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Irresistible Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe That Will Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Irresistible Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe That Will Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth - Featured Image
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Learn how to make delicious Salted Caramel Apple Dump Cake. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 4 large Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but adds a cozy touch)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 box yellow or white cake mix (about 15.25 oz)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, for crunch)

If you’re like me and love experimenting, you can swap apples for pears or add a handful of dried cranberries for extra color and flavor. I often keep a jar of salted caramel in my pantry—my grandma’s trick for adding a luxurious touch to many desserts—and I highly recommend using a good-quality caramel sauce to get that rich, salted flavor.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. I always love lining my baking dish with parchment for easy cleanup, a tip I learned from my grandma’s fuss-free approach to baking.
  2. Spread the sliced apples evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish. I like using Granny Smith apples for their tartness, which balances the sweetness of caramel and cake, but Honeycrisp also works beautifully for a sweeter, crisper bite.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and salt. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apples. This step adds a warm, spiced layer that makes the fruit even more flavorful—a trick I often used when baking with my grandma’s apples from her backyard.
  4. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce evenly over the apples and spices. The caramel melts into the fruit as it bakes, creating a luscious, gooey topping that’s irresistibly good.
  5. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the caramel and apples. No need to mix it; just pour it directly from the box for that dump cake ease. I love how this step reminds me of those carefree days in my grandma’s kitchen, where simplicity was key.
  6. Pour the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix. The butter creates a golden, crispy topping that contrasts beautifully with the soft apples beneath. A little trick I use is to gently shake the dish to help the butter soak into the cake mix evenly.
  7. If you’re adding nuts, sprinkle them over the top now for extra crunch and flavor. I always add pecans or walnuts—my grandma’s favorite—to give the dessert a delightful texture.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges. I keep an eye on it after 40 minutes to prevent over-baking, because every oven is a little different. The smell of caramel, apples, and baking butter will fill your kitchen, just like in those special moments from my childhood.
  9. Once out of the oven, let the cake cool for about 10 minutes. This helps the caramel set slightly, making it easier to serve without everything running apart. I find that a warm, slightly cooled cake is just perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Find it online: https://artofeasycooking.com/salted-caramel-apple-dump-cake/