Citrus Lemon Dump Cake (Printable)
Bright layers of lemon pie filling, mandarin oranges, and buttery cake bake into a zesty dessert. Quick prep, oven-ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit Layer
01 - 2 cups lemon pie filling
02 - 1 cup drained mandarin orange segments
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
→ Cake & Topping
04 - 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - ½ cup whole milk
07 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Spread lemon pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - Distribute mandarin orange segments over the lemon filling. Sprinkle fresh lemon zest evenly across the surface.
04 - Pour dry yellow cake mix over the fruit layer in an even layer. Do not stir or mix.
05 - Drizzle melted butter and whole milk evenly over the cake mix, ensuring dry patches are covered as much as possible. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top if additional sweetness is desired.
06 - Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges.
07 - Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The bright combination of lemon and mandarin oranges cuts through the richness, so it never feels too heavy despite being incredibly indulgent.
- You get those gorgeous bubbling fruit edges and a buttery golden crust without any actual cake mixing skills required.
02 -
- The cake mix will still look dry and powdery in spots even after you add the liquid—resist the urge to stir or patch it.
- Uneven bubbling during baking is completely normal and actually creates those wonderful crispy, caramelized edges everyone fights over.
03 -
- Use room temperature ingredients for the fruit layer—it helps everything settle evenly before you add the dry mix.
- If your cake mix has large vanilla bean specks or pudding pouches inside, still add it as-is for extra richness.