Bright, tangy, and irresistibly gooey, this Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake turns a few pantry items into a show-stopping dessert. Lemon curd swirls through sweet blueberries under a crisp, buttery cake topping for a treat everyone will love.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake
- 🕒 Ready In: 55-65 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 8-10
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Blueberry pie filling, lemon curd, yellow cake mix, butter, lemon-lime soda or sparkling lemonade
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This easy dump cake delivers warm, bubbly blueberries and bright lemon flavor under a buttery golden topping, all with almost no prep.
Summarize and Save the Recipe
While camping with friends, I baked this lemon blueberry dump cake over the campfire, and its sweet, tangy aroma quickly grabbed everyone’s attention. The bright lemon and juicy blueberries make a gooey, perfectly balanced dessert that’s easy to make, and everyone loved it!
If you like easy, fruity desserts, you’ll also love my raspberry bread and blackberry cobbler.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to Make: Anyone can make this easy lemon blueberry dessert. Just layer the ingredients and bake for a sweet, tangy treat.
- Flavorful: The tang of lemon and the sweetness of blueberries come together in every bite for a perfectly balanced, crowd-pleasing dessert.
- Camping-Friendly: Whether you are cooking over coals in a Dutch oven or in your oven at home, this dessert is easy to make and share anywhere. For another camp-friendly dessert, try my caramel apple dump cake next.
- Family-Friendly: Gooey fruit, a golden cake topping, and a hint of lemon make this simple lemon blueberry cake one that kids and adults alike cannot resist.
Ingredients
- Blueberry Pie Filling: Use quality canned blueberry pie filling for a sweet and thick base.
- Lemon Curd: Adds a tangy brightness that pairs perfectly with blueberries. For another lemon-flavored baked treat, check out my lemon biscuits recipe.
- Yellow Cake Mix: Gives the dessert a soft, golden topping that bakes up light and tender with minimal effort.
- Sparkling Lemonade or Lemon-Lime Soda: Adds a bright, sweet flavor and helps create a light, tender cake topping.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: You can easily make this dessert gluten-free by swapping in a gluten-free yellow cake mix without changing the rest of the recipe.
- Dairy-Free: Use a plant-based butter alternative to keep it dairy-free while still getting a rich, golden topping.
- Extra Fruity: Add fresh blueberries or raspberries on top of the fruit layer before adding the dry cake mix for even more bursts of flavor and color throughout the cake.
- Sweet & Nutty: Sprinkle chopped almonds or pecans over the top before baking to add a little crunch and a hint of nuttiness.
- Spiced Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the cake mix for a warm, cozy flavor that pairs surprisingly well with lemon and blueberries.
How to Make a Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake
This easy lemon blueberry cobbler with cake mix is perfect for camping or home baking. If you’re cooking outdoors, heat coals for your Dutch oven, or if you’re making it at home, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Step 1: Prep the Fruit Layer. Spread the blueberry pie filling evenly in the bottom of your cast iron Dutch oven skillet. Spoon the lemon curd on top.
- Step 2: Swirl. Gently swirl the lemon cur into the blueberries to create little pockets of tangy flavor.
- Step 3: Add the Cake Mix. Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit layer. Keep it dry on top—don’t stir it in—so it bakes into a golden, slightly crisp topping.
- Step 3: Top with Butter. Place thin pats of butter across the surface of the cake mix, covering as much area as possible. This helps the topping bake evenly and adds richness.
- Step 5: Pour the Soda. Slowly pour sparkling lemonade or lemon-lime soda over the top, keeping the can close to the surface to avoid splashing.
- Step 6: Bake. Bake over coals for 45–60 minutes, or in a preheated 350°F oven for 40–50 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Serve warm and enjoy as a camping dessert after my sausage peppers and rice skillet, another easy and delicious outdoor meal.
Expert Tips
- Perfect Topping: Don’t stir the cake mix. Leaving pockets of dry mix and butter helps create a tender, golden topping with a slightly crisp finish.
