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Serving of lemon dump cake with cream on white plate with a silver spoon. Wooden surface with whole lemon in the background.
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Lemon Cream Cheese Dump Cake

Also known as a cobbler with cake mix, this effortless dessert recipe is a crowd-pleaser. It has a layer of canned filling and a simple cake mix topping. It uses lemon pie or lemon curd filling and is a change from the usual fruity ones. It's creamy and sweet, comes together in minutes and freezes well.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword lemon dump cake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups one 21oz can lemon pie filling or lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)
  • ½ cup cream cheese
  • 2 cups yellow or white cake mix
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Grease a square 8-inch baking pan.
  • Dump the can of lemon filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
  • Scatter the cream cheese cubes or dollops on top of the lemon. 
  • Combine the dry cake mix with the melted butter until crumbly in a mixing bowl.
  • Sprinkle over the lemon layer. Don't stir it.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
  • Store leftovers covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for a month. Warm slightly before eating. 

Notes

Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
Dry cake mix: the type you find in the supermarket or grocery store, whatever brand you want. I use yellow cake mix or white cake mix for this recipe. Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines are popular ones. 
Lemon filling: use canned lemon pie filling, purchased or homemade lemon curd (my favorite). 
More lemon: for a more tangy lemon flavor, add extra lemon zest to the filling or the topping. 
Ratio: a lower ratio of topping to filling is ideal because the former crisps up and tastes fantastic without being over lybuttery. But, as with most desserts, find your ideal proportion of filling, topping, and sweetness.
Storing: treat it like a crumble or crisp, keeping leftovers in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for a month, sometimes more. Let it thaw at room temperature and warm it slightly in the oven before eating.