Lemon Dream Cake (+Video)
Easy Lemon Dream Cake starts with a boxed cake mix swirled with lemon pie filling. All topped with a creamy, lemony whipped topping!
A CREAMY CAKE FOR LEMON LOVERS
This lemon cake has quickly become one of my favorites (and a favorite of my co-workers!) My co-workers are often my guinea pigs for new recipes. This recipe is definitely for those who love lemon desserts. It is so easy to make but looks like you spent hours making it. If you want a fun new lemon recipe, try making this Lemon Dream Cake!
LEMON CAKE MIX AND LEMON PIE FILLING
Now, you would think looking at this recipe that this cake is on lemon overload. Let me assure you – it really isn’t. It isn’t crazy sweet or a big ole lemon bomb. It is the perfect balance of sweet and a little tart from the pie filling.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- vanilla cake mix
- ingredients needed to make cake (eggs, oil and water)
- lemon pie filling
- lemon flavored frosting
- whipped topping (COOL WHIP)
HOW TO MAKE LEMON DREAM CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare cake mix as directed on the back of the box. Pour batter into baking dish.
Place spoonfuls of lemon pie filling all over the batter.
Take a knife and swirl it all around to help evenly distribute it better.
Note: The lemon pie filling is heavier than the cake batter. So it will sink to the bottom of the cake as it is cooking. Don’t worry, it won’t burn. This is normal.
Bake at 350F degrees (in center rack) for about 35-40 minutes. Until it springs back to the touch and isn’t jiggly in the center. Let cake cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
In a bowl, combine lemon frosting with whipped topping. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Spread frosting over cooled cake.
Refrigerate until chilled and keep any leftovers refrigerated.
CRAVING MORE LEMON RECIPES?
Lemon Dream Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix
- ingredients needed to make cake: eggs, oil & water (according to the back of the cake mix box)
- 15.75 ounce can lemon pie filling
- 16 ounce tub lemon flavored frosting
- 8 ounce tub whipped topping (COOL WHIP) thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare cake mix as directed on the back of the box. Pour batter into baking dish.
- Place spoonfuls of lemon pie filling all over the batter.
- Take a knife and swirl it all around to help evenly distribute it better.
- Bake at 350F degrees (in center rack) for about 35-40 minutes until cake springs back to the touch and isn’t jiggly in the center.
- Let cake cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
- In a bowl, combine lemon flavored frosting with whipped topping. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake. Slice and serve or place in the refrigerator to chill slightly before serving.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: July 2012
Updated & republished: July 2019
This cake was AWESOME!! And so easy! It’s just as good as made from scratch. So, the recipe that reads as a “shopping list” (as one reviewer remarked) ~ wins the 1st prize/blue ribbon. You could make this in a flash and then pretend you slaved over your mixer…
Woo Hoo! Love hearing that Julie! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and review!
Made this wonderful dessert last night. Easy and delicious! Next day even better.
This sounds incredible! Do you think it would be overkill to use lemon cake? I don’t have a vanilla cake
Mix.
Oh I love anything lemon! This cake looks so yummy. I am going to make this today. I know this is going to be one of my very favorite cake recipes.
I made this cake for a family birthday, & it was a huge hit! It is even better than expected. It’s so easy to make, & absolutely delicious!!! I will definitely make it again!
I wonder if you could use lemon curd instead of pie filling?
I’ve been making this recipe for about 20 years now. But I do not use a box cake mix or box pudding or can filling. I make all of it from scratch. I’m not saying anything is wrong using the box and canned items but you would be surprised at how much better it tastes. I have used pudding from a box but I never us the instant. If you use the cooking method for the pudding just make sure to cool it first before you use it. Also right after you pour it in a bowl to cool ( never leave it in the pan) take a peice of plastic wrap and put it touching the top of your pudding, then place it in the fridge to cool, this keeps the pudding from having that rubber top on it. If I can help you with anything please let me know.
I was wondering if this could be made into a sheet cake?
Love this idea i used a vanilla muffin mix as the batter is thicker and lemon doesn’t sink to bottom looks awesome when you slice it. Thanks for the ideas
Made this and was a hit. Yum!
I made this cake today for a party using a lemon cake mix and, lemon creme pie filling. To jazz it up a bit, I sliced enough strawberries to cover the top of the cake. The strawberries weren’t real sweet so I sprinkled sugar over them to soak in while the cake was cooking.. Once the cake was cool, I put the strawberries on top of the cake and then spread the icing over it. I then sprinkled the icing with pink sugar. It was the hit of the party! There wasn’t a bit left! I will definitely be making this again! I think next time I will add cream cheese to the icing too. YUM!!!!
I love you made it your own! I am totally trying it with strawberries next time! Brilliant!!
Shopping from memory and purchased a lemon cake mix. Will it be overpowering? Want to make it for my 91 year old Mom. We all love lemon.
It will be awesome! I used lemon cake mix. See my comment on here.
I made a Key Lime Jello Poke Cake using a white cake mix (bake as directed on box), Lime Jello, Key Lime Pie Filling in a can, and a tub of Cheesecake flavored Cool Whip. This was the BEST cake I have ever made or tasted. Sounds so similar to your Lemon Cake above. I’m going to try yours this weekend!!!
I added an 8oz. brick of cream cheese in with the frosting and the cool whip……Wonderful!!!!
Connie – great thinking!!! Love that idea!
I am going to make this it sounds so good and easy
DELICIOUS, I frosted my cake with lemon buttercream frosting . This recipe will definitely go into my collection. And I will make it often.
This cake is so moist and flavorful. I will make it often.
Would this work with Lime pie filling. But then what about the frosting?
I AM GOING TO MAKE THIS CAKE ON WED. I KNOW IT WILL TURN OUT GOOD THANKS FOR POSTING
How do you think think cake will taste with just cream cheese frosting without the cool whip?
This is definitely a KEEPER!! I’m baking a key lime one as I type. Next one will be a chocolate one! Thanks for sharing!
My family loves this, I sprinkle toasted coconut over the frosting. Would love to see it modified for lemon bars
I only have jello cooked pie filling. I was going to make that ; let it cool and, then proceed with the recipe. Will that work? (I can’t find canned!) thoughts???
Made this and it turned out great! Will make it again, it’s a keeper!
Do you think this would be good with lemon cake and vanilla icing mixed with cool whip? I don’t how that could be bad lol, I just happen to have those 🙂