Citrus Lemon Dump Cake (Printable)
Bright, zesty layers of tangy lemon and sweet mandarin oranges topped with buttery golden cake.
# Ingredient List:
→ Fruit Layer
01 - 2 cups lemon pie filling, store-bought or homemade
02 - 1 cup mandarin orange segments, drained if canned
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, from 1–2 lemons
→ Cake & Topping
04 - 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - ½ cup whole milk
07 - ¼ cup granulated sugar, optional for extra sweetness
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Pour the lemon pie filling into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer with a spatula.
03 - Distribute the mandarin orange segments evenly over the lemon filling. Sprinkle the fresh lemon zest across the top.
04 - Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the entire fruit layer. Do not stir or mix the layers.
05 - Drizzle the melted butter and whole milk evenly over the cake mix, ensuring coverage of as much dry mix as possible. If using, sprinkle the granulated sugar over the top.
06 - Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
07 - Allow the dump cake to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between tangy citrus and buttery cake topping creates something almost magical
- It comes together in literally ten minutes but tastes like you spent much longer
02 -
- Do not stir the cake mix into the fruit layer or you will lose the distinct buttery crispy topping
- Letting it cool for those 15 minutes makes a huge difference in how well it holds its shape
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients help the butter and milk distribute more evenly over the dry mix
- A little extra lemon zest sprinkled on top right before serving adds a fresh pop of color and aroma