This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake is a lovely dessert fit for a crowd or just as a treat after dinner. The lemon pie filling has a bright, tart flavor that complements the swirls of cream cheese and fluffy yellow cake on top. Each bite is equally magical and satisfying.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Side Dish
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 40 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 8
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Bright, tangy, and sweet with creamy pockets of cheesecake-like filling and a buttery crumb topping.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Fresh berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, bake ahead and chill; serve cold or gently warmed.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I don't ever feel like I need a reason to make this lemon cream cheese cake because it's just so easy and cheap! My partner and I are lemon lovers, and this recipe works any time of the year since it utilizes pantry ingredients and baking staples.
Some other lemon desserts that I highly recommend are my lemon blueberry scones and these air fryer lemon hand pies. My lemon poppyseed cupcakes are also worth checking out.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's easy to make: This is such an easy recipe to make, since most of the work is opening and layering ingredients. There's even minimal measuring!
- It takes 5 minutes to prepare: In only 5 minutes, your lemon cheesecake dump cake will be ready to put in the oven. It's a dessert that doesn't require much hands-on work.
- It's budget-friendly: This treat is inexpensive, too. So, you can enjoy a lemon cream cheese cake even if you're on a tight budget.
Ingredients
Everything you need for this lemon dump cake recipe is listed below. These ingredients are important for a successful dessert!.
- Lemon pie filling: You can find this in the baking aisle of most grocery stores all year round. You'll need two cans, but there's no need to do anything else. Just dump the pie filling right into the baking dish!
- Cream cheese: This doesn't need to be softened. I like to cut the brick into tiny pieces so I can scatter them evenly over the top of the lemon pie filling.
- Cake mix: I keep it simple with a yellow cake mix so the lemon and cream cheese flavors can shine. White or vanilla cake is a great substitute to keep it tasting the same.
- Butter: You may use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. I typically lean towards unsalted because that is what I usually have in my refrigerator. Like the cream cheese, you can use it cold since you are adding slices to the top.
- Cool Whip: To keep the dessert from feeling too heavy, I top it with Cool Whip when it's cooled. It adds a lovely creamy texture.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Pineapple: Swap the lemon pie filling for pineapple instead for a tropical twist.
- Strawberry cake: Use strawberry cake mix for extra fruity flavor that complements the lemon.
- Dairy-free: Use plant-based butter or margarine, and then dairy-free whipped topping and cream cheese!
How to Make Lemon Dump Cake With Cream Cheese
Here are the steps needed for this lemon cream cheese cake recipe. To get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1: Spread the pie filling. Pour both cans of the lemon pie filling into the bottom of the baking dish. Use your hands or a spoon to scatter dollops of cream cheese over the top.
Step 2: Add the cake mix. Next, sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the lemon and cream cheese layer.
Step 3: Top with butter. Then add slices of butter to cover the mix.
Step 4: Bake and cool. Pop the pan into the oven and bake the dump cake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly. Enjoy with Cool Whip on top!
Recipe Tips
- Rest before serving: Allow your lemon dump cake plenty of time to cool and rest before you serve it. This will prevent it from being runny or falling apart.
- Enjoy it warm or chilled: You may have your cake portion warm or chilled. If you decide to warm it up, I would skip the whipped topping and add it as needed after it's warm!
- Avoid mixing the layers: Layer the ingredients as outlined in the recipe, without mixing them. This will give you a golden brown yet fluffy cake with gooey filling underneath.
This lemon pudding cake is another super-easy lemon cake recipe that you should make!
Check out my blackberry dump cake if recipes like this speak to your heart (and stomach).
Storage Directions
- Storing: You can store leftovers of this lemon dump cake tightly covered on the counter for about 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Tightly cover it with plastic wrap and foil, and then you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Place a portion in the microwave for about 10 seconds if you would like to enjoy it warm. Reheat it in a 350-degree oven if frozen until warm.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy a piece of lemon cream cheese cake with a tasty homemade ice cream! Some of my favorite flavors to pair with this recipe are lemon blueberry ice cream and strawberry crunch ice cream.
- Drizzle some rhubarb syrup or blueberry syrup on top for extra fruity flavor!
- Prepare a simple, comforting dinner like creamy potato and hamburger soup to enjoy, and then this easy dessert to complete the experience.
Recipe FAQs
If you don't layer out the slices of butter evenly and cover as much of the top as possible, you could end up with dry patches of cake mix. Be generous and use all the butter!
If the cake is underbaked, the center may still be wet. This also happens with the butter if it hasn't been baked long enough. As long as it's only slightly jiggy, then it's done.
This can vary depending on your oven. If you notice that it's browning too fast, top the cake with aluminum foil for part of the baking time.
More Delicious Dump Cake Recipes
Do you like dump cake recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 cans (21 oz) lemon pie filling
- 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese
- 1 box (13.25 oz) yellow cake mix
- ¾ cup butter or 1 ½ sticks
- 1 cup cool whip or whipped cream
Instructions
- Set your oven to 350°F.
- Spread the lemon pie filling evenly in a 9 x13 baking dish.
- With clean hands, pull pieces of cream cheese from the block and place on top of the lemon pie filling.
- Sprinkle the cake mix over the lemon filling.
- Arrange the sliced butter on top.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Take it out of the oven and serve right away, or let it cool before serving.
- Top with cool whip or whipped cream.
Notes
- Ensure that you layer the butter evenly and cover all of the cake mix to prevent any dry patches.
- Allow the lemon cream cheese cake to rest for a few minutes so it sets and the pie filling doesn't run when you serve it.
- You can enjoy your cake warm or cold!
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