Lemon cream cheese dump cake

If you love lemon desserts but hate complicated baking, this Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake is about to become your new go-to. You literally dump everything into one pan, and the oven does the rest.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This Recipe
• Ingredients For This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
• Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
• How To Make Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
• Storage And Reheating
• Tips And Variations For The Best Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
• FAQ About Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

I first made this on a rainy Sunday last spring when Sarah begged for something sweet and I had zero energy for a real baking project. I found a can of lemon pie filling in the pantry, a box of yellow cake mix, and half a block of cream cheese in the fridge. Forty minutes later, our whole apartment smelled like a lemon bakery.

Here's what you can expect: a gooey, tangy lemon layer on the bottom, little pockets of soft cream cheese in the middle, and a golden, buttery topping that tastes like a cross between cake and cobbler. It's warm, bright, and honestly one of the easiest desserts I've ever made.

If you're into fuss-free desserts like this one, you'll probably also love my strawberry earthquake cake. Same idea, different fruit, and just as loved in our house.

Why You Will Like This Recipe

• Only 4 ingredients. Cake mix, lemon pie filling, cream cheese, and butter. That's the whole list.
• No mixing bowls. Everything goes straight into the baking dish, so cleanup takes about two minutes.
• Ready in under an hour. About 10 minutes of prep and 35 to 40 minutes in the oven.
• Sweet and tangy at the same time. The lemon keeps it fresh while the cream cheese adds a rich, cheesecake-like touch.
• Great texture contrast. Gooey on the bottom, creamy in the middle, golden and slightly crisp on top.
• Kid-approved. Alex, who claims he doesn't like lemon desserts, went back for seconds. Twice.

Ingredients For This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

Here's everything you need. I always keep these on hand because this dessert has saved me more than once when guests showed up unannounced.

• 1 (16 oz.) can lemon pie filling (this is the tangy, gooey base of the whole dessert)
• 1 (15 oz.) package yellow cake mix (use it dry, straight from the box)
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed (cold works fine, just cut it into small cubes)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, thinly sliced (the thinner the slices, the better the topping)

A few quick notes from my kitchen. If you only have salted butter, that works too. Just know the topping will taste a touch saltier, which Donald actually prefers. And if you want extra lemon flavor, lemon cake mix instead of yellow makes it even brighter.

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How To Make Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

The steps here are so simple that Sarah handles most of them herself now. I just do the oven part.

Step 1: Prep Your Pan And Oven

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch square baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Get the corners too, because the lemon filling loves to stick there. (I learned this the hard way the first time. Soaking that pan was not fun.)

Step 2: Layer Everything

3. Pour the lemon pie filling into the bottom of the greased dish and spread it all the way into the corners.
4. Sprinkle half of the dry cake mix evenly over the filling.
5. Scatter the cubed cream cheese over that layer, spacing the pieces out so every serving gets some.
6. Sprinkle the remaining cake mix on top.

Step 3: Add The Butter And Bake

7. Lay the thin butter slices in a single layer over the cake mix, covering as much of the surface as you can. This is the most important step! Any dry spots without butter will stay powdery.
8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. I know waiting is hard, but the lemon layer needs time to set.

Honestly? The hardest part of this whole recipe is not eating it straight from the pan.

Storage And Reheating

This cake keeps really well, which is great because the flavors actually get better overnight.

In the fridge: Because of the cream cheese, store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. It stays good for up to 4 days. I just cover the baking dish with foil or move slices to an airtight container.

In the freezer: You can freeze individual portions for up to 2 months. Wrap them well in plastic wrap, then pop them in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: A slice needs about 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave to get warm and gooey again. Donald likes his cold straight from the fridge, almost like a lemon bar. Both ways work!

Tips And Variations For The Best Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

After making this more times than I can count, here's what I've picked up along the way.

• Slice the butter as thin as possible. Thin slices melt evenly and give you that golden top. Thick pats leave dry, powdery patches.
• Don't stir anything. The layers are the magic here. Ever wondered why it's called a dump cake? Because you dump, layer, and walk away.
• Try a fruit swap. Blueberry pie filling is amazing in this. If you love that combo, my blueberry pie recipe is another one to try. Cherry filling works great too.
• Add a crunch. A handful of sliced almonds on top before baking adds a nice texture, kind of like my mango crumb bars.
• Serve it right. Warm with vanilla ice cream is our house rule. In summer, I pour glasses of classic homemade lemonade or sparkling lemonade to double down on the lemon theme.
• Use leftover cake mix wisely. If you ever end up with extra mix from another box, my birthday cake overnight oats put it to good use.
• Watch the edges. The corners brown faster than the center. If they're getting dark at 30 minutes, tent the pan loosely with foil.

One pitfall to avoid: don't skip the cooling time. I once cut into it after 5 minutes and got lemon soup. Still tasty, but not pretty.

FAQ About Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

Why Is My Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Still Powdery On Top?

This happens when the butter doesn't cover enough of the cake mix. The dry mix needs melted butter to turn into that golden topping. Slice your butter as thin as you can and lay the pieces edge to edge like tiles. If you still see dry spots after baking, a quick fix is to drizzle a little melted butter over them and bake 5 more minutes. It works every time in my kitchen.

Does Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Need To Be Refrigerated?

Yes, it does. Since this dessert has cream cheese in it, leftovers should go in the fridge within 2 hours of baking. Covered well, it keeps for up to 4 days. Honestly, I think it tastes even better on day two, once the lemon layer thickens up and the flavors settle in.

Can I Use Fresh Lemons Instead Of Canned Lemon Pie Filling?

You can, but you'll need to make a quick lemon curd or homemade filling first, since fresh lemon juice alone is too thin to bake with. Whisk fresh juice with sugar, eggs, and cornstarch over low heat until thick, then use it like the canned filling. I've done it when I had a bag of lemons to use up, and the flavor was brighter. For a weeknight, though, canned filling is the simple choice.

How Do I Know When Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Is Fully Baked?

Look for three signs. The top should be golden brown, the edges should be bubbling, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. In my oven, that's right around 38 minutes. If the top browns before the center sets, cover it loosely with foil and give it a few more minutes.

Recipes You May Like

If this lemon dessert hit the spot, here are three more from my kitchen that I think you'll enjoy:

• Gluten Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies – soft, tangy cookies with that same bright lemon flavor, great if anyone in your family avoids gluten.
• Gooey Air Fryer Caramel Apple Dump Cake – another dump cake with the same easy method, but with warm caramel apples instead of lemon.
• Deliciously Warm Blueberry And Apple Crumble To Savor – a cozy fruit dessert with a golden topping, perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Final Thoughts On This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

So there you have it. Dump the lemon filling in the pan, layer the cake mix and cream cheese, top with thin butter slices, and bake until golden. That's really all there is to it.

This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake has earned a permanent spot in our dessert rotation because it's simple, homemade, and made with ingredients I always have around. When a recipe makes both a 12 year old and a picky husband happy, it stays.

Give it a try this week and let me know how it turns out for you! And don't forget to save this one to Pinterest so you can find it next time a lemon mood strikes.