Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake (Easy 6-Ingredient Recipe)

Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake layers cherry pie filling, a sweet cream cheese mixture, dry yellow cake mix, and butter into one pan. It bakes up gooey underneath with a golden, buttery top, feeds a crowd, and skips the fuss of mixing a batter.

An Easy Dump Cake That Feels Like an Old-Fashioned Potluck Favorite

If you love desserts that show up on the church potluck table or the family reunion spread, this cherry cheesecake dump cake belongs on your list. It takes about ten minutes to put together, and most of the ingredients probably live in your pantry already. If you like this kind of easy layered dessert, you’ll also love this strawberry cream cheese dump cake and this cherry pineapple dump cake recipe.

What makes this one work is the cream cheese layer. A plain cherry dump cake is good on its own, but spoonfuls of sweetened cream cheese baked between the fruit and the cake mix give you that cheesecake tang in every scoop. The cold butter on top melts as it bakes and turns the dry cake mix into a golden, slightly crisp topping.

This dessert disappears fast at holidays, Sunday dinners, and summer cookouts because it’s simple and everybody recognizes the flavor. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or enjoy it cold straight from the fridge the next day. Craving more cherry? Try this chocolate cherry dump cake.

My cookbook · Coming this spring

Cakes for the
Potluck Table

Sixty cakes that never come home leftover. Six are yours free right now.

Send me the six cakes

FAQs

Ingredients

See the recipe card below for the full printable ingredient list and instructions.

• 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling – the base layer that brings the fruit and most of the sweetness.
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature – softened blends smooth without lumps for the cheesecake layer.
• ½ cup granulated sugar – sweetens the cream cheese mixture.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – rounds out the cheesecake flavor.
• 1 box (13.25 oz) yellow cake mix – goes on dry, straight from the box. Don’t prepare it.
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold – sliced thin over the top so it melts into the cake mix and turns it golden.
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional) – a little brings out the cherry flavor. Skip it or use extra vanilla.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Spread both cans of cherry pie filling across the bottom of the dish. Stir the almond extract into the filling.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cherries.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the top. Don’t stir it in.

Slice the cold butter into thin pats and lay them across the whole surface. Cover as much as you can so you don’t get dry patches. (You may also choose to melt the butter and pour over the top to cover cake mix, if desired.)

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.

Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes so it thickens, then scoop and serve.

Tips

• Distribute the butter evenly. Full coverage keeps the top from baking up dry and powdery.
• Use room temperature cream cheese so the cheesecake layer blends smooth.
• Don’t mix the layers. Dump cake works because of the layering, and stirring it changes the texture.
• Go by look, not just the clock. You want a golden top and bubbling edges.
• Let it rest before serving. It thickens as it cools and scoops much cleaner.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 to 5 days, since there’s a cream cheese layer inside.

Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat, microwave individual portions for 30 to 45 seconds, or warm in a 300°F oven until heated through.

More Recipes

If you love easy dump cakes and old-fashioned potluck desserts, you’ll also love these:

• Pineapple Dump Cake
• No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
• Banana Dump Cake
• Pumpkin Dump Cake

Made this Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake? Scroll down and leave a star rating. It helps other readers find the recipe and tells me which ones to keep sharing.

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Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake

Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake layers cherry pie filling, a sweet cream cheese mixture, yellow cake mix, and butter into one easy pan. It bakes up gooey underneath with a golden top, and it feeds a crowd with almost no effort.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Resting Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Calories 340kcal

Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

• 2 21 ounce cans cherry pie filling
• 8 ounce cream cheese room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 13.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
• ½ cup unsalted butter cold (1 stick)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• Spread both cans of cherry pie filling across the bottom of the dish. Stir in the almond extract.
• In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
• Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cherries.
• Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the top. Do not mix it in.
• Slice the cold butter into thin pats and lay them evenly over the cake mix, covering as much surface as possible.
You may also choose to melt the butter and pour over the top to cover cake mix, if desired.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling.
• Let the cake rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving so it thickens.

