the full baking time, rely on the bubbling fruit and overall color rather than stirring or disturbing the layers.
Step 9: Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes. This short rest allows the hot apple filling to settle slightly, making it easier to spoon into servings while keeping the dessert warm.
Pro Tips for a Golden Topping
The most important detail is butter coverage. Dry cake mix that receives little or no butter can remain pale and powdery, so pour the melted butter in a broad, slow stream rather than placing it in one area.
Do not stir the ingredients together. It may be tempting to combine everything for a more uniform batter, but that changes the recipe and can produce a heavier, less distinct topping.
Choose the pan carefully. A 9 x 13-inch baking dish creates a broad surface for browning and helps the filling cook at the same pace as the cake mix. A smaller, deeper dish may leave the center softer while the edges brown too quickly.
If you use spice cake mix, you can still include the optional cinnamon, but consider your preferred intensity. Yellow cake mix is a good choice when you want the apple flavor to stand out, while spice cake mix is ideal for a more pronounced warm-spice profile.
Let the baked dessert rest before scooping. Straight from the oven, the filling is extremely hot and loose; after 10–15 minutes, it remains spoonable and warm but is less likely to run across the plate.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cake mix apple dessert warm in bowls or shallow dessert plates. The classic topping is a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which melts into the bubbling apple filling and creates a creamy contrast to the crisp cake layer.
Whipped cream is another easy option, especially when serving a crowd. Add it just before serving so it stays light and distinct against the warm fruit.
For a little extra crunch, include the optional pecans or walnuts in the bake. If you leave the nuts out, the dessert still has plenty of texture from the golden topping and tender apple pieces.
This recipe fits casual celebrations as well as seasonal meals. If you are planning a festive dessert table and want another approachable idea, take a look at this easy King Cake recipe for a colorful companion bake.
Storage & Reheating
Cool leftover apple dump cake, cover the baking dish, and refrigerate it. Keeping it chilled protects the cooked fruit and makes the leftovers easy to portion for another dessert.
Reheat individual servings gently until warm, then add ice cream or whipped cream after heating. You can also enjoy a portion cold, although warming brings back the soft apples and buttery aroma that make this dessert so inviting.
When serving leftovers to guests, spoon portions from the dish rather than trying to turn the entire cake out. The layers are designed to be served as a rustic scoopable dessert, not as a firm slice.
Easy Apple Pie Filling Cake Mix Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Use a shallow baking dish of this size so the fruit and topping cook evenly.
- Spread both cans of apple pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the apples if using it.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apple filling. Do not stir the cake mix and apples together, because the separate layers create the proper fruit-to-topping texture.
- Pour the melted butter slowly over the entire surface of the cake mix, covering as much of the dry mix as possible. You can also arrange thin slices of cold butter over the top instead.
- Scatter the chopped pecans or walnuts over the buttered cake mix if desired. The nuts add a pleasant crunch and pair especially well with spice cake mix.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the apple filling is visibly bubbling around the edges. Check the dish near the end of the baking time so the topping does not become overly dark.
- Let the dump cake rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. Spoon it into bowls while warm and add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This easy apple pie filling cake mix recipe delivers the comfort of apple pie in a fraction of the time. With two cans of apple filling, one box of cake mix, and 1 cup of butter, you get a bubbling fruit dessert with a golden topping and very little hands-on work.
Remember the three details that matter most: use a 9 x 13-inch dish, keep the apple and cake mix layers separate, and cover the dry mix as evenly as possible with butter. Add cinnamon or nuts when you want extra flavor and texture, then let the bake rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Whether you choose yellow cake mix for a mild buttery finish or spice cake mix for a warmer apple-pie character, this dessert is ready in about 55–60 minutes from start to finish. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, gather everyone around the table, and enjoy an easy homemade-style treat.
