Dump cakes of all varieties are the most popular dessert in the U.S. because of their simplicity and ease in making, not discounting how good they are. All you do is grab a box of cake mix and some pie filling and you’re good to go!
The one thing I’ve learned on my baking journey is that it’s just as easy to do it from scratch (almost), as it is to grab some pre-packaged mix loaded with preservatives and artificial flavors and colors, as it is do it with wholesome and fresh ingredients — and it’s so much more satisfying, flavorful and healthy.
The dump cake I’m featuring is lemon-lime, made from scratch, with a homemade lemon-lime curd. If you have never had lemon curd before, you need to try it! It’s perfect to put on toast, or to use as a pie or cookie filling or as a topping for cheesecake — and it’s delicious! It’s also easy to make, takes about 30 minutes, and only has five ingredients. I’ve made it Mexican by adding lime, the key lime variety that Mexico is so famous for!
These recipes are simple to make and are scrumptious. This lemon-lime dump cake has three layers: cake, lemon-lime, and cream cheese. These are topped by cinnamon and pecans (or walnuts), and before serving, are sprinkled with a little additional lime and lemon zest for color, making it all the more Mexican!
It’s important to note that in Mexico, Philadelphia cream cheese is different from that purchased in the U.S. or Canada. To make it similar, in texture and taste, you need to let it come to room temperature and for every 200 grams (about 7 oz.) of Mexican Philly, you need to add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons milk or cream (or a little more) and beat until smooth; it’s a matter of taste and preference.
I hope you love this Mexican lemon-lime dump, made from scratch with a homemade lemon-lime curd.
Disfruta!
Mexican lemon-lime dump cake
Lemon Curd:
Make a day ahead of the cake. Makes about 3 cups.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (limón)
- 3/4 cup fresh key-lime juice (limón criollo)
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar (azúcar estándar)
- 6 large eggs (huevos)
- 24 tbs. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (mantequilla sin sal)
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, mix the fresh lemon and lime juices together.
- Add the sugar and eggs to the juices and whisk until well blended.
- Cook over medium-low heat and then add butter pieces.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 5–8 minutes). Do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Optional: Strain through a fine stainer for extra smoothness.
- Let cool, and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Dump cake
Ingredients:
Lemon-lime layer
- 3 Cups homemade lemon-lime curd.
- Zest of 1 key lime (limón criollo)
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (leche condensada)
Cake layer:
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- Mexican brands closest to American all-purpose: Espuma de Chapala; Selecta All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar (azúcar estándar)
- 1 TBS. baking powder (polvo de hornear)
- 1/2 tsp. salt (sal)
- Zest of 1 lemon (limón)
- 1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (mantequilla sin sal)
- 3 large eggs (huevos)
- 1/2 Cup whole milk (leche entera)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract((extracto de vainilla)
- Mexican brands noted for their intense flavor: Villa Vainilla; Vainilla Totonac’s; Molina Vainilla
Cream cheese layer:
- 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese (queso crema)
- If using Mexican Philly, you can add 1.5 to 2 TBS. of cream or milk to 225g of cream cheese to achieve the same texture and taste as U.S. Philly cream cheese.
Topping:
- 1/2 Cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) (nuez pecana o nuez de nogal)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (canela molida)
- Additional lime and lemon zest for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Prepare lemon layer:
- In a bowl, combine lemon-lime curd, lime zest, and sweetened condensed milk.
- Spread evenly on the bottom of prepared baking dish.
Prepare cake layer:
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
- In another bowl whisk together melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
- Spread the cake batter evenly over the lemon layer.
Add cream cheese and topping
- Evenly distribute dollops of cream-cheese over the cake batter.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans (or walnuts) and cinnamon over the top.
Next:
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake layer comes out clean.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Garnish with extra lime and lemon zest before serving.
Serve with a side of whipped cream, if desired!
Disfruta!
Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter™ on FaceBook and X (Twitter), and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter (available @amazon.com). She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals™ (aa-wp.com).
