My mom always had the time (and patience) to bake from scratch, but as a busy mom of three, I’m all about easy dessert shortcuts that still taste amazing. That’s why this 4-ingredient lemon dump cake is a go-to in my kitchen. 

It’s the perfect balance of bright, tangy lemon and sweet, buttery cake, like an old-fashioned dump cake but way simpler. If you are anything like me, you are a lemon lovers (hello lemon cake mix cookies and lemon pudding pie), you are going to be totally on board with this cake too.

With just a can of lemon pie filling, cake mix, and a couple of pantry staples, you can have a this easy lemon dessert in the oven in under 10 minutes. No mixing, no fuss—just dump, bake, and enjoy!

Ingredients

• Lemon pie filling: Look for it near the fruit pie fillings at your grocery store.  If you have trouble finding it, you can grab it online here or substitute with lemon curd.
• Cake Mix: I’m a Duncan Hines girl and love using their Lemon cake mix, but if you only have a yellow or white cake mix on hand they work the exact same way!
• Cream Cheese:  You want to use the block of cream cheese in the cardboard box, not the whipped option in the tub. The cream cheese adds an additional layer of tanginess to the cake.
• Butter: Melted is the way to go.  I’ve tried slicing the stick of butter into pieces and topping the cake mix and I just like the way the melted butter mixes with the other ingredients better.  But if you like the look of slices of butter, you do you…the cake will still be delicious!

Making dump cakes is more about the method than the ingredients. Have fun playing with the pie filling and the cake mix flavors. Some of our family favorites are pumpkin pie dump cake in the fall and peach cobbler dump cake on repeat in the summer.

Step by step instructions

Preheat your oven to 350℉ and spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray.

Spread the pie filling out in a single layer in the baking pan. Layer half of the cake mix over the pie filling then sprinkle the cream cheese cubes over the cake mix.

Add the last ½ of the cake mix evenly over the mixture and then top with the melted butter, being sure to cover as much of the cake mix as possible.

Put in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes and serve with whipped cream, lemon sorbet, or just dig right into the pan with a spoon.

If you are looking for a taller cake (more like a spoonbread), you can bake this recipe in an oval casserole dish instead of the standard 9x13 baking pan.

Fruity variations

While the lemon dump cake is crave worthy on its own, lemons pair really well with lots of fruit.  So if any of these are in season, feel free to add them right on top of the lemon pie filling layer, before adding the other ingredients. You won’t be sad you did!

• Blueberries: either fresh or swirl in blueberry puree (and if you are blueberry lover, try making them the star of the show in this blueberry dump cake recipe)
• Raspberries
• Sliced strawberries
• Blackberries 

Make just before serving

While I’m normally a fan of getting desserts prepped ahead of time to keep things simple, with just 4 ingredients, the lemon dump cake doesn’t need that kind of treatment.  Throw it together an hour before you need it and you are good to go.

And you aren’t going to have much leftover from this dessert🤩, but if you do, cover the whole pan with plastic wrap and leave a spoon nearby.  It can sit on the counter for up to two days, and then you can pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Super Simple Desserts You'll Love

📖 Recipe

Tangy 4-Ingredient Lemon Dump Cake (With Cake Mix)

Marni Katz

Some desserts just feel like a little magic trick, and this 4-ingredient lemon dump cake is one of them. No mixing, no fuss—just layer everything in a dish, pop it in the oven, and out comes a golden, buttery, lemony treat that tastes way fancier than it should.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10 servings

Calories 331 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 box Lemon cake mix
• 1 can Lemon pie filling (22 oz can is what I used)
• 1 stick butter
• 6 oz cream cheese (cubed)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350℉ and spray a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray.
• Spread the pie filling out in a single layer in the baking pan.
• Layer half of the cake mix over the pie filling then sprinkle the cream cheese cubes over the cake mix.
• Add the last ½ of the cake mix evenly over the mixture and then top with the melted butter, being sure to cover as much of the cake mix as possible.
• Put in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
• Remove from oven, let cool a few minutes and serve with whipped cream, lemon sorbet, or just dig right into the pan with a spoon.

Notes

Add more lemon: Try swapping in my lemon butter made with unsalted butter or zesting a lemon right on top of the lemon pie filling.

Add fruit: Berries pair great with the lemon so go ahead and add in any fresh berries you like right on top of the pie filling layer or when serving.

Make it tall: If you want to have a taller dump cake, you can also make this in an oval casserole dish instead of the standard 9x13 baking pan.

Storing Leftovers: It can sit on the counter for up to two days, and then you can pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 503mgPotassium: 49mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 511IUCalcium: 128mgIron: 1mg

Keyword 4 ingredient recipe, cake mix recipe, lemon dump cake

Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!