Description
This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake is a delightful, easy-to-make dessert that combines the tangy brightness of lemon with the creamy richness of cream cheese. With a simple assembly process and a luscious golden crust created by cake mix and melted butter, this cake is perfect for any occasion where you want a quick, impressive sweet treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit Layer
- 1.5 to 2 cans (21 oz each) lemon pie filling
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
Topping
- 1 box yellow cake mix (or lemon cake mix for extra lemon flavor)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Optional
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking and ensure an even bake.
- Make Cream Cheese Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Blend thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Layer Lemon Pie Filling: Spread the lemon pie filling evenly across the bottom of the greased baking dish, creating a flavorful base layer.
- Add Cream Cheese Layer: Pour the cream cheese mixture over the lemon pie filling, spreading it out evenly for a balanced texture.
- Add Cake Mix and Butter: Sprinkle the dry yellow or lemon cake mix evenly over the cream cheese layer. Then, drizzle the melted unsalted butter evenly over the cake mix to help create a golden, crisp topping.
- Bake the Cake: Bake the assembled cake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool slightly before optionally dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature for best flavor.
Notes
- Use lemon cake mix instead of yellow cake mix for a more intense lemon flavor.
- Soften the cream cheese to room temperature to ensure smooth mixing.
- The amount of lemon pie filling can be adjusted slightly based on your preferred tartness and juiceiness.
- Let the cake cool before dusting with powdered sugar to prevent melting.
- This dump cake requires no layering beyond spreading ingredients in the baking dish, making it very quick and easy to prepare.