Notes

• Distribute the butter evenly to avoid dry patches. If any show up after baking, melt a tablespoon of butter, pour it over the spots, and bake a few more minutes.
• Use room temperature cream cheese for a smooth layer.
• Don’t mix the layers.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 to 5 days. Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 589IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg

This chocolate brownie cake is a rich, fudgy bundt cake made with a box of cake mix and a box of brownie mix, then topped with a smooth chocolate ganache, a lot like the hot fudge cake. It’s easy to make, feeds a crowd, and has that deep chocolate flavor everyone reaches back for.

An Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake That Feels Like a Church Cookbook Favorite

Two boxes do the heavy lifting here. Devil’s food cake mix brings the tender crumb and deep chocolate flavor, and the brownie mix packs in that dense, fudgy texture. You get the best of both in one bundt, without pulling out a scale or measuring cocoa.

It’s the kind of dessert that disappears at a potluck. If you’re building a table of crowd-pleasers, it fits right in with these easy potluck desserts, and it holds its own next to a pan of chocolate peanut butter brownies or a batch of strawberry brownies.

If you like desserts that lean on a boxed mix to save time, you’ll also love this dump cake and this black forest poke cake. This one just happens to look a little fancier thanks to that glossy ganache poured over the top.

This cake is in my cookbook

Cakes for the
Potluck Table

Sixty old-fashioned cakes, coming this spring. Six of the recipes are free right now.

Send me the six cakes

FAQs

Ingredients

See the recipe card below that has the printable, full ingredient list and instructions.

For the Chocolate Brownie Cake:

• 1 (13.25-ounce) box devil’s food cake mix – Gives the cake its rich, deep chocolate base.
• 1 (18.3-ounce) box brownie mix – Adds the dense, fudgy texture that makes it taste like a brownie.
• 4 large eggs – Bind the batter and give the cake structure.
• 1 cup milk – Adds moisture for a tender crumb.
• 1 cup oil – Keeps the cake rich and moist.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream – Melts the chocolate into a smooth, pourable ganache.
• ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips – Set into a glossy chocolate topping.
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup – Optional, but adds shine to the ganache.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with shortening or butter, then dust it with unsweetened cocoa powder and set it aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the devil’s food cake mix, brownie mix, 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup oil. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl so all the dry ingredients are worked in.

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few tiny crumbs.

• Rest the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, then invert it onto a large platter or cake stand. Let it cool completely before adding the ganache.

How to Make the Chocolate Ganache

• Pour ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in 30-second increments until it starts to steam, about 1 minute.
• Add ⅔ cup chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons corn syrup to the hot cream. Let the mixture rest for about 2 minutes.

• Stir until the ganache is smooth, then pour it over the top of the cooled cake evenly.
• Let the cake rest for about 30 minutes so the ganache can set, then serve at room temperature.

Tips

• Grease the bundt pan well and dust it with unsweetened cocoa powder so the cake releases cleanly. Flour works too, but it can leave a little white residue on the outside. It won’t affect the taste.
• Let the cake cool completely before pouring on the ganache. Warm cake will make the ganache slide off.
• Heat the cream in 30-second bursts and stop as soon as it steams, about 1 minute, so it doesn’t scorch.
• Let the chocolate chips sit in the hot cream for 2 full minutes before stirring. That’s the trick to a smooth ganache.
• Use a good-quality chocolate chip. It melts more easily for a smoother finish.
• Give the ganache about 30 minutes to set before slicing.

More Recipes

If you love easy chocolate desserts like this one, then you’ll also love these:

• vanilla mug cake
• hot fudge cake
• chocolate peanut butter brownies
• red velvet brownies
• turtle pie

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Chocolate Brownie Cake

This chocolate brownie cake is rich, fudgy, and made with a box of devil's food cake mix and a box of brownie mix. It bakes up in a bundt pan and gets topped with a smooth chocolate ganache. It's an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert with deep chocolate flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Calories 740kcal

Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

Chocolate Brownie Cake:

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder for dusting the pan
• 13.25 ounce box devil's food cake mix
• 18.3 ounce box brownie mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup oil

Chocolate Ganache:

• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup optional

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with shortening or butter, then dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, brownie mix, eggs, milk, and oil. Use an electric mixer to mix the batter together until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few tiny crumbs.
• Rest the cake in the pan for 30 minutes before inverting it onto a large platter or cake stand. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Ganache:

