This lemon dump cake is one of the easiest desserts you can make with just a few simple ingredients. Made with lemon pie filling, cake mix, and butter, it bakes up with bright citrus flavor and a soft, buttery topping that’s hard to resist.
If you love easy desserts like this, you might also enjoy my 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars or my Applesauce Bundt Cake with Cake Mix for more simple baking ideas.
Table of contents
Why I Love This Lemon Dump Cake
Delicious warm or at room temperature. Add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you want to make it extra special.
Just three ingredients. Lemon pie filling, cake mix, and butter are all you need for the basic recipe.
No mixing bowls needed. Simply layer everything in the baking dish and let the oven do the work.
Bright lemon flavor. The lemon filling keeps this dessert from being overly sweet and gives it a fresh, sunny flavor.
Great for beginner bakers. There are no complicated steps, special techniques, or from-scratch cake batter to worry about.
Easy to serve for company. A 9x13 pan makes this a simple dessert for potlucks, family dinners, and casual get-togethers.
Ingredients for Lemon Dump Cake Recip
1 box yellow cake mix (white or lemon cake mix also work well)
1 can (22 oz) lemon pie filling (store-bought or homemade)
½ cup butter, (thinly sliced)
Instructions for Lemon Dump Cake
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Step 2
Spread the lemon filling evenly across the bottom of the dish. Use a spoon or spatula to gently spread it into an even layer.
Step 3
Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the lemon layer.
Try to cover the surface as evenly as possible.
Step 4
Place butter slices over cake mix layer.
Make sure to cover as much of the dry mix as possible to avoid dry patches.
Tip - if you feel you have big spaces without butter, just add more butter.
Step 5
Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges are lightly crisp.
Let cool slightly before serving. I enjoy either ice cream or whipped cream on top!
Tips for the Best Lemon Dump Cake
Use a good-quality pie filling for the best flavor since it’s the main ingredient.
If you notice dry spots after baking, you can lightly brush melted butter over those areas while still warm.
Avoid mixing the layers — dump cakes work best when layered.
What to Expect from This Recipe
This lemon dump cake has a soft, spoonable texture with a crunchy buttery cake topping and a bright lemon layer underneath.
It is not a firm or sliceable cake. Instead, it’s more like a cobbler-style dessert that is best served with a spoon.
Variations
Use lemon cake mix for extra lemon flavor.
Add fresh blueberries or raspberries for a lemon berry dump cake.
Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream when serving.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar for a simple finish.
FAQs
This usually means the butter didn’t fully cover the cake mix.
I find with less butter you have too many dry patches.
No, this is a true dump cake. Just layer the ingredients and bake.
Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead and reheat slightly before serving.
More Easy Desserts
Easy Lemon Dump Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix white or lemon cake mix also work well
- 1 22oz lemon pie filling (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ cup butter thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Spread the lemon filling evenly across the bottom of the dish. Use a spoon or spatula to gently spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the lemon layer.Try to cover the surface as evenly as possible.
- Place butter slices over cake mix layer.
- Make sure to cover as much of the dry mix as possible to avoid dry patches.
- Tip - if you feel you have big spaces without butter, just add more butter.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges are lightly crisp.
- Let cool slightly before serving. I enjoy either ice cream or whipped cream on top!
Notes
Nutrition (estimate)
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