This 4-ingredient slow cooker butter pecan apple cake is the kind of easy dessert I lean on when I need something cozy, crowd-friendly, and low effort. Using a box of butter pecan cake mix keeps things simple, while the apples turn soft and jammy as everything cooks together, creating a buttery cake with classic late-summer and fall flavor. It is perfect for potlucks, cookouts, or those busy weekends when you want a homemade dessert without turning on the oven.
Serve this warm on its own or dress it up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. For a cookout spread, it pairs especially well with grilled burgers, barbecue chicken, or pulled pork, and it also fits right in on a brunch table with coffee or hot apple cider.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Butter Pecan Apple Cake
Servings: 8
Finished butter pecan apple cake served in slices
Finished butter pecan apple cake served in slices
Ingredients
1 box butter pecan cake mix
2 cans apple pie filling, about 21 ounces each
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Butter pecan cake mix, apple pie filling, melted butter, and cinnamon
Butter pecan cake mix, apple pie filling, melted butter, and cinnamon
Directions
1. Lightly grease the inside of a slow cooker. Spread both cans of apple pie filling evenly across the bottom, then sprinkle the cinnamon over the apples.
Apple pie filling spread in a slow cooker with cinnamon on top
Apple pie filling spread in a slow cooker with cinnamon on top
2. Sprinkle the dry butter pecan cake mix evenly over the apple layer, covering the surface as completely as possible without stirring.
Dry cake mix layered over the apples in the slow cooker
Dry cake mix layered over the apples in the slow cooker
3. Drizzle the melted butter as evenly as you can over the top of the cake mix. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or on low for 4 hours, until the top is set and the edges are bubbling.
Melted butter drizzled over cake mix in the slow cooker
Melted butter drizzled over cake mix in the slow cooker
4. Turn off the slow cooker and let the cake rest uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Scoop it out warm and serve plain or with ice cream or caramel sauce if you like.
Plated butter pecan apple cake with caramel and ice cream
Plated butter pecan apple cake with caramel and ice cream
Variations & Tips
Nutty crunch: If you want a little more texture, sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans over the cake mix before adding the butter. It gives the finished cake a toasty topping that works especially well for holiday tables.
Butter pecan apple cake topped with chopped pecans
Butter pecan apple cake topped with chopped pecans
Caramel finish: For a more dessert-style presentation, drizzle caramel sauce over each serving right before bringing it to the table. This is the version I make when I want it to feel a little extra without adding much work.
Make-ahead tip: You can measure the cake mix and cinnamon ahead of time and keep them ready to go, then assemble everything in the slow cooker right before guests arrive. Since slow cookers can run a little differently, start checking on the early side so the edges stay buttery instead of overbrowned.