Easy 4 Ingredients Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Recipe saved me during one of those last minute dessert panics. You know the moment when you promised to bring something sweet, had zero time, and your brain went blank. This is the kind of recipe that loves you back. It’s simple to make, bright with lemon, and it collapses into that cozy sweet-tart comfort you want from a dump cake. I can whip it up with pantry staples and it still feels special enough for company. If you like desserts that are hands off, fast, and totally crowd friendly, you’re in the right place.
The Story Behind This Recipe
I’ve spent years testing recipes for Midd Leeast Sector, and this Easy 4 Ingredients Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Recipe is a keeper: crowd-pleasing with no weird tricks. Easy 4 Ingredients Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Recipe saved me during one of those last minute dessert panics. You know the moment when you promised…
Why Youll Love Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
There’s a good chance you already have most of what you need. Four ingredients. One baking dish. Barely any dishes to wash. That’s my kind of situation. The lemon pie filling brings sunny flavor, the cream cheese gives little pockets of rich tang, and the cake mix with butter creates a golden crunchy top. It’s cozy and bright at the same time.
It’s also a mood booster dessert. Lemon perks up everything, especially when it’s cold outside or when dinner was a bit heavy. The texture hits that sweet spot between cobbler and cake. You get silky filling, soft cake crumbs in the middle, and crispy buttery bits on top. You scoop, steam rises, people hover. It never lasts long at my house.
And because it’s fuss free, this is the dessert I make when friends text that they’re coming by or when I’m in charge of “something sweet” for the weekend. If you love easy bakes, you might also like these bright treats like lemon cheesecake mousse for another lemony fix that requires minimal effort.
“I made this for a backyard get together and my brother in law, who swears he doesn’t like lemon desserts, asked for seconds. The crispy topping with the creamy lemon middle got him. It’s a keeper.”
Ingredients Notes For Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Here’s what goes into this dessert, plus a few helpful notes so yours turns out great every time.
- Lemon pie filling: Use two standard 21 ounce cans. This gives the dump cake a thick, tangy lemon base with the perfect sweetness. If your store carries a “lemon creme” style filling, that works too.
- Cream cheese: One 8 ounce block, softened. I prefer full fat for the best texture. Set it out 30 to 45 minutes ahead so it spreads easily in dollops.
- Cake mix: One 15.25 ounce box. Yellow cake mix is classic and balances the lemon with vanilla warmth. Lemon cake mix adds extra zing. Either one is delicious.
- Butter: Half a cup, thinly sliced. Slicing the butter helps it melt more evenly over the cake mix so you get a golden, crunchy top.
Optional but nice: a sprinkle of lemon zest before baking for fragrance, or a light dusting of powdered sugar after it cools. If you like the dump cake concept, check out this wildly simple 3 ingredient peach cobbler dump cake too. It’s another weeknight wonder.
How To Make Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Once you’ve made this once, you’ll remember it by heart. The steps are straightforward and so forgiving. It’s the perfect recipe to bake with kids or while you’re cooking dinner. I’ve made this Easy 4 Ingredients Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Recipe on a weeknight more times than I can count, and it never lets me down.
What you will need
Equipment: 9×13 inch baking dish, nonstick spray, a small bowl and spoon, and a sharp knife for slicing butter. That’s it. No mixer needed.
Step by step
1. Prep the pan: Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Add the lemon base: Spread the lemon pie filling evenly in the dish. Smooth it out so every bite has lemon.
3. Dollop the cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese until it’s easily scoopable. Drop small spoonfuls all over the lemon layer. Don’t stress about even spacing. Those random creamy pockets are part of the charm.
4. Sprinkle the cake mix: Pour the dry cake mix evenly over everything. Try to cover the lemon and cream cheese so butter can soak in and brown the top.
5. Top with butter: Arrange thin slices of butter all over the dry mix, covering as much as possible. The butter melts in the oven and creates that signature crispy top and tender middle.
