Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Darling, let me tell you something about dessert and drama—they both deserve a little flair.
This Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake is like me at Thanksgiving dinner: sweet, a little spicy, buttery, and just salty enough to keep things interesting.
We’re talking spiced apples, warm cinnamon, a buttery golden topping, and a decadent caramel drizzle crowned with a flirtatious sprinkle of sea salt.
It’s basically fall wrapped up in a glamorous baking dish.
Now, don’t let the “dump” in dump cake fool you—it sounds messy, but honey, it’s all part of the charm. There’s no whisking, folding, or tempering here (what am I, Julia Child?). We’re literally tossing in apples, cake mix, and butter, then letting the oven do all the hard work while we sip wine and look fabulous.
The real secret? That final flourish of sea salt. It takes this from “Grandma’s comfort food” to “Oh, I’d serve this at a Michelin-star restaurant if they’d let me wear sequins in the kitchen.”
So grab your apron—or better yet, your crown—and let’s bake something that tastes as good as it looks on Instagram.
Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" baking dish or pan
Ingredients
- 2 21-ounce cans spiced apple pie filling
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup caramel sauce plus extra for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided (coarse or flaky preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spread both cans of spiced apple pie filling evenly in the dish.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle with caramel sauce.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apples. Do not stir.
- Pour the melted butter evenly across the cake mix, making sure to cover as much as possible.
- Bake uncovered for 45–55 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from oven, drizzle with more caramel, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Diva's Terrific Tweaks
Bourbon Caramel Apple:
Add 2 tbsp bourbon to the caramel sauce before drizzling for a grown-up twist.
Nutty Caramel Crunch:
Toss chopped pecans or walnuts over the cake mix before baking for extra crunch.
Apple-Cheesecake Fusion:
Add dollops of sweetened cream cheese over the apples before topping with cake mix.
Presentation Suggestions:
Serve in fancy glass dessert cups with caramel drizzled down the sides—because your dump cake deserves a red-carpet debut.
Sprinkle edible gold dust or glittery sugar on top if you really want your guests to know you’re that diva.
Pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dramatic swirl of whipped cream, then casually say, “Oh, this old thing? Just something I dumped together.”
If you loved this Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake as much as I loved “taste-testing” half the pan, don’t keep it a secret—share it, pin it, and tag me when you make it!
Let’s spread the gooey, golden love one bite at a time.
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