Variations & Tips
For a slightly richer flavor, you can use salted butter instead of unsalted; the bit of salt makes the lemon pop. If you like extra texture, sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded sweetened coconut or chopped pecans over the dry cake mix before drizzling on the butter. To make it a little prettier for company, dust the cooled cake lightly with powdered sugar just before serving, or garnish each bowl with a few fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries. If you prefer a thicker lemon layer, use an extra half can of lemon pie filling or bake this in a slightly smaller 9×9-inch glass dish and increase the bake time by 5–10 minutes. For easier serving at a picnic, bake, cool, and chill the cake completely in the glass dish; it will cut into neater squares, though most folks won’t mind if it’s scooped and a bit rustic. Always keep the three core parts the same—lemon pie filling, white cake mix, and butter—so you keep that simple, crowd-pleasing charm that had our family scraping the pan clean before I could get a second slice.
