This amazing lemon cream cheese dump cake is a total game-changer. It’s so easy to make but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
The combination of tangy lemon pie filling, rich cream cheese, and buttery cake mix is absolutely heavenly.
Plus, using canned pie filling and a boxed cake mix keeps the preparation quick and easy. (Needing only 4 ingredients doesn’t hurt, either!)
Give this simple yet impressive dessert a try. You won’t be disappointed.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Effortless & Elegant: Like most dump cakes, this one requires minimal effort and only a handful of ingredients. Its charming, rustic appearance makes it look like a 5-star dessert.
Fantastically Flavorful: The tangy lemon pie filling gives this cake an insane amount of flavor. Add cream cheese, cake, and butter, and it’s a party for your tastebuds.
Minimal Cleanup: You can prepare and bake this cake in a single baking dish. It cuts down on time doing dishes and gives you more time to enjoy your gathering. (And this delicious cake!)
Ingredients
- Lemon Pie Filling: This easy-to-find, pre-made filling is the perfect base for your dump cake.
- Yellow Cake Mix: It provides a moist, buttery cake layer when sprinkled on top of the filling.
- Cream Cheese: It brings a rich, creamy, and slightly tangy flavor, reminiscent of cheesecake. Make sure it’s at room temp!
- Unsalted Butter: Use high-quality real butter, not margarine. Slice it thinly and scatter it on top so it melts into the cake and brings everything together.
How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Follow these easy steps to prepare your lemon cream cheese dump cake:
1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Assemble. Spread both cans of lemon pie filling evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish. Then, scatter the cream cheese over the top, followed by the dry cake mix. Press down gently. Finally, distribute butter evenly on top.
3. Bake. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
4. Cool and serve. Remove the cake from the oven. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Crockpot Method:
- Spray a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Spread the lemon pie filling evenly in the bottom of the pot.
- Dot chunks of the cream cheese over the pie filling.
- Melt the butter, then mix it with the cake mix until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the topping over the cream cheese and pie filling.
- Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
Tips for the Best Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Believe it or not, I have a few tips to make this recipe even easier! Let’s check them out:
- Make it melty. The recipe instructs you to use slices of butter, and that works fine. However, you can drizzle melted butter over the top to ensure a more even distribution. If using slices, cut them very thinly.
- Be gentle. After sprinkling the cake mix over the filling, lightly press down on it to help it absorb moisture.
- Give it a good shake. This is another trick to help ensure the cake mix is distributed evenly. After adding it, gently shake the pan to help it spread out.
- Add toppings! This lemon cream cheese dump cake tastes fantastic on its own. It’s even better with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.
Variations
Try one of these variations if you’re in the mood for something different:
- Switch up the filling. You can make this cake with practically any kind of fruity pie filling. You can even skip the pie filling and use canned fruit instead!
- Add blueberries. Lemon and blueberries pair extremely well together. So why not use a boxed lemon cake mix with blueberry pie filling? You could even garnish the cake with fresh whole blueberries.
- Add lemon zest. Mixing in a dash or two with the cake mix will give you an even more intense lemon flavor.
- Change out the cake mix. You don’t have to stick to yellow cake mix. Try white, lemon, or even strawberry for a unique combination of flavors.
- Add Cool Whip. Spread a layer of Cool Whip over the top of the finished cake for extra decadence. Other toppings include chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or lemon zest.
How to Store
This delightful dessert is great for making ahead, and the leftovers store beautifully.
To Make Ahead: Assemble the cake up to 24 hours ahead of time but stop short of baking it. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Then, when ready to bake, just pop it into the oven.
To Store: Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or place them in an air-tight container. Refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
To Reheat: You can reheat individual slices of cake in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. Avoid overheating the cake, though, as doing so will make it rubbery.
I don’t recommend freezing this cake. Once you thaw it out again, the cream cheese topping will separate.
More Dump Cakes You Have to Try
Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake
Sweet Potato Dump Cake
Oreo Dump Cake
Blackberry Dump Cake
Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
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kcalThis easy lemon cream cheese dump cake is always a winner! With just 4 ingredients and minimal prep, it’s the perfect last-minute treat.
Ingredients
2 cans (21-ounce) lemon pie filling
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into small cubes at room temp
1 box (15.25-ounce) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Spread both cans of lemon pie filling evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Distribute the cream cheese cubes evenly on top in a single layer.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the lemon filling. Gently press down on the cake mix.
- Arrange the thinly sliced butter in a single layer on top, trying to cover as much of the surface area as possible.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving warm.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- The key is thinly slicing the butter so it can melt and seep into the cake mix.
Can this be made in a crockpot? Hope so LOL
Hi Robert!
Yes, you can make this in a slow cooker. Here’s how:
1. Spray a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Spread the lemon pie filling evenly in the bottom of the pot.
3. Dot chunks of the cream cheese over the pie filling.
4. Melt the butter, then mix it with the cake mix until crumbly.
5. Sprinkle the topping over the cream cheese and pie filling.
6. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
Hope this helps ๐
Can this recipe be substituted with apple pie filling?
how is the butter going to seep in to the cake mix when there’s cream cheese squares on top of the cake mix?
Hi Coleen!
The cream cheese shouldn’t cover the entire surface. But even if it does, as the butter melts, it will pool around the cream cheese and seep under into the cake mix below ๐
The cream cheese never melted so I just took it off at the end….cake was still delicious. what did I do wrong? Should I have put the cream cheese over the pie filling instead?
Hi Norma!
Was the cream cheese at room temperature?
It’s not going to melt and be running but it should soften significantly.
I’ve gone ahead and modified the recipe to have the cream cheese under the cake mix, because I think you’re right – the heat from the filling should help.
If you make it again, be sure the cream cheese is at room temp and cut into small cubes.
Hope this helps ๐