Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake

prep
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
strawberry base
3 Spread the strawberry pie filling evenly in the bottom of the dish. Gently fold in the fresh strawberries, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Don’t overmix—you want pockets of fruit, not jam soup.
cheesecake layer
5 In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, sugar, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and salt. Beat on low speed until fully combined and silky.
6 Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the strawberry layer in dollops. No spreading. Let it be rustic.
topping
8 In a separate bowl, stir the dry cake mix with melted butter and heavy cream until large, buttery crumbs form.
9 Scatter the crumbs evenly over the cheesecake layer. If you like a little crunch, sprinkle the top lightly with coarse sugar.
bake
11 Bake uncovered for 40–50 minutes, until the top is golden, the edges are bubbly, and the center looks set but still soft.
12 Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. This is not a suggestion—it needs a moment to pull itself together.