Air Fryer Apple Dump Cake

5 from 1 vote

This tender and moist 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, dump and bake cake recipe.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 396kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

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.

Notes

Storage :

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.

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 chewier. If you decide to add the caramels to your cake, I suggest eating the cake while it’s nice and fresh and warm.

Nutrition