Rhubarb dump cake is a refreshingly delicious baked fruit dessert made from tart rhubarb, sweet strawberry jello, white or yellow cake mix and butter. Make this rhubarb cake mix cobbler for the perfect quick and easy spring or summer dessert.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I have quiet a few dump cake recipes on the blog. I love how quick and easy they are to throw together. My Blueberry Dump Cake, Pineapple Dump Cake, Strawberry Dump Cake, Lemon Dump Cake and Cherry Dump Cake are all well loved cake mix cobbler recipes. I am so excited to add this sweet and tart rhubarb dump cake recipe to the blog. I know you’ll love it because:
- Quick desserts are the best. Whether you are looking for a sweet and delicious dish to end a meal, or you need a great last minute dessert, nothing is as easy as a fresh rhubarb and strawberry dump cake.
- Easy to make, easy to bake. This dump cake with fresh rhubarb and strawberry jello mix uses just a handful of ingredients to make. All you have to do is assemble and bake!
- A simple dessert with layers of flavor. The fresh, tart and sweet strawberry rhubarb filling pairs perfectly with the buttery cake crust. Top this rhubarb cake mix cobbler with cold vanilla ice cream and you have the perfect spring or summer dessert.
Ingredients
This easy and delicious rhubarb cake mix dump cake requires only a handful of ingredients to make and is as simple as dumping a few ingredients into a pan and baking it.
Gather fresh or frozen rhubarb, strawberry jello mix, sugar, white cake mix, butter and water.
Substitutions
This rhubarb strawberry cobbler cake is meant to be quick, easy and so delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe if you need them:
- Rhubarb: Feel free to use fresh or frozen rhubarb in this dump cake recipe. If using fresh rhubarb make sure not to eat the roots or leaves of the rhubarb. Only eat the stem or stalk of the rhubarb. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw before using in the recipe. Just know that the bake time will be a bit longer than using fresh rhubarb. If fresh or frozen rhubarb is not available, see the Variations section below for the correct modification.
- Strawberry Jello Mix: Strawberry and rhubarb is a classic flavor pairing for spring and summer. For this reason, I prefer using strawberry jello mix. Feel free to use any red color gelatin mix such as cherry or raspberry. To make this rhubarb dump cake without jello mix, see the Variations section below.
- Granulated Sugar: Rhubarb can be very tart so some sugar is needed to help balance the flavors. Feel free to use a sugar free or refined sugar free alternative.
- Box White Cake Mix: I prefer using white cake mix for a contrast of color and flavor, but feel free to use any box cake mix such as vanilla, yellow or even lemon cake mix.
- Butter: Feel free to use any butter you like.
Variations
- Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake: Use 4 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb with 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries. Make sure the rhubarb and strawberries are roughly the same size so ensure even baking. Prepare and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Canned Rhubarb or Canned Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling: Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be difficult to find sometimes. Replace all the fresh or frozen fruit with 2 cans of rhubarb or 2 cans Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling. Omit the added sugar and strawberry jello mix. Top the cake mix with with ½ cup (113 g) thinly sliced butter. Drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter in between the slices of butter on top of the dry cake mix. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Rhubarb Dump Cake without Jello: Add 4 - 6 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb (or mix of strawberry and rhubarb) into a lightly greased baking dish. Top with ¾ cup (150 g) - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch and gently mix together. Omit the strawberry jello mix. Top the cake mix with ½ cup (113 g) thinly sliced butter. Drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter in between the slices of butter on top of the dry cake mix. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
How To Make
Learn how to make rhubarb dump cake in a few easy steps.
- Lightly grease a 9 x 9, 11 x 7 or 9 x 13 inch baking dish using a tablespoon of butter. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Evenly spread the chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb across the greased baking dish.
- Top the chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb with granulated sugar. Evenly spread the strawberry jello mix (dry mix only) on top of the granulated sugar.
- Evenly spread the dry cake mix on top of the strawberry jello mix. Drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix. Try to top as much of the cake mix as possible. Evenly pour the water over the melted butter and cake mix. Don’t worry if the water slides off the cake mix and melted butter.
