This Rhubarb Dump Cake is one of the easiest desserts to prepare! You literally “dump” all the ingredients into a baking dish, pop it in the oven, and then it’s ready to devour. I love to throw this together whenever I want to serve a homemade treat or if I have a sweet craving. It’s one of my favorite dump cake recipes.
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If you like fresh rhubarb or strawberry rhubarb pie, I recommend this recipe. It makes the rhubarb the star of the show. As it cooks down, it becomes perfectly soft without a chewy texture. I add Jello to keep the filling thick and almost jam-like to complement the cake layer.
If you like baked fruit recipes, you will love this Blueberry Cobbler with Cake Mix and Cast Iron Peach Cobbler.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s only 5 ingredients: You only need 5 ingredients (plus water) to make this recipe for rhubarb dump cake. They are really simple, too.
- It’s budget-friendly: This recipe uses inexpensive ingredients to create a really delicious and impressive dessert. It shows that you can save money but also enjoy a great rhubarb recipe.
- It takes 10 minutes to prepare: To prepare and layer the ingredients, it will take you no more than 10 minutes. I love that this doesn’t take a long time to put together, especially when I want a yummy dessert, but don’t feel like making it. I love it almost as much as this fruit cocktail dump cake.
Ingredients
Everything you need to make this dump and bake rhubarb cake is listed below. Remember, you don’t need the ingredients listed on the cake mix box because you will be sprinkling it right on top of the other components as is!
- Rhubarb: I like to use fresh rhubarb for this recipe. Chop them into uniform pieces to ensure that they all bake at the same rate. You do not want overcooked, mushy pieces or undercooked, hard pieces.
- Sugar: I add some sugar to balance the tart, slightly bitter flavor of the rhubarb. It also helps the filling to caramelize and thicken.
- Jello mix: Strawberry Jello complements the rhubarb perfectly by adding a sweet fruity flavor and giving the filling of the dump cake an almost jam-like consistency.
- Cake mix: I like yellow cake mix best. It’s got plenty of flavor and sweetness without overpowering the natural flavor of the rhubarb.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Spiced: Use a box of spiced cake mix to add a cinnamon flavor to the dump cake.
- Strawberry: Add fresh strawberries to the filling to make it similar to a strawberry rhubarb pie.
- Experiment with Other Flavors: Try this recipe with chocolate cake mix to make it even richer and decadent or a lemon cake mix for a bit of tart flavors that work great with the rhubarb.
How to Make Rhubarb Dump Cake
Here are the instructions on how to make this dump rhubarb cake with cake mix. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease the pan with butter or use nonstick cooking spray.
Step 1: Add rhubarb. Layer the chopped rhubarb in an even layer at the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 2: Sprinkle sugar and Jello. Sprinkle the white sugar and then the strawberry Jello mix over the top of the rhubarb.
Step 3: Add cake mix. Add the cake mix evenly on top and ensure everything is covered.
Step 4: Top with butter and water. Drizzle the melted butter on top, followed by the water to moisten the cake mix well.
Step 5: Bake it. Place it in the oven and bake it for 45-50 minutes or until it’s perfectly golden brown on top.
Step 6: Cool and serve. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, scoop and serve!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t mix it before baking: The idea of a dump cake is to “dump” and layer all of the ingredients and bake it without mixing them together. So leave it as is before it goes in the oven.
- Check for dry patches: About halfway through the baking process, check to see if there are any dry patches of cake mix. Add a small splash of water if needed.
- Let it cool and set before serving: I sometimes wait longer than 10 minutes to let it cool so it can set and not be as runny for serving.
- Storing: Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze it for up to 1 month.
If you love recipes like this one using rhubarb, you may also enjoy this rhubarb muffins recipe too!
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy a nice scoop of ice cream like white chocolate raspberry ice cream or gingerbread ice cream with a serving of this rhubarb cobbler with cake mix.
- Drizzle some cranberry syrup for depth of flavor.
- Stick with the rhubarb them and add a drizzle of rhubarb simple syrup or add a scoop of rhubarb ice cream on top.
- Serve it with some grilled mangoes to add more texture and fruit flavor.
- A cup of cinnamon hot chocolate is one of my favorite accompaniments with this cake.
Rhubarb Dump Cake Recipe FAQs
I prefer fresh, but if you’re going to use frozen, thaw it and drain as much excess moisture as possible before adding it to the baking dish.
Sure. Layer it the same way and cook it on high for 2-3 hours. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and then serve!
Yes. Depending on the size of the cast-iron, you may need more than one pan. It will give the cake perfectly brown, crispy edges.
More Delicious Rhubarb Dessert Recipes
Do you like making desserts with rhubarb? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Rhubarb Cake with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh rhubarb chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 3-ounce package strawberry Jello
- 1 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Spread chopped rhubarb evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the rhubarb.
- Sprinkle the strawberry Jell-O powder evenly on top of the sugar layer.
- Pour the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the Jell-O layer without stirring.
- Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mix.
- Pour the water evenly over everything to help moisten the top layer.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you choose to use frozen rhubarb, thaw it and drain excess water from it first to ensure that the finished rhubarb cake isn’t watery or soggy.
- Layer and cook the rhubarb dump cake in the slow cooker instead!
- Store leftovers of this cake recipe in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Patricia says
Wow this super easy to make. I very much appreciate how easy your recipes are. I am always looking for ways to eat up my rhubarb and your case was a huge success. Thx KD for another keeper ❤️
Karin and Ken says
You’re most welcome! This dump cake is popular around here too! All the best. Karin