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Learn how to make apple dump cake in your crockpot for the easiest dessert ever! 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 this cake – so get apple season going with one of my favorite fall desserts.
BEST Apple Dump Cake
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. Or, in the case of this apple dump cake I’m sharing, you dump everything in your crockpot. It’s one of the easiest desserts ever.
There are a thousand ways to make a dump cake – they’re usually made with fruit and cake mix – and 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.
Six Ingredients in Dump Cake
- 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.
- Granulated Sugar: To sweeten the apples
- Cinnamon: Can’t have apple desserts without cinnamon!
- 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.
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.
Tip From Dorothy
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.
- To keep the moisture in balance, sometimes I place a paper towel between the lid and the insert which will absorb a lot of the condensation early in the cooking time. After two hours I remove it so the liquid that is created inside the crockpot will dissolve the cake mix.
Crockpot Apple Dump Cake
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 Video
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
Other Apple + Crockpot Favorites
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!
Last Updated on September 21, 2023
Yum! Love that I can use my crockpot for this. Thanks for sharing. I’m wondering though…you mention a stick of butter in the post, but I don’t see it in the recipe. I’m so sorry if I’ve missed something – just want to be clear before I make this. 🙂
Thank you Brandy! I’ll fix it right now. The butter gets sliced on top of the cake mix (just drop chunks on top of the mix over the top).
No butter or oil?
Sorry Gaylene! My mistake. LOTS of butter, lol. I just fixed the recipe.
Mmm…this sounds delicious!! I’m always happy to eat a good apple cake, any time of year – but I am really looking forward to picking some apples myself this fall! Looking forward to trying this!
Thank you!
You would love it where I live. Temps never go above 65, maybe they sometime hit 70, but that is rare.
You are making me excited for fall with this cake though. I love how easy it is and not to mention delicious!
See, I want to live there. In summer. But in winter it snows, and I hate cold. I’m really picky, lol.
That sounds delicious!
I love dump cakes! Although I’ve never thought to make them in a crockpot. You are a genius 🙂
This looks so good; we eat a lot of dump cakes around here (on special occasions) bit I’ve never tried an apple one!
I am still clinging to summer! Fall–>cooler weather–> snow–>terrible things!
Yes, see at least we don’t have the snow! I think I like hot more than cold!
This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
I’m also an autumn fan, I love the colored leaves and the cooler weather. Just a few more weeks until the start of my favorite season…
I love dump cake! And in the crock pot? I’m sold!
But it’s cooler here than in CA, so I’m not rushing fall. We’re happy with our 80 degrees! Still, I’d eat this in any weather!
I’d be happy with 80 too! It’s been 108 here this past week. Cooled off today – only 95, lol.
It’s been 95 to 100 here in Ga for like 9 months.. I can’t wait til fall , well fall is hot here also, but winter time.. the crockpot be full of soups and dry peas and beans.. I am going to try this recipe. I enjoy all your recipes. and this one sounds like a winner.. would you believe the got Halloween candy in the stores now.. also, in the winter, we don’t hardly even wear a coat much less a sweater.. ha ha..
I KNOW! Halloween candy and jackets. Makes my stomach cramp!! Thanks Glenda!
Wow this looks great and hello easy! I love easy. I rarely use my crockpots. I have a few. Not sure how that happened but I rarely use them b/c I don’t eat meat and desserts in them never cross my mind. I need to change that! Pinned!
And seeing sweaters in Target but it still being blazing hot, yep. Or try to find your kid a swimsuit in August when they need one the most! but they’re sold out and they have fur-lined boots in stock instead.
Swimsuits in August, exactly. Or sandals for school. Like, it’s 100 degrees – she doesn’t want to wear closed toe shoes! Thanks for the pin Averie!
Don’t see a setting for the dump cake in the crockpot. High, Med., or Low??
My 4 hour setting on my crockpot defaults to high!
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