Dolly Parton's Apples and Bananas Dump Cake

This cozy Apples and Bananas Dump Cake blends sweet apple pie filling, fresh bananas, creamy swirls of cream cheese, and warm cinnamon, all topped with banana cake mix and buttery crumble. A quick, comforting dessert made with just a few simple ingredients!

What is it about Apples and Bananas? 

Is it the song we sang as children? Why do I always think of the two in tandem? 

This isn’t the first time I’ve merged apples and bananas in a recipe on this blog. I’ve got a great scratch cake that calls for applesauce and bananas. (Yum!) I’ve also got a luscious apple banana bread (think banana bread but with chunks of apples inside). https://outoftheboxbaking.com/2023/03/05/luscious-apple-banana-bread/

When these two ingredients bake up together, the mergence of flavors is out of this world! 

Today, I took a look at what I had in my pantry (specifically, things that needed to be used up pretty quickly). I found the Dolly Parton Banana cake mix, some apple pie filling, and some frozen sliced bananas. 

I also happened to have a container of whipped cream cheese. So, I decided I would merge all of those things together into a dump cake. 

What is a Dump Cake? 

A dump cake is a super simple dessert made by “dumping” ingredients directly into a baking dish—no mixing required! I first discovered this method of baking when my son-in-law made a peach cobbler-like dump cake for our family years ago. (The rest, as they say, is history!) 

Here’s how it usually works:

• A fruit base (often canned pie filling or fresh fruit) goes in first.
• Then, a dry cake mix is sprinkled evenly over the top.
• Finally, butter (usually sliced or grated) is added on top to help the cake mix bake into a golden, crisp topping.

The result is a cobbler-like dessert with a gooey fruit bottom and a buttery cake-like crust on top. It's popular because it’s quick, easy, and requires minimal prep or cleanup.

Apples and Bananas Dump Cake Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are such simple ingredients! And don’t worry if you can’t find the Dolly Parton banana cake mix. You can always substitute white cake. Just don’t scrimp on the sliced bananas! 

• 1 box Dolly Parton banana cake mix (ounce)
• 1 can apple pie filling (chopped up into smaller pieces)
• 2 sliced bananas
• 8 ounces whipped (or softened) cream cheese
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 stick (½ cup) cold butter

How to Make Dolly Parton Apples and Bananas Dump Cake

This comes together so easily! You’re going to love the ease of this dump cake! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Prep a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray

Chop the apples and pour them into the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread evenly. 

Scatter the sliced bananas over them.

Add all 8 ounces of the whipped cream cheese in dollops and sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Dump the dry cake mix over the cream cheese. Pat it down until it’s fairly level. 

Now for the fun part! Grate the cold butter directly over the dry cake mix. 

Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 50 - 55  minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. (This recipe took a bit longer than my usual dump cakes because of the addition of the cream cheese layer.)

Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving. 

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. (I also recommend caramel drizzled on top. Yum!)

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. They should stay good for 2-3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dessert. 

What to Expect from this Luscious Dessert

Is it a cake? A cobbler? An apple pie? Yes, to all of the above! This is a lovely combination of all of the things you love in all of those desserts. When merged with the banana cake mix, you’re going to flip over the outcome. It’s packed absolutely full of flavors that work beautifully together! I am so glad I found myself rummaging through my ingredients today. Otherwise, I’m not sure I would have ever settled on this recipe. (I can’t wait to share this dessert with my kids and grandkids! They’re going to love it.) 

Variations to this Recipe

I love this as-is, but here are some fun additions to consider: 

Pecans: You guys/gals know me. I love nuts in and on everything. This dish would be perfect with pecans baked on top. 

Yellow or White Cake Mix: As I mentioned earlier, you can make this with a plain cake mix. Just don’t scrimp on the bananas, or you’ll lose the banana favor altogether. (I’ve never used banana flavoring, but I suppose you could add that to the cream cheese mixture if you really wanted to amp up the banana element. 

Apple Pie Spice: I almost used some of this in my recipe, y’all. Apple pie spice is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, and cloves (or ginger). Talk about turning this dessert into a fall favorite! 

Other Dump Cakes from Out of the Box Baking

If you love this flavor combination, here are several others to consider: 

Apple Snickerdoodle Dump Cake: A similar profile to today's cake, but no bananas!

Sweet Potato Pie Dump Cake: Talk about perfect for the holidays!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Dump Cake : Chocolate and strawberries? Yes, please!

Pineapple Upside-Down Dump Cake : Here's a twist on the old favorite! (You're going to love it!)

Cherry Cream Cheese Cobbler (Dump Cake)

Banana Dump Cake

That’s it for this post, friends!

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.