Whether you fancy the idea of mini desserts served in ramekins, need a Holiday recipe to make (without all the frills) or you’re simply looking to make a sweet treat without baking an entire pie, I got you. This spiced apple dump cake is super easy to make and the perfect dessert, especially during the fall and winter months and over the Holidays. It’s warm, fluffy, cozy and decadent…just like an apple pie in cake form but without all the fuss and mess!
Best of all, I formulated this recipe for when I had a couple measly apples on hand, had an aching sweet tooth, but didn’t want a dessert made for 17 people. This spiced apple dump cake recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients you likely have on hand, and it’s practically effortless.
A forewarning for this recipe, and among most ramekin recipes: everyone’s ovens work differently, so temperature and bake time will vary. As for ingredient variations: I haven’t tried every variation and substitution, but I am sure they will work just fine – you just have to be willing to experiment!
Money-saving tips
- Buy what’s on sale.
- If you already have it in your pantry or fridge, duh, don’t buy it!
- Only buy the amount you need to make the recipe – i.e., if the recipe only calls for 2 lemons, only buy 2 single lemons, don’t buy the bag!
- The price difference between organic and non-organic – sometimes organic can be the most cost effective (i.e., depending on brand/store, if it’s on sale or BOGO) but non-organic tends to be the least expensive.
Easy Ramekin Spiced Apple Dump Cake
Apple pie meets dump cake in this sweet, 2-servings treat. This isn't your ordinary microwave mug cake but oven-baked to perfection, so it actually looks and tastes like the real thing. It's simple and super easy to put together without having to make an entire pie or pan. Garnish with caramel sauce and a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if you wish!
Ingredients
Apple filling
Dump cake
Garnish or toppings
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F and butter your ramekins (if you don't have butter, coat them with the oil of your choice).
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Wash, peel and chop apples into small chunks and place in a small bowl with lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar (refer to the apple filling ingredient amounts). Stir to combine.
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Half the apple filling mixture into the bottom of each ramekin and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, add in the wet and dry [dump cake] ingredients (refer to the dump cake ingredient amounts), including the chopped walnuts.
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Pour contents into each ramekin over the apples. Place your ramekins on a baking dish with hot water added to the bottom of the dish (for even baking) and bake for roughly 20-25 minutes.
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Once cooled, top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, more caramel, and chopped walnuts. Enjoy!I wait around 10 minutes to cool so that the whipped cream or ice cream doesn't melt too quickly!
Note
*Baking time variation: I curated this [basically] single-serving recipe on my own trial and error. That means everyone's ovens are going to be different and depending on what size ramekin you use, baking times and optimal temperature for this dish may vary. Personally, I only need to bake this recipe for 20 minutes, whereas others may need up to 25-30 minutes cook time.