- Check for Doneness: When baking over coals, use a lid lifter to peek inside without letting too much heat escape.
- Let It Set: Allow the cake to rest for 5–10 minutes after baking. This helps it set slightly and makes serving easier.
- Add Fresh Berries and Lemon: Sprinkle fresh blueberries and a little lemon zest over the top before serving for extra color, flavor, and a tangy pop in every bite.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven before serving to bring back the warm, gooey texture.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy this lemon blueberry dump cake on a camping trip as a sweet finish after a hearty meal like my Dutch Oven lasagna.
- Serve it at holidays or family gatherings for a simple, stress-free dessert alongside classics like honey mustard glazed ham or herb butter turkey.
- Make it for a weekend brunch with friends, paired with another sweet treat like my French breakfast puffs and fresh fruit for a bright, flavorful spread.
Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake Recipe FAQs
Sure, you can assemble the fruit and cake layers in your Dutch oven or baking dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add the butter and soda just before baking.
If the topping isn’t turning golden, it’s usually because the butter wasn't evenly distributed or the cake mix is too thick in some spots. Make sure the butter pats cover as much surface area as possible and avoid stirring the dry mix as those pockets help the topping bake up crisp and golden.
Yes! You can bake this blueberry lemon dump cake in a standard 9x13-inch baking dish. The layers and flavors work the same way, just adjust the baking time slightly if your dish is shallower, and keep an eye on the topping so it doesn’t brown too quickly.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Get the Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake
Equipment
- 12" Camp Dutch oven with lid
- Measuring spoons or scoop
- Knife (for slicing butter)
- Spoon or spatula for serving
Ingredients
- 2 21-ounce cans blueberry pie filling
- ½ can lemon curd about 5–6 oz
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter sliced into thin pats
- Optional: fresh blueberries lemon zest
Instructions
- Spread blueberry pie filling evenly in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Spoon lemon curd over the top and gently swirl, leaving pockets of lemon throughout the filling.
- Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit layer. Do not stir.
- Lay thin slices of butter evenly across the cake mix, covering as much surface as possible.
- Slowly pour sparkling lemonade or lemon-lime soda evenly over the cake mix, pouring gently to avoid disturbing the layers. Do not mix.
Outdoor Camping Instructions
- Place Dutch oven over hot coals with additional coals on the lid. Cook about 45 minutes, checking for doneness. If needed, cook up to 15 minutes longer until the top is golden and filling bubbles around the edges.
Indoor Oven Instructions
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40–50 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Let cool slightly and serve warm, optionally topped with fresh blueberries or lemon zest.
Notes
- Make sure the butter pats are spread evenly across the cake mix to create a golden, rich topping that bakes perfectly.
- Slowly pour the sparkling lemonade over the cake mix to avoid creating holes, and so the topping stays even and tender.
- Gently swirl the lemon curd into the blueberry pie filling without overmixing to get tangy bursts of flavor in every bite.
- Let the cake sit for a few minutes after baking so the fruit thickens slightly and the slices hold together better.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Spencer Adams says
Amazing recipe! I love it!
Lydia says
I loved how the lemon cut through the sweetness of the cake mix for a perfectly balanced bite. It is a foolproof dessert that turned out beautiful and delicious on my very first try.
Marcus says
The texture of this dump cake is spot on with a soft fruit bottom and a slightly crunchy, cobbler-like top. It is a fantastic crowd-pleaser that looks and tastes much more complicated than it actually is to make.
Valerie says
This has quickly become my favorite recipe to bring on camping trips because it is so easy to prepare over the fire. The blueberries burst into a delicious jam-like consistency that pairs perfectly with the citrus notes.
Grant says
I was amazed at how just a few ingredients could create such a flavorful and gooey treat with almost no effort. Serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream really brought out the brightness of the lemon zest.
Alicia says
The combination of tart lemon and sweet blueberries makes this dump cake the ultimate refreshing summer dessert. It was incredibly simple to assemble in my Dutch oven and the cake topping baked up perfectly buttery and golden.