Marshmallow Apple Pie Spice Dump Cake

Who doesn’t love a good dump cake? They are easy, fun and delicious! This Apple Pie Spiced Dump Cake is no exception. It is going to be your go-to dessert when running short on time.

Dump cake recipes are just about the easiest kind of dessert you can make. Just dump everything in, slide it into the oven and in less than an hour you have a deliciously amazing treat with gooey bits, specs of cake dust (how awesome is that?) and a crumbly top. This recipe is the AMAZING! It will blow you away with ease of just four ingredients!

Buuuuuttt…. What bothers me about most dump cake recipes is that they don’t have any frosting. Yes, I know I can just frost it myself with a can of frosting from the store. But the appeal of dump cakes is that they’re supposed to be effortless.

So, I thought long and hard about what would make an ideal and effortless frosting-like topping for my cake and then it hit me – MARSHMALLOWS. They fit perfectly into the “dump” cake theme because literally all I have to do is plop them on top. That’s it! No additional effort needed. The marshmallows create a perfectly gooey topping that rounds out the cake nicely.

🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

Fast and Easy – I can’t repeat these three words enough here. When you need a super yummy dessert on the fly, but need to know everyone will love it, this is your new go-to recipe. Put this one in your back pocket right now. Slide it into the recipe binder for later use when you need a sure-fire winner.

Versatile – This is another one of my favorite words for cooking. Use vanilla cake mix or mix it with cherry pie filling. Or think about lemon cake mix with cherry pie filling…that screams summertime. You get the picture. Take the concept of this and run with it.

🍎 Ingredients

Spice Cake Mix – I just picked up a box from the grocery store. It’s really inexpensive and adds a ton of flavor.

Mini Marshmallows – This size toasted much better than the full sized marshmallows. If you only have the full sized ones, spend a few minutes to chop them down into smaller pieces so they melt better in the oven.

Apple Pie Filling – This is loaded with nice big chunks of softened apples.

🍽️ Instructions

I served this with pumpkin spice coffee just to REALLY get into the fall mood.

Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a greased baking dish, add the apple pie filling.

Step Two: Sprinkle the box of spice cake mix over the pie filling. Make sure to spread it evenly and get into the corners of the casserole dish.

Step Three: Pour the melted butter over the cake mix. Try to spread it evenly.

Step Four: Bake for 45 minutes.

Step Five: Remove from the oven and sprinkle the marshmallows on top. Turn the oven to broil, put the casserole dish back in the oven and let them toast for 30-45 seconds. It doesn’t take long!

Note: When serving, the marshmallows will rebel against you and try to lift up. Just cut through them with a knife. This is not meant to be a *pretty* cake. It will be ugly. And all of the things that make this cake *ugly* are what makes it kick any pretty cake’s butt.

💡 Expert Tips

It’s called a “dump cake” because you take all the ingredients and “dump” them to combine. Ingenious, right? And honestly, it’s a beautiful way to make a delicious recipe. It is the fastest type of recipe to prepare as there is no premixing, cutting, or preparing ingredients.  Just literally dump and go! That is music to my ears!

I recommend refrigerating this after baking.  Let it cool completely and store it in the fridge. I find it lasts longer and I definitely err on the side of being safe. 

Freezing: If you can’t eat it all within a couple of days, just add the leftover slices to a freezer-safe container and store it in your freezer for up to three months. It will thaw out easily and still have that same delicious flavor that you love. Don’t forget to label it.  Sign up below and I’ll email you free editable freezer labels. You’ll never forget what is in the container, and you’ll include directions on how to reheat it. 

Reheating: The cool thing about marshmallows is that they reheat quite well. They will poof up when they’re reheating. Once they cool down, they will deflate. It’s really, really cool.  Make sure your kids watch it.  

📌 Items to Note

Keep in mind that this recipe is super simple to make but there are a few things to remember. 

• If your marshmallows are a bit stale, that’s okay. Once you add them on top of the cake mix and broil them, they’ll be good to go. I would love to understand the science behind this…but, I just know that it works!
• To spice up this spice cake (see what I did there?) 😃 add in a bit of additional cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  These fall spices will really take the cake to a whole new level. Start with just a little bit and adjust from there.
• My biggest tip of all for this simple dessert recipe? Make it together with your family and have some fun time bonding in the kitchen. A family that bakes together is certain to laugh together and enjoy each and every bite! 

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