• Pour the cream into a small, microwave safe bowl, and heat it in the microwave in increments of 30 seconds until it starts to steam, about 1 minute.
• Add the chocolate chips and corn syrup, and let the mixture rest for about 2 minutes. Stir until the ganache is smooth, then pour it over the top of the cake evenly.
• Let the cake rest for about 30 minutes so the ganache will set, then serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

• Let the cake cool completely before adding the ganache so it doesn’t slide off.
• Let the chocolate chips sit in the hot cream for 2 minutes before stirring for the smoothest ganache.
• The corn syrup is optional but adds shine.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 740kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 271IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 4mg

This Coca-Cola Cake is an old-fashioned chocolate sheet cake baked in a 9×13, with mini marshmallows folded into the batter and warm chocolate frosting poured over the top, a lot like this peanut butter sheet cake. It’s easy to make, feeds a crowd, and has that nostalgic flavor everyone remembers from church cookbooks and family reunions.

Marshmallows in the batter and warm frosting poured on top. Find more nostalgic cake recipes here.

An Easy Chocolate Sheet Cake That Tastes Like an Old-Fashioned Favorite

The Coca-Cola does two things here. It keeps the cake incredibly moist, and it adds a soft caramel note under all that chocolate. You won’t bite into it and taste soda. You’ll just taste a deeper, richer chocolate cake than you’re used to. If you’ve made this hot fudge cake before, you already know the kind of gooey, comforting dessert we’re going for.

The warm frosting is the trick. You pour it over the cake while both are still warm, so it soaks in a little at the edges and sets up smooth and fudgy on top. It’s the same pour-it-while-warm method that makes a good Tandy cake so hard to walk past.

This one belongs on the table right next to the rest of your easy potluck desserts. If your family reaches for anything made with a can of soda, like this 7UP cake, or they love an easy chocolate crowd-pleaser like this black forest poke cake, this is the cake they’ll be asking you to bring again.

This cake is in my cookbook

Cakes for the
Potluck Table

Sixty old-fashioned cakes, coming this spring. Six of the recipes are free right now.

Send me the six cakes

FAQs

Ingredients

See the recipe card below that has the printable, full ingredient list and instructions.

For the Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour – Gives the cake its structure.
• 2 cups granulated sugar – Sweetens the batter and helps keep it moist.
• ½ teaspoon salt – Balances the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda – Helps the cake rise.
• 1 cup Coca-Cola – Adds moisture and a soft caramel note.
• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) – Adds richness to the batter.
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – Gives the cake its chocolate flavor.
• ½ cup buttermilk – Keeps the crumb tender.
• 2 large eggs – Bind the batter together.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
• 1 cup mini marshmallows – Melt into the cake for little pockets of sweetness.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

• ½ cup salted butter (1 stick) – Makes the frosting smooth and rich.
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder – Adds the chocolate flavor.
• 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola – Thins the frosting and carries the flavor through.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Adds warmth and depth.
• 3¾ cups powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting so it sets.

Optional:

• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts – Stir into the frosting for crunch. Many traditional recipes include them, but leaving them out gives the best texture for a crowd.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1 cup Coca-Cola, 1 cup butter, and ⅓ cup cocoa powder. Heat until the butter melts and the mixture just begins to simmer, whisking now and then.

• Pour the hot cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

• Add the ½ cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir just until smooth.

• Fold in the 1 cup mini marshmallows.

• Pour the batter into the prepared dish.

• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Some marshmallows may rise to the top as it bakes. They disappear under the frosting.

How to Make the Chocolate Frosting

• About 5 minutes before the cake is done, start the frosting.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the ½ cup butter with the 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola until smooth and hot.

• Take it off the heat and whisk in the 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3¾ cups powdered sugar until smooth.

• Stir in the 1 cup chopped nuts now if you’re using them.
• Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake and spread it evenly.

• Let the frosting cool and set before slicing.

