Citrus Lemon Dump Cake (Printable)
Bright, zesty lemon and mandarin orange layers topped with buttery golden cake.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit Layer
01 - 2 cups lemon pie filling (store-bought or homemade)
02 - 1 cup mandarin orange segments, drained if canned
03 - 1 tablespoon 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
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - Spread lemon pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish.
03 - Distribute mandarin orange segments over the lemon filling. Sprinkle lemon zest evenly across the top.
04 - Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the fruit layer in an even layer. Do not stir or mix.
05 - Drizzle melted butter and milk evenly over the cake mix, ensuring coverage of as much dry mix as possible. Optionally sprinkle granulated sugar on top.
06 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are actively bubbling.
07 - Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Its basically foolproof even if you cannot bake to save your life
- The contrast between tart lemon and sweet oranges is somehow perfect
02 -
- The cake mix will still look dry in spots when you pull it out and that is completely normal
- Serving it warm matters, cold dump cake is just not the same experience
03 -
- Do not use salted butter or the whole flavor balance shifts weirdly
- Use room temperature fruit filling if you can, it bakes more evenly