6. Bake: Place on the center rack and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. It’s done when the top is deep golden, the edges are bubbling, and the middle looks set. If spots of dry mix remain after 25 minutes, drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of melted butter over those areas and continue baking.
7. Cool and serve: Let it cool at least 15 minutes so it sets enough to scoop. Serve warm for peak comfort or at room temp for a firmer texture. I love it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoon of whipped cream.
Craving a flaky, handheld lemon treat for next time? These buttery lemon cheesecake crescent rolls are another five minute prep favorite.
My Top Tips For Making The Perfect Dump Cake
Soften the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese clumps too much and can leave tunnels after baking. Room temp cream cheese spreads more evenly, giving better creamy pockets throughout the cake.
Slice the butter thin. About 1/8 inch is perfect. More surface coverage means fewer dry patches on top, and a deeply golden crust that breaks into satisfying buttery crumbs.
Watch your bake time. Ovens vary. Start checking at 38 minutes. You’re aiming for a golden top and bubbling edges. If the middle still looks loose after 50 minutes, tent loosely with foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.
Let it settle. A short cool down helps the lemon filling thicken up and the layers set together. It scoops prettier and the flavors meld.
Storage. Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual scoops in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds to wake up the buttery topping. For a crisp top again, warm in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Entertaining tip. Bake this in a pretty casserole dish and bring it straight to the table. Add a sprinkle of lemon zest just before serving for a fresh aroma that makes everyone lean in.
For more simple bakes that make people happy, dig into the site’s cake recipe collection next time you need inspiration.
Variations and Substitutions
Flavor twists
Lemon on lemon: Use lemon cake mix instead of yellow for a bright, ultra citrus profile.
Berry lemon: Scatter 1 to 1.5 cups of blueberries or raspberries over the lemon filling before the cake mix. Frozen berries work, no need to thaw.
Coconut lemon: Before baking, sprinkle 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut over the cake mix, then add the butter. The coconut toasts as it bakes and adds cozy texture.
Gluten friendly: Swap the regular cake mix for a gluten free yellow cake mix. Choose a lemon pie filling that’s labeled gluten free and you’re good to go.
Extra creamy: Cut the cream cheese into tiny cubes and chill them 10 minutes before dotting over the lemon layer. You’ll get thicker, cheesecake like bites throughout.
Nutty crunch: Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top with the butter for a toasty bite. If you enjoy nutty desserts, you might also love the richness in other creamy favorites across the site.
Common Questions
Can I use homemade lemon curd instead of canned pie filling? Yes, use about 3 cups. Pie filling is thicker than curd, so if your curd is thin, stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch before baking or reduce the curd on the stove a bit.
Do I mix the cake mix with eggs or milk first? No. For a dump cake, you use the dry cake mix straight from the box. The butter on top melts through it to create the crust.
How do I avoid dry patches on top? Cover the surface with thin butter slices. If any dry spots remain halfway through baking, drizzle a little melted butter on those areas and continue baking.
What pan size works best? A 9×13 inch dish is standard. You can use a slightly smaller casserole for a thicker result but add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
Can I make it ahead? Bake, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes to crisp the top again. It’s also great served chilled if you like a firmer texture.
Ready To Bake And Share
With bright citrus flavor, creamy pockets, and a buttery golden topping, this Easy 4 Ingredients Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake Recipe is the definition of low effort, high reward. You need just four ingredients, a single pan, and less than an hour to get a dessert that always disappears. If you want to compare styles and see other bakers’ spins, check out the clear walkthrough at 4-Ingredient Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake | 12 Tomatoes and this helpful tutorial on Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake – That Oven Feelin. I hope you bake it soon, take that first bright bite, and feel the same little spark of joy I do every time it comes out of the oven. Enjoy every warm, sunny spoonful.
Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Spread the lemon pie filling evenly in the dish.
- Dollop softened cream cheese over the lemon filling in small spoonfuls.
- Pour the dry cake mix evenly over the top.
- Arrange thin slices of butter over the dry mix.
- Bake on the center rack for 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
- Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
