Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Lightly grease an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch square baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

Add the Lemon Base: Pour the entire can of lemon pie filling directly into the bottom of the greased baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly, ensuring it reaches the corners.

First Cake Layer: Sprinkle exactly half of your dry yellow cake mix evenly over the lemon filling. Do not stir!

Add Cream Cheese: Distribute the small cubes of cream cheese evenly over the dry cake mix layer.

Second Cake Layer: Sprinkle the remaining half of the dry cake mix over the cream cheese cubes, making the surface as level as possible.

Top with Butter: Take your thinly sliced butter pats and arrange them in a single, even layer over the dry cake mix. Try to cover as much of the surface area of the cake as possible. (Note: You can also melt the butter and drizzle it evenly over the top if preferred).

Bake: Place the baking dish on the center rack of your oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when the edges are bubbling, the top is a deep golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without raw cake batter.

Cool & Serve: Remove from the oven and let the cake cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows the hot lemon filling to set. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!