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Learn how to make apple dump cake in your crockpot for the easiest dessert ever! With just 6 ingredients, this apple dump cake recipe is the best fall dessert!

orange dump cake on a white plate with white ice cream on top.

This is the BEST Apple Dump Cake ever because it’s even easier than making the classic version. Have you ever heard of a dump cake? It’s a super easy dessert where you “dump” all of your ingredients into a pan and bake it. In this case, you just have to dump everything in your crockpot. It’s one of the easiest desserts ever.

Peach dump cake, Cherry Dump Cake, Blueberry Dump Cake, Pumpkin Dump Cake: There are a thousand ways to make one of these cakes and I’ve made them all. For fall there’s nothing better than this crockpot apple cake recipe! I love apple recipes and it’s just as delicious as an apple crisp or apple crumble but easier to make.

How to make Apple Dump Cake in the Crockpot – Just 6 Ingredients

Apples: I like Granny Smith apples best, the tart with the sweet. They are also sturdy enough they don’t get mushy in the crockpot.
I usually use five to seven apples for this recipe. I love Granny Smith because they are really tart and hold their shape even after cooking for several hours.
I use an apple peeler tool that makes peeling and coring the apples really easy. But, you can also do it by hand – use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin then slice the apples.
Granulated Sugar: To sweeten the apples and Cinnamon for some extra spice.
Yellow Cake Mix: This is the magic of a dump cake – dumping in the cake mix!
Oats: Quick oats or old-fashioned oats make this more of a crumble
Sliced Butter: The butter melts as the cake cooks creating that crumbly top.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions and below the recipe card for process shots.

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Storing Apple Dump Cake

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep a few days, but the topping will get softer as it ages.
You can freeze cooled dump cake but it’s not going to look as pretty thawed, unless you can freeze it whole somehow out of the crockpot.

Dorothy’s Expert Tips

First rule of crockpots is that all crockpots are different! Depending on your model this cake may take more or less time.
The first time you make this, I recommend checking on the cake after 1 ½ hours of cooking time just in case your slow cooker runs hot.
You can tell when the cake is done when all the butter is melted and the cake mix doesn’t look like powder. The top of the cake should be golden brown.
Don’t skip the paper towel between the lid and the insert – this catches condensation so your cake isn’t wet.

Crockpot Apple Dump Cake Recipe

4.97 from 27 votes

A crockpot cake is a low-fuss and easy-clean-up recipe that you will want to make all fall when apples are in season. You only need a handful of ingredients to make it!

Recipe Video

Prep Time 10

Total Time 4 10

Yield 10 servings

Serving Size 1 serving

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Ingredients

▢ 5-7 Granny Smith Apples
▢ ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon divided
▢ 1 approx 15 ounce box yellow cake mix
▢ ½ cup (43g) quick cooking oats
▢ ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , sliced thin

Instructions

Peel, core, and slice your apples. I used 7 because mine were small. If you’re using large, you can use less. Apples should be thin and bite sized.
Spray crockpot with cooking spray.
Place apples in the bottom of your crockpot. Sprinkle with sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Place the cake mix in a large bowl. Add the oats and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir, then sprinkle over the top of the apples. Drop slices of the butter over the top of the cake mix.
Cover the crockpot with a paper towel then place the lid on. Cook on high for 4 hours. I recommend checking the cake after an hour and a half and then again each 30 minutes to make sure it's cooking evenly and doesn't burn. All crockpots cook differently so this is important. If it's too hot on one side, roate the liner.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe Notes

This is a sweet recipe – it’s sweet from the cake mix and from the apples. Because I used granny smith, I added some sugar to the apples, but if your sweet meter is lower than mine, you can omit the sugar.

You do not need to make a batter with the cake mix. You sprinkle it over the top like a crumble, then top with butter. The butter will melt, the juices from the apples will bubble up, and the cake mix will cook.

Use a spice cake mix in place of yellow cake

Skip cooking the apples – use canned apple pie filling (or homemade) – you’ll need 2 cans of apple pie filling.

Add a sprinkle of chopped pecans or walnuts on top the apples under the cake mix.

Make this in the oven – simply dump it all into a baking dish instead of the slow cooker. Bake at 350°F for about 35-45 minutes.

Recipe Nutrition

Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Dorothy Kern

How to Make Apple Dump Cake

Apples: Once you’ve peeled, cored, and diced your apples just pile them in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar over the top.
Dump: Pour the cake mix and oats into the slow cooker so they are cover the apples.
Butter: Place the sliced butter in an even layer over the top of the cake mix and oats.
Cook: Secure the lid and cook the cake for four hours on high. That’s it. Easiest crockpot apple cake ever.

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Make Apple Dump Cake in the crockpot! This slow cooker dessert recipe uses cake mix and makes an easy apple crisp with just a few ingredients. This is the best recipe for apple dump cake you’ll ever make!

Crockpot Apple Dump Cake