- Bake the rhubarb dump cake for 45 - 60 minutes or until the top is a beautiful golden brown and the rhubarb filling is bubbling around the edges of the baking dish. Check the dump cake around 35 - 40 minutes. If there are any dry cake mix spots poking through, drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) more melted butter on top. Return the rhubarb cake mix cobbler to the oven to bake through. Cool the cake mix strawberry cobbler for at least 30 minutes, scoop into a bowl, top with ice cream and enjoy. This rhubarb cobbler dump cake is a bit soupy at 30 minutes. Foe the thickest, most set filling, cool the dump cake at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours.
How To store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Store: Store this strawberry rhubarb dump cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze: Make and bake the dump cake according to the recipe directions and cool completely. Wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Store the rhubarb dessert in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: Transfer the frozen dump cake to the refrigerator overnight and reheat the dump cake in the oven at 350 F (177 C) for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Serve: This rhubarb crisp dump cake is best warm with a big scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top.
M’s Expert Tips
- Grease the bottom and sides of the baking dish with about 1 tablespoon (14 g) softened butter.
- Add more butter. After topping the cake mix with thinly sliced pats of butter and water, drizzle about 4 tablespoons of melted butter on any spaces left uncovered by the butter and water after baking for 35 - 40 minutes. This helps ensure there are no pieces of dried cake mix.
- Check at 35 - 40 minutes. This is a good time to add a little more melted butter on any spots of dry cake mix that may have no melted butter on top. Simply drizzle a little more butter on those spots and continue baking for another 10 - 20 minutes.
- Let the rhubarb dessert rest. Give this dump cake at least 30 minutes to rest, cool and thicken. For the most set filling, cool the dump cake for at least 1 - 2 hours.
FAQs
Why do they call it dump cake?
The name comes from the way this cobbler like dessert is prepared. To make a dump cake, simply dump a can of pie filling or fresh fruit into a greased dish, top with a dry cake mix and butter.
How do you know when a dump cake is done?
The top will be golden brown and the filling will be bubbling. Depending on the kind of dump cake, most need to bake for about 45- 60 minutes.
Is dump cake supposed to be mushy?
Once the cobbler, or dump cake is baked, the texture is a cross between melty cobbler and fluffy cake. The longer a dump cake sits after baking, the thicker the filling will become. The result is more of a cobbler like consistency.
More Rhubarb Recipes to Try
If you try this Rhubarb Dump Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Rhubarb Dump Cake Recipe
Rhubarb dump cake is a refreshingly delicious baked fruit dessert made from tart rhubarb, sweet strawberry jello, white or yellow cake mix and butter. Make this rhubarb cake mix cobbler for the perfect quick and easy spring or summer dessert.
Equipment
- 1 11 x 7 or 9 x 13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 4 - 6 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 oz. strawberry jello mix
- 15.25 oz. white cake mix
- ½ - ¾ cup (113 - 170 g) salted butter, melted
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9 x 9, 11 x 7 or 9 x 13 inch baking dish using a tablespoon of butter. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C).
- Evenly spread the chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb across the greased baking dish. Top the chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb with granulated sugar. Evenly spread the strawberry jello mix (dry mix only) on top of the granulated sugar.4 - 6 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Evenly spread the dry cake mix on top of the strawberry jello mix. Drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix. Try to top as much of the cake mix as possible. Evenly pour the water over the melted butter and cake mix. Don’t worry if the water slides off the cake mix and melted butter.3 oz. strawberry jello mix, 15.25 oz. white cake mix, ½ - ¾ cup (113 - 170 g) salted butter, melted , 1 cup (240 ml) water
- Bake the rhubarb dump cake for 45 - 60 minutes or until the top is a beautiful golden brown and the rhubarb filling is bubbling around the edges of the baking dish. Check the dump cake around 35 - 40 minutes. If there are any dry cake mix spots poking through, drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) more melted butter on top. Return the rhubarb cake mix cobbler to the oven to bake through.
- Cool the cake mix rhubarb cobbler for at least 30 minutes, scoop into a bowl, top with ice cream and enjoy. This rhubarb cobbler dump cake is a bit soupy at 30 minutes. Foe the thickest, most set filling, cool the dump cake at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours.
Notes
Store: Store this strawberry rhubarb dump cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
See Variations section of the blog post to make this dump cake recipe using canned rhubarb or without strawberry jello.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
Judith VanWinkle says
Can you use 1 cup of 2% milk instead of water
Megan says
Hi Judith, I haven't tried using milk instead of water. If you give this a try, please let me know how it works for you.