Go Back
–+ servings
A large rectangular cookie with images of small footballs baked on top, resting on a stovetop.

Caramel Apple Walker's Shortbread Dump Cake

This caramel apple dump cake layers Walker's Shortbread cookies, apple pie filling, and spice cake mix with pumpkin pie spice and cold butter then bakes until golden and finishes with a caramel drizzle for an easy fall dessert.
Print Pin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

  • 1 package Walker's Shortbread cookies
  • 1 can apple pie filling 21 oz
  • 1 box spice cake mix
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 stick salted butter cold and very thinly sliced
  • Caramel sauce for drizzling
  • Flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Arrange the Walker's Shortbread cookies in a single layer across the bottom of the dish. Break a few cookies as needed to fill in any gaps.
  • Spoon the apple pie filling evenly over the cookie layer.
  • In a small bowl stir together the dry spice cake mix and pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the apple filling. Do not mix.
  • Arrange the thin cold butter slices all over the top covering as much of the cake mix surface as possible.
  • Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly around the edges.
  • Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
  • Finish with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired.

Notes

  • Use cold butter sliced very thin and cover as much of the dry cake mix as possible. This is what produces the golden, slightly crispy top rather than dry powdery patches of uncooked mix.
  • Do not mix the layers. The whole point of a dump cake is that the butter melts down through the dry cake mix and the apple filling bubbles up through it during baking. Mixing destroys that process.
  • The pumpkin pie spice added to the spice cake mix takes this from a standard caramel apple dump cake to something that tastes specifically like fall in every bite. It is a one-tablespoon addition that makes a big difference.
  • The flaky sea salt over the caramel at the end is optional but highly recommended. The salty-sweet contrast on top of the warm caramel and apple is genuinely excellent.
QR Code