Quick and Easy Fall Dessert

September has arrived and, with it, my urge for all things fall.

Sure, it's still hotter'n blue blazes here in Texas, but that doesn't mean I can't surround myself with that autumnal feel.

My youngest son gave me this cute crate last Christmas. And while it has been used for other purposes throughout the year, it's now perfect for a fall apple arrangement.

So as I'm transforming the inside of my house into a fall paradise, I started craving those fallish desserts. Things with apple or pumpkin... Except, I wasn't exactly in the mood to spend a lot of time prepping something either. I wanted easy.

Dump cake to the rescue!

Dump cakes are wonderful things, because you litterally dump everything in the pan and bake it. So prep takes virtually no time at all, they're super easy and they require minimal ingredients. You can also get as creative as you like.

Since I wanted something with the flavors of fall, I started with a can of apple pie filling. Just one because I was making a small dump cake, lest I be tempted to eat half of a 9X13 pan all by myself.

Now, canned apple pie filling can be kind of bland, so I emptied the can into a small bowl, then added about a teaspoon of apple pie seasoning. If you don't have apple pie seasoning (which I wouldn't have had I not received it as a free sample when I order some other spices), just stick with cinnamon, maybe a little nutmeg, if you like.

I stirred the seasoning in instead of sprinkling it on top of the filling after it was in the pan so that the spices would be incorporated evenly. Then I simply "dumped" it into my buttered baking dish.

Next, I sprinkled half of yellow cake mix over the apple mixture. (Remember, I'm making a half batch. Use the entire box for a 9x13. Oh, and two cans of pie filling.)

At this point, I was wishing I'd had a spice cake mix on hand because that would have been really tasty with the apples. So, I did the next best thing. I sprinkled a bunch of cinnamon over the cake mix.

Then I topped that with 6 tablespoons of butter. (That would be a stick and half for a 9x13 pan)

BTW, that one that looks more yellowish than the others in simply an end piece. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Cool slightly (or completely) before serving.

Served in a pretty dish, no one would ever think this dessert so simple. The extra spices had those fall flavors shining through in every bite.

I mentioned getting creative with dump cakes. When my boys were in scouts, one of their favorites was the Black Forest Cake version using cherry pie filling and chocolate cake mix. You could do spice cake with peaches or what about pumpkin pie filling? 

I'd better be careful or I'm going to talk myself into another dump cake real soon.

What combinations can you come up with? And is it feeling like fall in your neck of the woods or are you simply longing for it like I am? I sure wish I could head up the Ruthy's farm about now. That place is truly a fall paradise and can't wait to see all her pictures from this year.

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more a mindyobenhaus.com.