115g unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
170g cream cheese, softened
60ml fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 Tbsp lemon zest (from 2-3 lemons)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
In your large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until thoroughly blended with no lumps. Create a well in the center and pour in the melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Using a flexible rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry, blending just until combined. Be careful not to overmix or you’ll end up with a dense, tough cake texture. A few lumps are A-okay here! This gentle folding action is key for lift and rise.
In your smaller bowl, beat the cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. No cream cheese lumps allowed! Add in the fresh lemon juice and zest a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue mixing until it forms a beautifully bright, creamy lemon cream cheese mixture.
Pour half the vanilla cake batter into the prepared pan, spreading gently to distribute evenly. Dollop large spoonfuls of the lemony cream cheese filling evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the filling through the batter, zig-zagging back and forth to create that gorgeous marbled effect. Finally, carefully spoon the remaining cake batter over the swirled filling layer.
Bake the lemon cream cheese dump cake for 40-45 minutes, rotating halfway through. It’s done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs clinging.
Allow your masterpiece to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to slice. This helps the filling set up nicely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve it up! Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Cooking Tips:
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