This lemon cream cheese dump cake is bright, creamy, and wonderfully easy, with sweet-tart lemon flavor in every bite.
It is perfect for spring brunches, Easter dessert tables, potlucks, or any time you want a simple family-friendly treat.
Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
1 h
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Introduction
Ingredients (10 servings)
Adjust servings:
Ingredients:
Ingredients for the Whipped Cream Topping:
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How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
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Prep the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Spread the lemon pie filling evenly in the dish.
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Make the cream cheese layer
Beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
If the mixture looks loose, leave out the milk for a thicker layer.
Spoon the mixture over the pie filling and spread it gently.
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Add the cake mix topping
Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the cream cheese layer in an even coat.
Drizzle the melted butter across the top, covering as much mix as possible.
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Bake and cool
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the center barely jiggles.
Set the dish on a rack and cool for at least 30 minutes.
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Whip the topping
Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until medium peaks form.
Chill the topping until serving time for the best texture.
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Serve
Spoon the cake into bowls and top with whipped cream.
Serve it slightly warm for a gooier dessert, or cold for cleaner slices.
Substitutions
- Lemon cake mix for white cake mix plus lemon zest
- White cake mix works well with 1 tablespoon lemon zest. It gives a cleaner citrus note and keeps the crumb soft.
- Cream cheese for mascarpone
- Mascarpone makes the filling silkier and slightly sweeter. The center stays rich, with a softer cheesecake feel.
- Lemon pie filling for lemon curd and crushed pineapple
- This swap tastes brighter and a little tropical. The fruit adds texture, while the curd keeps the filling thick.
Tips
- Softened cream cheese matters
- Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that never fully bake out. Let it sit until it feels very pliable.
- Cover dry spots with butter
- Any pale cake mix will stay powdery after baking. Aim the butter at those spots before the pan goes in.
- Do not overbeat the topping
- Stop at medium peaks for a soft, spoonable finish. Stiff peaks can look grainy after chilling.
- Cool before serving
- A short cooling period helps the layers settle. Warm cake is delicious, but very hot cake can look messy.
- Use a metal whisk and cold bowl
- A chilled bowl helps whipped cream form faster. Metal holds the cold better than glass.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 514 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 | g |
| Total Fat | 26 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why is my topping still powdery?
- The butter likely missed some cake mix. Brush or drizzle more melted butter over dry patches and bake five minutes longer.
- Can I make this ahead?
- Yes. Bake the cake, cool it, and refrigerate it covered for up to two days. Add whipped cream just before serving.
- Should I serve it warm or cold?
- Both work well. Warm cake feels gooier, while cold cake slices more neatly and tastes more cheesecake-like.
- Can I freeze leftovers?
- Yes, but the texture softens after thawing. Freeze the cake without whipped cream, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Why did the cream cheese sink?
- A softer base can let the filling drop in places. Spread it gently, and avoid making the pie layer too thin.
Serving Suggestions
Reviews
Post your review and pictures below! ⬇︎ Thanks for your review!
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Natalie, Orlando: Delicious and easy to make! I used a little less butter and it came out great. I will definitely make this again.
: Glad it turned out well with less butter, Natalie!
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Arianna, florida: Made 2 aluminum foil pans for one of my kiddos school bake sale, it was sild out almost immediately. Thank you for this yummy recipe.
: Glad it sold out so quickly, Arianna!
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zenia: Did a trial run last weekend for my daughter's birthday party. It came out really well.
: Glad to hear it!
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Barb, Milwaukee: Delicious!
: Glad you enjoyed it, Barb!
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Marie-Stephane, Marseille FR: Made this on Saturday and the family wanted to "try" it. Didn't even make it till Sunday 😂
: Sounds like it disappeared fast, Marie-Stephane!
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Linh: Came out really good for me, not runny. I always mix wet ingredients gradually until I get the right consistency, rather than pour it all together and hope for the best. Not all cream cheese is the same, eggs vary in size, butter is even different from season to season.
: Glad it worked well, and gradual mixing clearly helped.
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Jen, Utah: I am a huge fan of most anything lemon but I was greatly disappointed in this recipe. When I added the full cup of milk it made the cream cheese extremely runny but I trusted the process and that was a mistake.
: I’m sorry that happened, Jen — that’s frustrating. The mixture should be thick and spoonable, not runny, so something clearly went off. The full cup of milk was probably pushing it. To stay on the safe side, we've lowered the amount of milk in the recipe and changed the instructions to make it optional.
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Holly, Salt Lake City: Love this lemon cream cheese dump cake! Have been making versions of this for years. I usually skip the homemade whipped cream and just top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
: Happy you enjoyed it, Holly!
Made this recipe? How did it go?
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