Cinnamon Sugar Apple Pie Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 20 oz apples (Sliced; may substitute two 20 oz cans apple pie filling. Peeling is optional.)
• 0.25 cup organic cane sugar (For the apple filling)
• 0.25 cup organic brown sugar
• 1 tsp apple pie spice (See source notes for a homemade blend option.)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 lemon juice (Freshly squeezed from 1/2 lemon)
• 1 box yellow cake mix (Use dry; author recommends Bob's Red Mill.)
• 1 cup unsalted butter (Melted; equivalent to 2 sticks.)
• 0.25 cup organic cane sugar (For cinnamon sugar; may substitute store-bought cinnamon sugar for the sugar and cinnamon.)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (For cinnamon sugar)
• whipped cream (For serving; homemade whipped cream is an option.)
• vanilla ice cream (For serving)
• caramel sauce (For serving)
• butter or oil (For lightly greasing the baking dish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a standard 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter or oil.

2. 2

   Put the sliced apples in a large bowl. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup cane sugar, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract. Toss until combined and the apples are fully coated.

3. 3

   Transfer the apple filling to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.

4. 4

   Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the apples. Do not stir the layers together.

5. 5

   Pour the melted butter over the cake mix, slowly covering as much of the surface as possible. A few uncovered spots are acceptable.

6. 6

   For the cinnamon-sugar topping, mix the remaining 1/4 cup cane sugar with the ground cinnamon in a small bowl until combined. Sprinkle it evenly over the top. Store-bought cinnamon sugar may be used instead.

7. 7

   Bake on the middle rack for 55–65 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown with little to no white spots. If needed, bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, watching carefully so it does not become too dark.

8. 8

   Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool slightly. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and/or caramel sauce.

Notes

Apples may be left unpeeled for extra texture or peeled for a softer, more pie-like filling. Although the ingredient list offers canned apple pie filling as a substitute, the source advises adjusting the recipe because canned filling is already sweetened and spiced. Avoid stirring the layers together; the distinct layers provide the dump cake's characteristic texture. The source does not give a homemade apple pie spice formula.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baked
• fall
• apple
• vegetarian