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Learn how to make apple dump cake in your crockpot for the easiest dessert ever! With just 6 ingredients this recipe uses fresh apples (not pie filling) and tastes so much better than any other recipe!

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

This is the BEST Apple Dump Cake ever it uses fresh apples and cake mix! 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.

What sets this recipe apart from all the rest: I use fresh apples to make the filling from scratch instead of using a can of pie filling. It’s a small extra step that makes the cobbler taste a million times better and is worth the effort!

ingredients in apple dump cake.

6 Ingredient Apple 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. I usually use five to seven apples for this recipe.
  • Granulated or Brown Sugar sweetens the filling and, of course, cinnamon is required in any apple recipe.
  • Yellow Cake Mix: This is the magic of a dump cake! You can also use spice cake mix if you want.
  • Quick oats or old-fashioned oats make this more of a crumble than just a cake.
  • The butter melts as the cake cooks, baking into thke cake mix and creating that crumbly top.
orange dump cake on a white plate with white ice cream on top.

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Dorothy’s Testing Notes

  • First rule of crockpots is that all crockpots are different! Depending on your model this cake may take more or less time. Also note where your slow cooker may cook hotter. Mine does on one side, so I often have to rotate the insert so it doesn’t burn there.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
4.97 from 28 votes

Crockpot Apple Dump Cake Recipe

By: Dorothy Kern
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!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
orange dump cake on a white plate with white ice cream on top.
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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.

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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process shot of apple dump cake.
process shot of apple dump cake.
process shot of apple dump cake.
process shot of apple dump cake.

How to Make Apple Dump Cake

  1. Make sure to slice the apples all the same size. This is the key to having apples that are cooked perfectly (not some that are mushy and some that aren’t cooked through).
  2. The cake mix powder should totally cover the apples.
  3. The butter should cover the cake mix with only small bits of cake mix showing through, ensuring it will melt all over the top.
  4. The cake will be golden brown when done.

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.

Variations

  • 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.

How to Serve Apple Dump Cake

Grab a serving spoon and scoop it into bowls! It’s delicious just as it is, but here are some ideas to dress it up:

  • Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. As it melts it will mix with all of that apple goodness!
  • A dollop of whipped cream is delicious, too.
  • Add a drizzle (or whole glug!) of salted caramel sauce for an extra-decadent treat.
  • Keep it simple and dust each serving with some powdered sugar.

Other Apple + Crockpot Favorites

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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4.97 from 28 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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136 Comments

  1. I love dump cakes! Although I’ve never thought to make them in a crockpot. You are a genius 🙂

    Reply

  2. 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!

    Reply

  3. 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…

    Reply

  4. 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!

    Reply

    1. I’d be happy with 80 too! It’s been 108 here this past week. Cooled off today – only 95, lol.

      Reply

      1. 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..

  5. 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.

    Reply

    1. 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!

      Reply