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Lemon Dump Cake

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close up shot of a plate of lemon dump cake
This amazing lemon dump cake brings a lovely citrusy flavor to the dessert for a simple recipe to make for any occasion.
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Table of Contents
  1. Lemon Dump Cake Ingredients
  2. Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make This Lemon Dump Cake Recipe
  4. How To Serve This Lemon Dump Cake With Lemon Curd
  5. Storing This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
  6. More Recipes You’ll Love
  7. JUMP TO RECIPE

This bright and sunny lemon dump cake will become one of your favorite lemon desserts. It is filled with the tangy freshness of lemon, featuring lemon curd that is baked with cake mix and velvety cream cheese filling for a cake that is hard to resist.

close up shot of a plate of lemon dump cake

Lemon Dump Cake Ingredients

lemon dump cake raw ingredients that are labeled
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You’ll need:

  • 2 (12-ounce) jars of lemon curd
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¼ cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box of vanilla, lemon, yellow, or white cake mix (we used white)
  • ½ cup salted butter, cold

PRO TIP:

When buying the cake mix at the grocery store, it is best to pick one that doesn’t have pudding mix in it; check the label to make sure.

Substitutions And Additions

LEMON ZEST: Add lemon zest to the cream cheese or on top of the cake for a more tangy lemon flavor.

CAKE MIX: Lemon cake mix will take the citrus up a level in this tasty cake but white or yellow cake works just fine.

How To Make This Lemon Dump Cake Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

STEP TWO: Spread the lemon curd into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

You’ll want to use a 9×13-inch cake pan so that the texture and consistency are right. I’ve used an 11x 7-inch pan before, and it turned out a little too thick, which changed the delicious texture of the dump cake.

lemon curd spread at the bottom of the pan

STEP THREE: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, egg, and granulated sugar until smooth.

cream cheese, egg, and sugar blended together in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the lemon curd.

spoonfuls of cheese cream mixture placed on top of the lemon curd in the baking dish

STEP FIVE: Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the first two layers.

cake mix sprinkled on top of the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish

STEP SIX: Slice very thin pats of butter and spread over the entire top of the dry cake mix. Cover as much of the cake mix as possible.

PRO TIP:

Using cold butter makes it easier to get the slices very thin. When the dump cake cooks, the butter melts and blends with the dry cake mix, but it won’t spread, so if parts of the cake mix are left uncovered, they may come out of the oven still dry and powdery.  

slices of butter placed on top of the cake mixture in a baking dish

STEP SEVEN: Bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbling around the edges.

PRO TIP:

You may end up with some dry cake mix spots on the top of the dump cake. This is normal and is where the butter did not saturate into the cake mix.

If you prefer, you can add additional pats of butter over the dry area – check the dump cake after about 30 minutes to determine if the melting pats of butter missed any areas.

lemon dump cake after being baked in a baking dish

STEP EIGHT: Allow dump cake to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

PRO TIP:

Allowing the dump cake to rest for a bit before serving will give the lemon curd time to cool just a bit so that it is not super runny when you scoop into it.

How To Serve This Lemon Dump Cake With Lemon Curd

Serve this yummy lemon cream cheese dump cake warm or cold with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Add fresh blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries on top of the cake for a pop of color.

If you want another amazing citrus-flavored dump cake to serve with this lemon dump cake, try our peach dump cake.

If you are a lemon lover, try our lemon lasagna or lemon lava cake for more easy lemon dessert recipes.

Storing This Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

IN THE FRIDGE: Store this delicious dessert in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or a lid, for 5-7 days.

IN THE FREEZER: Store this lemon dump cake in an airtight container for up to one month in the freezer. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight when you are ready to serve it.

A dump cake makes baking easy, just dump all your ingredients in a single pan and bake. This means no clean-up afterward and a tasty cake to enjoy.

The tart lemon flavor from the delicious lemon curd makes this lemon dump cake a refreshing choice for a quick dessert anytime.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a dump cake?

A dump cake is an easy and super moist cake in which the ingredients are simply dumped into the pan and baked. Usually, they use a boxed cake mix and a handful of additional ingredients.

Can you make lemon dump cake ahead of time?

This is a great recipe to make ahead. You can make lemon dump cake up to 2 days ahead of time. Just store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Can I use a lemon cake mix instead of white?

You can substitute lemon or yellow cake mix for the white cake mix. It will give you a more intense lemon flavor but will work fine in the recipe.