Tips

• Frost the cake while both the cake and the frosting are still warm. That’s what gives the top its smooth, fudgy finish.
• Time the frosting to be ready the moment the cake comes out. Start it about 5 minutes before the bake time is up.
• Pull the cake when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean, so it stays moist.
• Don’t worry if some marshmallows float to the center and to the top while baking. The warm frosting covers them.
• Let the frosting set before slicing so you get clean pieces.
• Leave the nuts out for the softest texture, or stir them into the frosting if your crowd loves the crunch.

More Recipes

If you love an easy chocolate cake like this one, then you’ll also love these:

• chocolate mayonnaise cake - another old-fashioned 9×13 chocolate cake, topped with chocolate buttercream
• hot fudge cake
• tandy cake
• 7up cake
• cherry chocolate dump cake

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5 from 4 votes

Coca-Cola Cake

A rich, old-fashioned chocolate sheet cake made in a 9×13 with mini marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting poured right over the top. The Coca-Cola keeps it moist and adds a soft caramel note under all that chocolate. It's easy to make and feeds a crowd, which makes it a potluck and family-dinner favorite.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 15 servings

Calories 534kcal

Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup Coca-Cola
• 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini marshmallows

For the Frosting:

• ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3¾ cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the Coca-Cola, butter, and cocoa powder. Heat until the butter melts and the mixture just begins to simmer, whisking occasionally.
• Pour the hot cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
• Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir just until smooth.
• Fold in the mini marshmallows.
• Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. (Don't worry if some of the mini marshmallows rise toward the top or center of the cake while baking. They'll be covered with the warm frosting and melt into the cake.)

Chocolate Frosting

• About 5 minutes before the cake is done, melt the butter with the cocoa powder and Coca-Cola in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth and hot.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth.
• Stir in the nuts if using.
• Pour the warm frosting over the warm cake and spread evenly.
• Let the frosting set before slicing.

Video

Notes

• Frost the cake while both the cake and frosting are warm for the smoothest top.
• Have the frosting ready the moment the cake comes out of the oven.
• Bake just until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs so the cake stays moist.
• Leave the nuts out for the softest texture, or add them for crunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

My cookbook · Coming this spring

Cakes for the
Potluck Table

Sixty cakes that never come home leftover. Six are yours free right now.

Send me the six cakes

This apple dapple cake is an old-fashioned apple cake baked in a 9×13 pan and finished with a warm caramel glaze, a lot like this caramel apple dump cake but made completely from scratch. It’s easy to make, feeds a crowd, and has that nostalgic flavor everyone loves.

An Easy Apple Cake With Caramel Glaze That Feels Like an Old-Fashioned Favorite

The batter is thick, closer to cookie dough than cake batter, and it’s packed with cubes of granny smith apple and chopped walnuts. Spread into the pan it can look like too little for a 9×13, but it rises more than you’d expect. Once it bakes, all that fruit softens into the cake and keeps it moist for days. The caramel glaze goes on while the cake is still slightly warm, so some of it soaks down into the top instead of sitting on it.

Cakes like this one belong on the potluck dessert table. A 9×13 gives you 12 generous slices, and it travels in the same pan you baked it in. It’s an easy one to bring in the fall alongside a few other easy fall desserts.

If you bake sheet cakes, this one will feel familiar. It has the same appeal as the sock it to me cake and the German chocolate sheet cake, just with apples and caramel instead of cinnamon swirl or coconut pecan. For more apple desserts, there is also this apple snickerdoodle dump cake.

My cookbook · Coming this spring

Cakes for the
Potluck Table

Sixty cakes that never come home leftover. Six are yours free right now.

Send me the six cakes

FAQs

Ingredients

See the recipe card below that has the printable, full ingredient list and instructions.

For the Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour – Gives the cake structure so it can hold all of the apples.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda – Lifts the thick batter as it bakes.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – The main warm spice.
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg – Rounds out the cinnamon.
• ½ teaspoon salt – Keeps the sweetness in check.
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake.
• 1 cup vegetable oil – Keeps it moist for days.
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed – Adds a little molasses flavor.
• 3 eggs – Bind the batter and lighten it up.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla – Warms up the flavor.
• 3 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples, cut into about ½ inch cubes – The star of the cake.
• ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional – Adds crunch and flavor.

