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Warm cinnamon-sugar apple cake with tender sliced apples baked underneath a golden, buttery, crackly cinnamon-sugar crust. Served in a 9x13-inch baking dish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top, creating a cozy homemade fall dessert presentation.

n Easy cinnamon-sugar apple dump cake

Easy cinnamon-sugar apple dump cake with soft, syrupy tart apples under a buttery, crackly cake-mix topping. Tastes like apple pie met a snickerdoodle—minimal effort, maximum cozy fall flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
10 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups peeled thinly sliced tart apples (about 6–8 medium Granny Smith)
  • ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 box 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar for topping

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking dish, mixing bowl

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Toss sliced apples with brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and orange juice. Spread evenly in the dish.
  3. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the apples (do not stir).
  4. Drizzle melted butter evenly over the cake mix.
  5. Mix cinnamon with remaining ¼ cup sugar and sprinkle generously over the top.
  6. Bake 45–50 minutes until the top is golden and crackly and the apples are bubbling.
  7. Cool 10 minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

Use tart apples for best balance. Do not stir the cake mix into the fruit. Drizzle butter as evenly as possible. Overnight or next-day leftovers reheat well. Excellent with vanilla ice cream. Simple dump method—minimal cleanup. Great make-ahead dessert.