Crockpot Lemon Dump Cake ~ 3 Ingredients!

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This Crockpot Lemon Dump Cake is the ultimate easy dessert for lemon lovers! Made with just three simple ingredients—lemon pie filling, boxed cake mix, and butter—it cooks right in your slow cooker until warm, gooey, and delicious. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an effortless dessert everyone will love.

Dump cakes have always been one of my favorite shortcuts when I need an easy dessert without a lot of measuring, mixing, or cleanup. I recently pulled this longtime favorite back out to make again, and it reminded me exactly why this recipe has remained so popular. It only takes a few minutes to prepare, and the Crock Pot does the rest of the work.

If you love simple desserts like this one, be sure to try my Cherry Cheesecake Dump Cake and Pumpkin Dump Cake, too.

This Crockpot Lemon Dump Cake combines a warm, tangy lemon filling with a buttery cake-mix topping. As it cooks, the lemon pie filling becomes hot and bubbly while the cake mixture turns into a tender, crumbly topping.

Although it is called a cake, the finished dessert is closer to a warm cobbler or spoon cake than a traditional sliceable cake. It is supposed to be soft and gooey, so grab a serving spoon and scoop it directly from the slow cooker.

I originally made this recipe when I wanted an easy dessert using ingredients I already had in my pantry. It has become one of those dependable recipes I can put together without making a big mess or spending the afternoon baking.

The combination of warm lemon pie filling and buttery cake topping tastes like something that required much more effort than it actually did. It is especially delicious served warm with cold vanilla ice cream melting over the top.

A dump cake is an easy dessert traditionally made by layering canned fruit or pie filling with dry cake mix and butter. It gets its name from the simple preparation—you place or “dump” the ingredients into the baking dish or slow cooker without making a traditional cake batter.

For this version, I mix melted butter with the cake mix before adding it to the slow cooker. This helps distribute the butter more evenly and creates a delicious crumbly topping without large pockets of completely dry cake mix.

You only need three main ingredients to make this slow cooker lemon dump cake:

• Lemon pie filling: You will need two 22-ounce cans. The pie filling creates the sweet and tangy lemon layer beneath the cake topping.
• Boxed cake mix: Lemon cake mix gives you the strongest lemon flavor, but yellow or white cake mix will also work.
• Salted butter: Melted butter is combined with the dry cake mix to create the buttery crumble topping.

Nonstick cooking spray is also helpful for coating the slow cooker, but I consider that a preparation aid rather than one of the three main ingredients.

Lemon cake mix is my favorite choice when I want as much lemon flavor as possible. Yellow cake mix creates a richer, more buttery topping, while white cake mix has a lighter vanilla flavor that allows the lemon filling to stand out.

All three options work well, so you can use whichever one you already have in your pantry.

Step 1: Prepare the slow cooker.
Lightly coat the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Add the lemon filling.
Spoon both cans of lemon pie filling into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread the filling into an even layer.

Step 3: Make the cake-mix topping.
Pour the dry cake mix into a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the cake mix is evenly moistened and crumbly. Break apart any large lumps.

Step 4: Add the topping.
Sprinkle the crumbly cake mixture evenly over the lemon pie filling. Do not stir the topping into the filling.

Step 5: Cook.
Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 2 hours or on LOW for approximately 4 hours.

Step 6: Check the topping.
Slow cookers vary, so check the cake at the recommended time. If the topping is still very moist, continue cooking. You can use the paper towel trick explained below to absorb the excess condensation and help the cake topping finish cooking.

Step 7: Rest and serve.
Once the cake topping looks cooked and the lemon filling is hot and bubbly, turn off the slow cooker. Let the cake rest uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Your lemon dump cake is ready when the topping looks cooked and set rather than wet, and the lemon filling is hot and bubbling around the edges.

The center may remain softer than the edges, especially while the cake is still hot. That is normal for a Crock Pot dump cake. However, if you still see visibly wet or powdery areas of cake mix, cover it and continue cooking.

Depending on your slow cooker and how much condensation develops, the cake may need another 30 to 45 minutes beyond the initial cooking time.

This lemon dump cake is delicious on its own, but a simple topping makes it even better. Try serving it with:

• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Fresh blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries
• Fresh lemon zest
• A dusting of powdered sugar
• Crushed shortbread cookies

For the best contrast, serve the dump cake warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream.

Lemon blueberry dump cake: Scatter fresh or frozen blueberries over the lemon pie filling before adding the cake topping.

Lemon cream cheese dump cake: Add small cubes of cream cheese over the lemon filling before adding the cake mixture.

White cake mix: Use white cake mix for a lighter vanilla flavor.

Yellow cake mix: Use yellow cake mix for a rich, buttery topping.

Extra lemon flavor: Add a little fresh lemon zest to the pie filling or sprinkle it over the finished dessert.

Allow leftover lemon dump cake to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave for approximately 20 to 30 seconds, adding more time as needed. You can also enjoy the leftovers chilled if you prefer.

The topping will become softer as the cake sits in the refrigerator, so this dessert has the best texture when served shortly after cooking.

Crock Pot Lemon Dump Cake is a warm, spoonable dessert made with two cans of lemon pie filling, one box of cake mix, and one stick of melted butter. Spread the filling in a greased slow cooker, combine the cake mix with melted butter, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top.

Cook on HIGH for approximately 2 hours or LOW for approximately 4 hours. If excess condensation is keeping the topping too moist, place paper towels beneath the lid during the final 30 to 45 minutes and replace them whenever they become saturated.

This is one of the easiest lemon desserts you can make, and it is perfect for potlucks, family dinners, summer gatherings, or any time you need a simple dessert without turning on the oven.

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