For the Caramel Glaze

• ¼ cup unsalted butter – The base of the glaze.
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed – Gives the glaze its caramel flavor.
• ¼ cup granulated sugar – Sweetens and helps it set.
• ¼ cup heavy cream – Makes it smooth and pourable.
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract – Finishes the flavor.
• Pinch of salt – Balances the sugar.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan and set it aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, and ¾ cup packed brown sugar until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

• Add 3 eggs one at a time along with 2 teaspoons vanilla, stirring well and scraping the bowl between each addition. The batter will smooth out and lighten as you go.

• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, with no streaks of flour left. The batter will be thick.
• Gently fold in 3 cups chopped apples and ½ cup walnuts.

• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. The cake should be golden brown on top and starting to pull away from the sides.

• Let the cake cool about 15 minutes before making the glaze.

How to Make the Caramel Glaze

• Add ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan.
• Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for one minute, then remove it from the heat right away.
• Cool the glaze in the saucepan for about 5 minutes.

• Pour the glaze over the slightly warm cake and spread it evenly.
• Wait until the cake is completely cool to slice and serve.

Tips

• A light metal 9×13 inch pan works well here. A glass pan can be used, but the cake may need a little longer. Tested at high altitude in a glass pan it took about 44 minutes.
• Grease the inside corners of the pan well so the cake doesn’t stick.
• An easy way to cut the apples: slice a little off the top and bottom, peel them, then cut down each side around the core so you have four flat pieces. Dice those into half inch cubes.
• Cut the butter for the glaze into cubes so it melts faster.
• Use a wooden spoon to stir the batter. It’s thick enough to break a rubber spatula.
• Boiling the glaze for one minute gives you a pourable glaze. Two minutes makes it noticeably thicker, closer to a frosting. Either works, but the longer you boil it the faster you need to spread it.
• Small holes in the top after glazing are normal. The hot glaze sinks into air pockets in the cake, which is part of what makes it so moist.

More Recipes

If you love old-fashioned apple desserts like this one, then you’ll also love these easy recipes:

• apple butter pie
• apple snickerdoodle dump cake
• air fryer apple fritters
• caramel cupcakes

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Apple Dapple Cake

An old-fashioned apple cake baked in a 9×13 pan and topped with a warm caramel glaze. It is loaded with cubes of granny smith apple and chopped walnuts, and it stays moist for days. Easy enough for a weeknight and big enough for a potluck.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Calories 558kcal

Author Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 g
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 g
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 g
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 g
• ½ teaspoon salt 3 g
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 250 g
• 1 cup vegetable oil 210 g
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed 165 g
• 3 eggs about 150 g
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 8 g
• 3 cups peeled, chopped granny smith apples, cut into about ½ inch cubes 342 g
• ½ cup chopped walnuts 56 g, optional

Caramel Glaze

• ¼ cup unsalted butter 56.5 g
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed 55 g
• ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g
• ¼ cup heavy cream 57 g
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 g
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and brown sugar until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla, stirring well and scraping the bowl between each addition.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, with no streaks of flour remaining. The batter will be thick.
• Gently fold in the apples and walnuts.
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. The cake should be golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides.
• Let the cake cool about 15 minutes before making the glaze.

Make the Caramel Glaze

• Add all of the glaze ingredients to a small saucepan.
• Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for one minute, then remove from the heat.
• Cool the glaze in the saucepan about 5 minutes.
• Pour the glaze over the slightly warm cake and spread evenly.
• Wait until the cake is completely cool to slice and serve.

Notes

• A light metal 9 by 13 inch pan works best. A glass pan may need a few extra minutes. Tested at high altitude in a glass pan it took about 44 minutes.
• Grease the corners of the pan well to prevent sticking.
• Three cups of apples takes about 3 small apples or 2 large ones. An easy way to cut them: slice a little off the top and bottom, peel, then cut down each side around the core and dice those pieces into half inch cubes.
• Use a wooden spoon for the batter. It is thick enough to break a rubber spatula.
• Boiling the glaze for one minute gives a pourable glaze. Two minutes makes it thicker, closer to a frosting.
• Small holes in the top after glazing are normal. The hot glaze sinks into air pockets in the cake.
• The cake is even more moist the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg