Lemon dump cake with condensed milk only takes 5 ingredients and is one of the best lemon dump cake recipes!! This is a quick, easy dessert you'll love to try, or you can switch it up and make a blueberry lemon dump cake using lemon cake mix!
And once you've tried this lemon cream cheese dump cake recipe, check out my Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake, my Lemon Curd Cookies, or my Lemon Lavender Cupcakes for even more lemony goodness!
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Lemon Dump Cake with Condensed Milk
When you're in the mood for a sweet, lemony treat, this dump cake is your answer! It's SO easy to make with just 5 ingredients, and so delicious! It's got creamy, tart lemon curd, the rich tanginess of cream cheese, and a buttery crust made with vanilla cake mix. You've got to try it!
Dump cakes are a super quick and simple type of dessert that anyone can make! There's no mixing, creaming, or sifting, and the results are always consistently delicious! So it's perfect for beginner bakers, or to make with kids, or anyone who loves easy dessert recipes! And this is one of the best dump cake recipes! I love the combination of lemon curd and sweetened condensed milk, and the cream cheese is a fantastic addition!
Why is it called a dump cake?
Dump cake gets its name from its preparation method -- you literally dump the ingredients right into the baking pan. There are a lot of fun varieties of dump cake recipes, like my mini pumpkin dump cake, classic cherry-pineapple dump cake, and peach dump cake! But this version is just for lemon lovers!
Lemon Curd Dump Cake Ingredients
You can check the full measurements below in the recipe card, but here are the simple ingredients you'll need for this dump cake recipe:
- lemon curd - I've seen a lot of lemon dump cake recipes with lemon pie filling and cake mix, but I wanted to use lemon curd for this recipe because I LOVE its juicy lemon flavor. I also love that this recipe is a great way to use up leftover lemon curd! But you can make your own (check out my lemon curd cookies for my recipe), or just grab some store-bought lemon curd! See below for variations to make lemon blueberry dump cake!
- sweetened condensed milk - To add a bit of creamy sweetness, we're using a can of sweetened condensed milk. It creates a beautiful contrast to the tartness of the lemon curd.
- cream cheese - I love the creamy tanginess that cream cheese adds to this recipe! Definitely opt for full-fat cream cheese, and make sure that it's softened to room temperature before cutting it in.
- vanilla boxed cake mix - Here's the vanilla cake mix I use for this easy dump cake recipe! If you prefer, you can also use a yellow cake mix or white cake mix, or make this dump cake using lemon cake mix for even more lemon flavor! Any basic cake mix you see in the grocery store should work well!
- salted butter - We'll be drizzling melted butter on top of the cake mix to create that perfect crust! I like to use salted butter for this dump cake to offset some of the sweetness. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, add in ¼ teaspoon of salt. You can also slice thin pats of butter to lay evenly on top, but I find that melting the butter is easier.
- toppings - add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Cool Whip, whipped cream, or lemon zest to top off your quick dessert!
Equipment Needed
It's so easy -- no need for mixing bowls or electric mixers! The ONLY key piece of equipment you'll need is an 8x8 baking pan. Here's the one I use! But you can also use a 9x9 baking pan, but your dump cake will be a bit flatter and will bake faster.
Blueberry Lemon Dump Cake and Raspberry Lemon Dump Cake Recipe
If you love this lemony dump cake, you've got to try this twist -- blueberry lemon dump cake using lemon cake mix! It's one of my favorite twists on dump cake recipes! Just replace the lemon curd with blueberry pie filling or fresh blueberries and add a bit of lemon zest -- and it's that easy! A blueberry lemon dump cake with cream cheese is the best easy dessert!
You can also make a raspberry lemon dump cake recipe by swapping out the lemon curd for raspberry pie filling! Or you can follow this lemon curd dump cake as written and toss some fresh raspberries in with the filling! When it comes to dump cake recipes, the possibilities are endless!
Tips and F.A.Q.
When it's done, the crust on your dump cake will be golden brown and the lemon filling will be bubbling! Then you can take it out and serve your delicious dessert warm!
Your dump cake should be served warm, but once it's cooled it should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
If you can't get your hands on lemon curd, you can make your own with just a few ingredients - it's way better than store-bought anyway! Or you can use a can of lemon creme pie filling in place of the lemon curd and sweetened condensed milk.
Many dump cake recipes instruct you not to stir the filling, but for this recipe you'll need to gently stir the lemon curd and condensed milk together to make sure your filling comes out evenly flavored. But that's all the stirring you'll need to do!
This dump cake has a tangy-sweet filling, and the cake mix topping is buttery and flavorful! You'll love it with a big dollop of whipped cream!
The filling should be rich and thick, but the cake mix topping for this lemon dump cake with condensed milk should be buttery, cakey, and slightly crispy on top.
You should stir the lemon curd and the condensed milk together, but after that point there's no stirring necessary! Most dump cake recipes will require a bit of stirring just to distribute the mixture evenly.
If you're a lemon lover, I've got you covered! Try my Lemon Icebox Pie or my Lemon and Blackberry Cake for a stunning celebration dessert, or my Vegan Olive Oil Cake with Lemon and Pistachio for a fantastic vegan option! Or if you're looking for the best lemony brunch idea, you've got to try my Lemon Poppyseed Scones. And for all you cookie lovers, you've got to check out my Lemon Blueberry Cookies or my Lemon Lavender Cookies!
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) lemon curd - storebought or homemade
- 14 oz. (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 8 oz. (227 g) cream cheese - diced into small cubes
- 1 box vanilla cake mix - 15.25 oz
- ½ cup (114 g) salted butter - sliced into thin pieces, or melted
Optional Toppings
- lemon zest
- powdered sugar
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Dump lemon curd and sweetened condensed milk into a greased 8x8 baking pan. Mix to combine.1 cup lemon curd, 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- Top with diced cream cheese, then sprinkle cake mix on top evenly.8 oz. cream cheese, 1 box vanilla cake mix
- Evenly lay butter pieces (or drizzle melted butter) evenly all over dry cake mix, trying to cover as much of the cake mix as possible.½ cup salted butter
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and lemon filling is bubbling.
- Serve warm with whipped cream, and top with lemon zest and powdered sugar, if desired.lemon zest, powdered sugar, whipped cream
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Last Updated on May 8, 2023 by Chenée Lewis
Kim
I've actually never tried a dump cake, but they look so easy and yummy! I think I may try this one this weekend.
Casey
I love a great dump cake recipe, and anything lemon is my favorite dessert ever.
Anjali
I made this dump cake for a neighborhood potluck and it was a hit! I used store bought lemon curd so it ended up being super easy to make too!
Chenée Lewis
I love an easy dessert! So glad you liked it!
Kim
I'm addicted to lemon flavor and dump cakes are my favorite because they're so easy! I can't wait to make this!
Gina Abernathy
Lemon desserts just have a special place in my heart. The lemon curd was a smart and tasty addition to this dump cake. Everyone loved it!
Chenée Lewis
Great to hear! Thank you so much!
Janessa
This is so simple and tasty! A perfect spring dessert.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I think so too!
TAYLER ROSS
This is my absolute favorite cake recipe! I've made it several times and the lemon flavor is out of this world!
Chenée Lewis
I'm so glad to hear that! The lemon curd makes it so lemony and delicious!
Beth
This is one of the best lemon cakes I've ever made. The flavor is so intense and delicious, and it's SUPER easy.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! I love to hear that!
Julie
Hi from Birmingham, uk 😃.
Can I make my own cake mix and put on top?
Sooo glad I found your website 😍.
Chenée Lewis
I havent tried it with homemade cake mix but I imagine it would work! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Christy Moon
Instead of lemon Curd I used some leftover BlackBerry compote. It's in the oven now. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Chenée Lewis
Wonderful! I hope you liked it!
Jazz
Nobody believed this was a cake mix cake! I love the flavor and the texture and have already gotten requests to make this again for the holidays. Thanks, Chenee!
Chenée Lewis
I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks for giving it a try!
Britney Brown
I loved how easy this recipe was and it came out so well. The cake was super fluffy and the lemon flavor paired perfectly with a scoop of ice cream! So delicious!
Chenée Lewis
Ice cream is always a great idea! Glad you liked it!
Dee Moore
This lemon dump was the perfect sweet dessert for a lemon lover such as myself. I think the cake mix and lemon curd combo was genius!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! Fellow lemon lover here!
Jeri
Husband and I loved this lemon dump cake. It had the perfect amount of tartness! Thanks for the recipe!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love the sweet-tart flavors in the filling.
Tamara Johnson
I made this cake for my husband this past weekend, and he fell in love! It was so easy to make, and absolutely delicious. I will be making it again soon because it got eaten very quickly!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! It never lasts long over here either!
Marta
One of our twins is a lemon dessert fanatic. Your dump cake received high praise. Thanks for sharing!
Chenée Lewis
Yay!! I'm a lemon dessert fanatic too 🙂
Dail
I knew when I read this recipe that I had to make it. What can I do differently next time to make the cake mix in the center bake? The edges are amazing, but there's about a 3 inch area in the center where the mix is still powdery. Should I add more butter? Bake it longer? I'll try anything to get this perfect next time. Thank you!
Chenée Lewis
Hi! Thank you so much! You may need to spread the cake mix more evenly to make sure there isn't more of it in the center of the dish. Or you can also add a bit more butter (about 2 tbsp). Another method for dump cakes is to slice the butter thinly and cover the cake mix evenly with the slices of butter -- I prefer the melted butter method, but the sliced butter method might work for you to make sure the center gets enough butter coverage. Hope you have a chance to try it again!!
Lilly
My cake turned out perfect!! Thanks so much for the recipe and detailed instructions!
Chenée Lewis
Wonderful!! So glad you liked it!