This tender and moist Air Fryer Caramel Apple Dump Cake is a nearly effortless decadent dessert to make in minutes. Sweet fresh apples are swirled with gooey caramel and topped with a pecan cake mix in this super easy, 5 ingredient (plus a few optional), dump and bake cake recipe.
Caramel Apple Dump Cake in the Air Fryer
Who knew you could bake a cake without even turning on the oven? Just when we thought a dump cake recipe couldn’t be any easier or quicker, we made it even better with this Air Fryer Caramel Apple Dump Cake –we literally layer the ingredients in a cake pan and make it in an air fryer!
I love that this dump cake uses FRESH apples and not the sticky, sometimes too-sweet canned pie filling. It’s a delicious cross between an apple pie, cobbler, and crisp, baked into one heavenly taste of fall flavors. It has the perfect amount of crisp apples mixed with gooey caramel goodness and topped with a soft buttery cake mix topping. This air fryer apple dump cake is simply the best and tastiest way to get a rich homemade dessert, but made without the hassle!
Add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream for an extra sweet treat!
Why We Love This Air Fryer Caramel Apple Dump Cake Recipe
- Easy to make because you simply dump and bake!
- Flavors of apple and warm spices make it perfect for fall.
- Crisp, fresh apples pair perfectly with the caramel goodness and butter pecan cake.
- Easier cleanup because you won’t use multiple mixing bowls or dirty piles of dishes.
- Dump cakes are always delicious served hot, cold, or at room temperature!
- Perfect for an afternoon snack, Thanksgiving dessert, potlucks, or fall parties.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Apples: I recommend using apples with a hard peel such as granny smith, pink lady, mackintosh or honeycrisp apples.
- Caramel syrup
- Ground cinnamon
- Wrapped caramels (optional)
- Butter pecan cake mix: You can substitute yellow cake mix for butter pecan.
- Salted butter: Make sure your butter is cold.
- Optional topping: Butter pecan ice cream or whipped cream.
Substitutions and Additions
- Fruit Filling: Try another fruit filling such as blueberry, cherry, peach, or any other fruit you like.
- Toppings: Top your treat with ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or apple butter.
- Make It Nutty: Use your favorite nut to add some crunch. Try pecans, walnuts, slivered almonds, or even peanuts.
- Spice It Up: Feel free to use apple spice, nutmeg, or your favorite spice mix in addition to cinnamon.
- Change the Cake Mix: Yellow cake mix, white cake mix, vanilla cake mix or a spice cake mix will also taste delicious.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- 6-inch round cake pan
- Food processor with shredding attachment or large grater
- Air Fryer
- Measuring and mixing tools
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make the Air Fryer Caramel Apple Dump Cake
It is so quick and easy to bake this caramel apple dump cake. All you need is some fruit, caramel, spices, a cake mix, and some butter to make a delicious homemade cake without any hassle!
- Place shredded apples in a 6 inch round cake pan.
- Combine shredded apples with caramel syrup and cinnamon.
- Top the apples with caramel pieces (optional).
- Dump cake mix over the apples.
Pro Tip: Use a fork to break apart any clumps in your cake mix and spread evenly.
- Top with butter and place cake pan in the preheated air fryer. Cook at 320 degrees for 15 minutes and check to see if the top is browning evenly. Carefully turn the pan if necessary and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes.
Pro Tip: Your air fryer will be hot. I recommend using oven mitts so that you don’t accidentally touch the edges and burn your hands. - Remove cake when the sides are bubbling.
Pro Tip: The cake will continue to cook if left in the air fryer and the caramels may become chewy. Do not let the cake cook for more than 25 minutes. - Top with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!
Tips
- If you are short on time, you can skip the fresh apples and instead add a can of apple pie filling to the bottom of your cake! You can also substitute that with any pie filling you like as well.
- Be sure to evenly spread the cake mix in the cake pan so that the cake bakes evenly on top. You can use a fork to break apart any clumps in your cake mix.
- Once the caramels start to cool, they will become more chewy. If you decide to add the caramels into your cake, I suggest eating the cake while it’s nice and fresh and warm.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Your caramel apple dump cake should be well covered and stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap your caramel apple dump cake in multiple layers and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Let your cake thaw in the fridge overnight and just before serving, reheat it in the air fryer or oven at 325 degrees for about 10-20 minutes or 30 seconds in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dump Cakes are one of the simplest desserts you can make! It’s literally just “dumping” the ingredients into a baking pan – no mixing, sifting, beating or anything fancy. The ingredients all bake together and the result is pure decadence!
Yes, you can easily make your apple dump cake in a slow cooker. Dump your cake ingredients into a slow cooker following the instructions above. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
Yes, you can easily make this recipe with gluten-free cake mix. Be sure to check all of your ingredients to ensure that they are truly gluten-free.
You can use any ovenproof dish or pan in the air fryer, whether it is made of glass, ceramic, metal, or silicone. Just make sure your cake pan is small enough to fit into the air fryer basket.
Other Easy Dump Cake Recipes
- Apple Dump Cake Recipe with Gooey Caramel
- Blueberry Dump Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake {3-Ingredients!}
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Peach Dump Cake {Dump, Bake, Eat!}
Air Fryer Apple Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 4 apples unpeeled and shredded
- ¼ cup caramel syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5-6 wrapped caramels cut into quarters, optional
- ¾ cup butter pecan cake mix (about ¼ of a 15.25 ounce box)
- 6 tbsp cold salted butter sliced ¼ inch thick
- Optional topping: Butter pecan ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 320 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
- Place shredded apples into a 6 inch round cake pan.
- Add caramel syrup and cinnamon to the apples and stir until combined.
- Place the caramel pieces evenly over the apples in the pan, optional. Shove down a little, so they don’t stick out too much.
- Dump cake mix on top of the apples. Spread out evenly over the top.
- Cover the top with pats of cold butter.
- Carefully place the cake pan in the preheated air fryer. I recommend using oven mitts so that you don’t accidentally touch the edges and burn your hands.
- Cook at 320 degrees F for 15 minutes and check to see if the top is browning evenly. Carefully turn the pan if necessary and continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes. The cake is done when the sides of the cake are bubbling and should be removed, even if the browning on the top is not perfectly even. The cake will continue to cook if left in the air fryer and the caramels may become chewy. Do not let the cake cook for more than 25 minutes.
- Serve topped with butter pecan ice cream or whipped cream, optional.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Your caramel apple dump cake should be well covered and stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap your caramel apple dump cake in multiple layers and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Let your cake thaw in the fridge overnight and just before serving, reheat it in the oven at 325 degrees for about 10-20 minutes or 30 seconds in the microwave.
- If you are short on time, you can skip the fresh apples and instead add a can of apple pie filling to the bottom of your cake! You can also substitute that with any pie filling you like as well.
- Be sure to evenly spread the cake mix in the cake pan so that the cake bakes evenly on top. You can use a fork to break apart any clumps in your cake mix.
- Once the caramels start to cool, they will become chewier. If you decide to add the caramels to your cake, I suggest eating the cake while it’s nice and fresh and warm.