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close up shot of a plate of lemon dump cake

Lemon Dump Cake

5 from 57 votes
This amazing lemon dump cake brings a lovely citrusy flavor to the dessert for a simple recipe to make for any occasion.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 (12-ounce) jars lemon curd
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box vanilla, lemon, yellow or white cake mix (we used white)
  • ½ cup salted butter, cold

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Spread the lemon curd into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine cream cheese, egg, and granulated sugar until smooth and combined.
  • Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the lemon curd.
  • Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the first two layers.
  • Slice very thin pats of butter and spread over the entire top of the dry cake mix. Cover as much of the cake mix as possible.
  • Bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the lemon curd filling is bubbling around the edges.
  • Allow dump cake to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • When buying the cake mix at the grocery store, it is best to pick one that doesn’t have pudding mix in it; check the label to make sure.
  • You’ll want to use a 9×13-inch cake pan so that the texture and consistency are right. I’ve used an 11x 7-inch pan before, and it turned out a little too thick, which changed the delicious texture of the dump cake.
  • Using cold butter makes it easier to get the slices very thin. When the dump cake cooks, the butter melts and blends with the dry cake mix, but it won’t spread, so if parts of the cake mix are left uncovered, they may come out of the oven still dry and powdery.  
  • You may end up with some dry cake mix spots on the top of the dump cake. This is normal and is where the butter did not saturate into the cake mix. If you prefer, you can add additional pats of butter over the dry area – check the dump cake after about 30 minutes to determine if the melting pats of butter missed any areas. 
  • Allowing the dump cake to rest for a bit before serving will give the lemon curd time to cool just a bit so that it is not super runny when you scoop into it.

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 513IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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    Comments

      • Katen says

        Where can I find lemon curd at the grocery store?
        Could I use a vegetable peeler get the butter in thin slices, or would it be too thin?

      • Layne Kangas says

        Hi, Katen – you’ll find lemon curd in the jam/jelly section usually. It may be by the baking/pie fillings in some stores. I think that would work for the butter. Enjoy!

  1. Allie says

    5 stars
    I am really trying to watch my calories and fat. I was wondering if I can substitute low fat cream cheese, egg whites and stevia in place of the other ones.

    • Layne Kangas says

      Hi, Allie – we haven’t tested it with those substitutions so I’m not sure. The stevia should be fine but using low-fat cream cheese and only egg white may impact the end result.

  2. Natasha says

    5 stars
    This looks super delicious. Anything with lemons is super zesty and fresh and full of flavour! I would add fresh berries on top, as I love berries on any cake, and the sweetness of the berries with the lemon flavour goes so well. Can’t wait to make this 😍🍋

  3. jan Z says

    5 stars
    I make dump cakes all the time, have never made one with the lemon curd or cream cheese, will for sure make this one. Looks smashing. I take dump cakes to lots of meetings or pot lucks, normally take two as they go so fast. I take canned whip cream and leave several cans by each dump cake and it goes fast.

  4. pauline wilson says

    5 stars
    I am defenitly going to make this..I love anythingwith lemon and so does my neighbor so going to make it and share..it looks so yummy…and I am always looking for something different to make..thank you so much for sharing this with the public

  5. pauline wilson says

    5 stars
    i have already left a comment but I forgot to say that I would use a lemon cake for a more lemony taste, and i have never made a dump cake before this will be my first.. my question is where would I find lemoncurd? thank you in advance

  6. Julie says

    5 stars
    *I have made dump cakes before but never a lemon one.
    *No, I don’t think I would serve ice cream with it.
    *I think to keep the lemon flavor amped up I would always use lemon cake mix, but a yellow cake mix is what I usually have on hand, so who knows?
    *I will probably serve this with berries instead of ice cream. I always have blueberries. 🙂

  7. Antonina Lechowicz says

    5 stars
    I love dump cakes, such an easy dessert. I would use the vanilla cake mix in the recipe.

  8. Antonina Lechowicz says

    5 stars
    I love dump cakes, such an easy dessert. I would use the vanilla cake mix in the recipe.

  9. Linda Daniel says

    5 stars
    Wow! I love lemon curd, I have never made a dump cake that sounds this good. I’m off to the store now. Thanks for sharing!

  10. Wilhelmina Mack says

    5 stars
    I think I would use the vanilla cake.
    With all the delicious lemon curd, I wouldn’t want to have any artificial lemon flavor. I can’t wait to I make it !

  11. Marilyn Kingston says

    5 stars
    Made this receipe for my daughter and my grandchildren. This was enjoy very much by them. Past recipe on to several people.

  12. Barbara Daniels says

    5 stars
    I have made Dump cake before, but used cherry pie filling with crushed pineapple. But this sounds amazing and I am going to try this. I think I would try it with vanilla cake mix with blueberries on top, I like the idea of vanilla ice cream as well. I am up to trying different ingredients. Thanks for this recipe.

  13. Barbara Daniels says

    5 stars
    I have made Dump cake before, but used cherry pie filling with crushed pineapple. But this sounds amazing and I am going to try this. I think I would try it with vanilla cake mix with blueberries on top, I like the idea of vanilla ice cream as well. Thanks you for this recipe idea.

