The origins of dump cakes are unclear, with recipes sweeping the nation around the late 1960s. Whatever the origin, there was one thing clear about this dish; it is delicious and easy to make. With several distinct types of dump cakes and diverse ways to make them, this dessert is certainly one for the recipe books.
My personal favorite dump cake to make is apple dump cake. With crispy toppings and sweet apple to complement the taste of the cinnamon, it is pleasing to the tastebuds for sure.
The recipe for apple dump cake calls for 6 medium apples, 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon and ¾ – 1 cup of butter.
A 13-by-9-inch cake pan is greased on the sides and bottom before laying the apples, which are peeled and chopped into slices, down evenly on the bottom.
While apple dump cake can be made with fresh apples you can use two 20-ounce (about 591.47 mL) cans of apple pie mix as a substitute to avoid cutting and peeling apples.
On top of the apples, yellow cake mix and cinnamon is sprinkled to create a flat layer. The mix should have little to no bumps on the surface to avoid uneven baking.
The one issue that I run into while making apple dump cake is the butter. If not enough butter is used or if the butter is not spread properly when assembling the dessert, then the crisp of the dump cake is lost. The dump cake can come out of the oven powdery in places instead of a crispy golden brown.
To prevent this issue from happening, adjusting the quantity of butter used is ideal or changing how to place the butter on the cake. The butter can either be melted and poured evenly on top of the cake or be cubed and placed equidistant to each cube for ideal melting spread in the oven.
The dump cake is baked at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes (or until the top is golden brown and bubbling). Once cooled down for 15-20 minutes, it should be ready to eat. Apple dump cake is best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream for the authentic seasonal dessert feel.
This is a dessert best for those who struggle with baking or are looking for an easy-to-make treat. Whether you are looking for a dessert for the holidays or just a sweet treat, dump cake is something that can be enjoyed any time of year. My personal favorite recipe for apple dump cake can be found at https://bakeitwithlove.com/apple-dump-cake/?msclkid=b71a88d4b27d11ec850eccfe78dcad41.