Description
This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake is a deliciously simple dessert combining a buttery cake mix crust, a creamy lemon-flavored cream cheese filling, and a tangy lemon pie filling topping. With minimal prep and just one baking step, this dump cake is perfect for a quick, crowd-pleasing treat that pairs beautifully with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish
- 1 (13.25- to 15.25-ounce) box yellow, butter, or lemon cake mix
Cream Cheese Layer
- 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 (21-ounce) can lemon pie filling, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Serving
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat an 8×8- or 9×9-inch baking dish with unsalted butter to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the crust mixture: In a medium bowl, combine 10 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter with the entire box of cake mix. Use a fork to mix until well incorporated. Transfer about 1 1/2 cups of this mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it lightly into an even, thin crust layer.
- Make the cream cheese layer: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the lemon pie filling, the large egg, powdered sugar, and kosher salt on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Spread this cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust layer in the baking dish.
- Add the lemon pie filling: Evenly spread the remaining lemon pie filling over the cream cheese layer, creating a bright and tangy middle layer.
- Top with crumb layer: Sprinkle the remaining cake mix and melted butter mixture evenly over the top of the lemon filling to create a crumbly topping.
- Bake the dump cake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving. For an indulgent touch, serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Be sure to use room temperature cream cheese to ensure a smooth, lump-free filling.
- You can substitute the lemon pie filling with any fruit pie filling of your choice for variation.
- If you prefer a tangier flavor, increase the lemon pie filling used in the cream cheese layer.
- Use a baking dish size between 8×8 and 9×9 inches to get the best texture and baking outcome.
- Cooling the cake for 10-15 minutes helps the layers set better before slicing.
