Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

No ratings yet

This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake is bright, creamy, and incredibly easy to throw together. It's made with layers of tangy lemon pie filling, pockets of cream cheese, and a crunchy cobbler topping made with a cake mix and butter.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Jump to Recipe

This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake is bright, creamy, and incredibly easy to throw together. It’s made with layers of tangy lemon pie filling, pockets of cream cheese, and a crunchy cobbler topping made with a cake mix and butter.

No mixing bowls, no complicated steps, justlayer it up and let it oven do the rest. It’s the kind of dessert that feels homemade without the effort.

I’m on a lemon and cream cheese cake lately. First I whipped up this Lemon Cheesecake recipe with a gooey lemon curd topping and now I’m sharing my Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake recipe. I hope you love this pairing as much as I do!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Only 4 simple ingredients
no equipment needed, not even a hand mixer
sweet, tangy, and creamy all in one bite
Perfect for potlucks, holidays, or last minute desserts

Ingredients

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.

Lemon pie filling – Grab your favorite store-bought lemon pie filling. This help create a gooey base layer which is a must in dump cake.

Yellow cake mix – This can be substituted out with any 15.25 ounce box of cake mix.

Whipped cream cheese spread – The whipped spread makes it easy to spread out on top of the soft filling and cake mix. It adds the creaminess to the dump cake. Since it isn’t sweetened, it helps balance out the sweetness of the pie filling and cake mix.

Salted butter – I always typically use salted butter, but the little salt in the butter also balances out the sweetness in this dump cake. You can use unsalted if you prefer.

Substitutions and Variations

Use lemon cake mix instead of yellow for an extra punch of lemon flavor.
Add fresh berries like blueberries or raspberries for a fruity twist.
Swapped the originally flavored whipped cream cheese for a fruity one or even the cinnamon one.
In a pinch, you can use room temperature cream cheese that’s in bricks instead of whipped cream cheese. I would just cut thin slices and place them instead of trying to spread it out.
Add a small amount of lemon zest to the dump cake. You can add it to the pie filling, to the cream cheese, or to the cake mix.

NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations

5 Days of Favorite Classic Desserts

FREE EMAIL BONUS: Treat yourself with these delicious recipes

Name Email

By subscribing, I consent to receiving emails.

How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

A glass baking dish filled with a smooth layer of yellow lemon gelatin dessert, surrounded by lemon slices, pecans, and a wooden spoon on a white surface—perfect alongside your favorite lemon dump cake.

Step 1: Spread the lemon pie filling evenly into a greased 9×13 baking dish.

Glass baking dish with cookie dough balls coated in flour, surrounded by lemon slices, pecans, a wooden spoon, and a small bowl of pecans—perfect for creating a zesty Lemon Cake or an easy Dump Cake on a bright white surface.

Step 2: Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the cake mix over the filling.

A glass baking dish filled with a flour mixture and dollops of dough, surrounded by lemon halves, pecans, a wooden spoon, and a sliced lemon on a white surface—perfect for making a tangy lemon dump cake or your favorite lemon dessert.

Step 3: Dollop or pipe the whipped cream cheese over the top and gently spread it out.

A glass baking dish filled with a white powdered topping, surrounded by lemon halves, pecans, a bowl of pecans, and a wooden spoon on a white surface—perfect for serving as a Lemon Dump Cake.

Step 4: Sprinkle the remaiming cake mix evenly over the cream cheese layer.

A glass baking dish with a layer of flour and topped with evenly arranged slices of butter, surrounded by lemon halves, pecans, and a wooden spoon—perfect for making a tangy Lemon Dump Cake on a white surface.

Step 5: Place thin slices of butter across the top, covering as much surface as possible.

A rectangular glass baking dish filled with a golden-brown, cracked lemon dump cake sits on a cooling rack, surrounded by sliced lemons.

Step 6: Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden on top and the filling is bubbling.

Tips for the Best Results

Spread the butter out evenly so you don’t end up with dry patches.
Check halfway through baking and gently spread melted butter if needed.
Don’t stir. This is a dump cake, let the layers do their own thing.

A close-up of lemon cobbler, a delightful lemon dessert, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a white plate.

How to Store and Freeze

Store this lemon dump cake covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can reheat individual servings on the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds before enjoying if you would prefer it warm.

To freeze this dump cake, be sure to bake it in a freezer-safe dish. Let it cool completely. If it has a lid, use that. If not, wrap the pan tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, and a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Why does my dump cake have powdery dry patches on top?

That means the butter didn’t fully cover the cake mix in that spot. Make sure the butter slices are evenly distributed or you can gently spread the melted butter during baking.

Can I use homemade lemon pie filling?

Absolutely! If you have it on hand or are willing to make it, that will taste amazing.

If you try this recipe, be sure to leave a rating below and also share it on Instagram, and tag me! You can also find me on Facebook and stay up to date on recipe releases by joining the Newsletter!