Citrus Lemon Dump Cake (Printable Version)

Golden buttery cake over tangy lemon filling and sweet mandarin orange segments.

# What You 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 fresh lemon zest, from 1–2 lemons

→ 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, optional for extra sweetness

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Spread lemon pie filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish. Distribute mandarin orange segments over the filling and sprinkle with fresh lemon zest.
03 - Sprinkle dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit layer. Do not stir or mix—let it rest as a dry layer on top.
04 - Drizzle melted butter and whole milk evenly over the cake mix, covering as much dry mix as possible. For additional sweetness and crunch, sprinkle granulated sugar across the surface.
05 - Bake for 35–40 minutes until the top turns golden brown and edges bubble vigorously. The center should be set and slightly firm to the touch.
06 - Let the cake rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The bright lemon and mandarin combo feels like sunshine on a plate, even on gray days
  • It comes together so quickly that you can start it on a whim and be eating dessert within the hour
02 -
  • Skip the temptation to stir the layers together before baking, the contrast between creamy fruit and crumbly topping is the whole point
  • The top might look uneven or patchy when you first drizzle the butter, but it bakes into something gorgeous and golden
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients help everything bake more evenly, so pull the butter and milk out ten minutes before you start
  • If your oven runs hot, check at thirty minutes and cover loosely with foil if the top is browning too fast

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