  14. Barbara Daniels says

    5 stars
    I have made Dump cake before, but used cherry pie filling with crushed pineapple. But this sounds amazing and I am going to try this. I think I would try it with vanilla cake mix with blueberries on top, I like the idea of vanilla ice cream .

  15. Brenda Warner says

    5 stars
    Sounds good. I love lemon and blueberries. I think I would serve it with blueberries and whipped cream.

  16. Kristy Smith says

    5 stars
    100% serve with ice cream. Everything is better with vanilla ice cream. This is a great dessert for those hot summer nights here in Texas.

  17. Deb says

    5 stars
    I made this recipe for a lemon lover in my family using lemon cake mix along with npblueberries and it was a winner😘🍋🫐.Thanks

  18. Meredith Leonard says

    5 stars
    This recipe sounds delicious and is one I will certainly try because I love lemon-flavored desserts. I have made dump cake before: apple spice using apple pie filling, spice cake mix and nuts. I serve it drizzled with caramel sauce.

  19. Lori Pennington says

    5 stars
    Lemon dump cake is my hubby’s favorite…..I make it with lemon cake mix…….I make it for special occasions…….

  20. Linda says

    5 stars
    I have made dump cakes before with crushed pineapple and blueberry, strawberry and apple pie filling. So delicious and quick. I might try adding coconut or blueberries. Yum!

  21. Cathy Gamble says

    5 stars
    I would definitely use a lemon cake mix to bring out more of that lemon flavor that we love so much in a desert. I have made dump cakes before, but this is a must do. I would love to add raspberries to this dump cake. More tart and sweet. Ice cream is a plus. Even whipped cream or just a cold glass of milk. Yum!

  22. Penny Harper says

    One of my favorite desserts is cherry dump cake. Cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple, vanilla cake mix, coconut, butter

  23. Bethany King says

    5 stars
    I love making dump cakes so easy and versatile. I like them best with a big scoop of vanilla icecream

  24. Donna Crawford Weeks says

    I haven’t tried it yet, but I love dump cakes and I’m going to try this one with a sugar-free cake mix!

    • Charlotte from AZ says

      I haven’t tried it either but going to do it soon! I love the ease of dump cakes too and there’s no flavor or texture jeopardized. I will be using a Sugar Free Cake Mix also. Enjoy your weekend!

  25. Stephanie says

    5 stars
    I have never made a dump cake & I look forward to making this & serving it with fresh blueberries on top😋

  26. Stephanie says

    5 stars
    I have never made a dump cake before but I look forward to trying this with fresh blueberries on top😋

  27. Katie says

    5 stars
    Can’t wait to try this recipe! I love lemon and this one looks like lemon overload without being too difficult to assemble. I’m thinking of using a vanilla cake mix so that the variety of lemon flavors don’t contradict each other.

  28. Gloria McGork says

    5 stars
    This looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it!
    As for leaving comments, it’s extremely difficult since there are so many pop-up ads. I can’t see what I have typed.

  29. Jill says

    I was thinking about splitting this recipe into two different Pyrex pans. One to take to a party one to keep at home. Do you think the consistency will be OK I would divide everything evenly.

  30. Michele - vintage home designs says

    This sounds delicious! I would like to feature your post on my Saturday Morning Gather post tomorrow.

  31. Vix M says

    5 stars
    I made this with a gluten free cake mix, vanilla yellow, and it turned out great. The mix was just over 19 ounces, so I made extra of the cream cheese mixture. Also added raspberries, tossed with cornstarch & sugar, to the top. It needed about 10-15 min extra cooking time.
    Delicious!
    Thank you for the recipe.

  32. Dorothy says

    5 stars
    a lot of dump cakes say can just melt the butter and mix with dry cake! so can I do it with this recipe? please respond to my email, I am a senior and get confused. thankyou. can you use homemade lemon curd?

    • Layne Kangas says

      Hi, Dorothy – just sent you an email! We would recommend following the instructions as outlined for best results. You can use homemade lemon curd. Enjoy!

  33. Cindy says

    5 stars
    If you are having dry spots on your cake, try grating frozen butter before making this dessert. It spreads more evenly and helps prevent the dry powdery top.

  34. Rhonda Palacios says

    5 stars
    On this says 2jars lemon curd,I never seen at store but I do have ,lemon pie filling ,can I use that instead,should I use 2cans or just1 can

  35. Sara Graham says

    5 stars
    OMG! I made this for Sunday dinner dessert and it was a huge hit! I used lemon cake mix (minus pudding in the cake as suggested) and added fresh lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture. I did have to use 3/4 c butter slices to cover the whole cake. I will definitely make this again!!

  36. Gloria Flores says

    5 stars
    I made the lemon dump cake recipe and the results compare to lemon pie but with none of the difficulty. The word dump is correct. My family loved this recipe. Next time I plan to use apple pie filling. My thanks and high fives to whoever created this recipe!

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