• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Modern Farmhouse Eats logo

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Portfolio
    • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Portfolio
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Portfolio
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    June 19, 2023

    Easy From Scratch Rhubarb Dump Cake

    • Share Recipe
    Jump to Recipe

    Easy and insanely delicious rhubarb dump cake made with fresh or frozen rhubarb and a homemade cake mix that requires just 5 simple ingredients. All you need is 10 minutes of hands-on prep time, then bake and enjoy warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

    Rhubarb dump cake in a baking dish topped with vanilla ice cream and using a spoon to scoop out cake

    Dump cake isn't here to win any awards for how pretty it looks, but instead, I love it because it's super easy to make and tastes amazing! This recipe actually reminds me of a cobbler but topped with a delicious and moist cake instead of biscuits.

    This recipe requires very simple pantry staple ingredients that I can almost guarantee you already have on hand, so let's get baking!

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Easy to make. Dump cakes are as easy as they sound! You literally dump a handful of ingredients together and bake. Resulting in a cake that more closely resembles a cobbler!
    • From Scratch. Instead of using a boxed cake mix, this recipe calls for pantry-staple ingredients to make a homemade cake mix with just flour, sugar, and baking powder. Under the homemade cake mix is just rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla!
    • Made withOUT jello. Lots of rhubarb dump cake recipes call for mixing rhubarb with jello, but I prefer to make rhubarb dump cake without it, creating a delicious cake-like cobbler dessert with a jammy rhubarb filling!
    close up of rhubarb dump cake

    Rhubarb dump cake ingredients

    • Rhubarb. (You can use fresh or frozen - no need to thaw first)
    • Granulated sugar.
    • Cinnamon.
    • Vanilla extract.
    • All-purpose flour
    • Baking powder
    • Salt
    • Salted butter

    How to cut rhubarb

    Depending on the recipe, rhubarb stalks are generally cut into thin or thick slices like you would cut celery. If the stalk is really thick, you can also dice the rhubarb into smaller pieces.

    Be sure to cut off and discard the leaves as they are poisonous!

    sliced rhubarb in a baking dish with sugar and cinnamon

    How to make rhubarb dump cake

    Rhubarb dump cake requires just a few simple steps. Here's an overview.

    1. Rhubarb filling. Mix together rhubarb (fresh or frozen), sugar, cinnamon and vanilla right in your baking dish!
    2. Cake mix. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and baking powder to create a homemade cake mix then sprinkle over the rhubarb filling.
    3. Top with butter. As always, cake mix requires some kind of liquid or fat, so you'll top the cake mix with melted and sliced butter. The cake mix will also absorb liquid from the rhubarb as it bakes.
    4. Make it "fancy." I like to pretty up the cake by adding some slices of rhubarb to the top before baking!
    5. Enjoy! I love to serve the rhubarb cake warm with vanilla ice cream!

    Strawberry rhubarb dump cake

    We all know that strawberries and rhubarb go great together! Feel free to swap 2-3 cups of rhubarb with 2-3 cups of sliced strawberries to turn this into a delicious strawberry rhubarb dump cake!

    Rhubarb dump cake recipe without jello

    This easy and delicious rhubarb dump cake is made WITHOUT jello and made WITH homemade cake mix. As often as possible, I like to bake and cook from scratch to avoid unnecessary ingredients and food dyes.

    This cake is insanely delicious without jello and actually reminds me of cobbler! The homemade cake mix only requires a few pantry-staple ingredients, making things super simple with minimal prep time. I love to serve this rhubarb dump cake warm with vanilla ice cream!

    rhubarb dump cake in a baking dish before it goes into the oven

    Frequency asked questions

    Can I use frozen rhubarb?

    Yes! You can use frozen rhubarb to make dump cake. Add it to the baking dish while frozen - no need to thaw first.

    When is rhubarb season?

    Rhubarb is at its peak in late spring through early summer. The stalks of rhubarb are ready to be picked when they're tall and firm. Some stalks will be red, which are generally a little sweeter, and other stalks will be more green.

    Is rhubarb a fruit or vegetable?

    Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, as it doesn't contain any seeds, but it is primarily used as a fruit for things such as pies, cakes, cobblers, crisps, and jams.

    What does rhubarb taste like?

    Rhubarb is very tart, especially when raw, and has a crunchy texture like celery. Baking with rhubarb requires a little extra sugar, compared to using berries and other fruits, to balance out that sour, tart flavor.

    cooked rhubarb dump cake in a baking dish topped with vanilla ice cream

    How to store rhubarb cake

    Rhubarb cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. If there is cake left after this point then I recommend storing in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

    Make ahead

    You can certainly make this cake 1-2 days ahead of time, but do I think it's best served freshly made while it's still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Since it's a dump cake, it doesn't require much hands-on time.

    Two options for make ahead:

    Option 1: Prepare your ingredients.

    • Slice the rhubarb and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Mix together your dry ingredients and store in an airtight container on the counter.
    • Assemble and bake the day off. Mix the rhubarb with the remaining ingredients and add to your baking dish. Top with the dry ingredients and butter, then bake.

    Option 2: Bake the entire cake the day before.

    • Follow the instructions below to bake the entire cake the day before, then cover it tightly and store at room temperature.
    Rhubarb dump cake in a baking dish topped with vanilla ice cream and using a spoon to scoop out cake
    • rhubarb bars cut into squares
      Rhubarb Shortbread Crumble Bars
    • Strawberry rhubarb crisp in a skillet and topped with vanilla ice cream
      Perfect Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Brown Butter Streusel
    • lavender earl grey cookies sitting on top of a cup of lavender earl grey tea
      Lavender Earl Grey Cookies with Lemon Glaze
    • Blueberry muffins with sugar cookie streusel
      Blueberry Muffins with Sugar Cookie Streusel

    If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below! I'd love to hear from you! If you’re on Instagram, share a picture of the food you created and tag me at Modern Farmhouse Eats! I enjoy seeing all the pictures! 😊

    Rhubarb dump cake in a baking dish topped with vanilla ice cream and using a spoon to scoop out cake

    Easy From Scratch Rhubarb Dump Cake

    Rachel Riesgraf
    Easy and insanely delicious rhubarb dump cake made with fresh or frozen rhubarb and a homemade cake mix that requires just 5 simple ingredients. All you need is 10 minutes of hands-on prep time, then bake and enjoy warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
    3.67 stars
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Dessert
    Servings 12 servings

    Equipment

    • 9x13 inch baking dish
    • mixing bowls

    Ingredients
      

    Rhubarb filling

    • 6 cups rhubarb, chopped (fresh or frozen)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Cake mix

    • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
    • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup salted butter, cold

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • Add the rhubarb filling ingredients to a 9x13-inch baking dish and mix to combine.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix ingredients then sprinkle evenly over the rhubarb filling.
    • Melt ½ cup butter in a small bowl, then pour over the cake mix. Cut the other half of the butter into thin slices then place randomly over the cake mix. If desired, sprinkle the top with some extra rhubarb slices for visual appeal.
    • Bake 45-50 minutes until lightly golden brown on top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

    Notes

    Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake: Swap 2-3 cups of rhubarb for sliced strawberries.
    Did you make this recipe?I'd love to hear from you! Rate the recipe and leave a comment below or share a picture on Instagram and tag @ModernFarmhouseEats

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my privacy policy for details.

    « Rhubarb Shortbread Crumble Bars
    Peanut Butter S'mores Brownies »
    • Share Recipe

    Recent Recipes

    s'mores brownies cut into squares and served with a glass of milk
    Rhubarb dump cake in a baking dish topped with vanilla ice cream and using a spoon to scoop out cake
    rhubarb bars cut into squares
    chocolate Rice Krispies cut into squares

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Rachel Riesgraf

    Hey There!

    I’m Rachel Riesgraf, a recipe developer and food photographer. Welcome to my modern farmhouse! Growing up on a farm, I learned how to create the best homestyle recipes using fresh, seasonal ingredients. I carry that same style of cooking and baking with me as I develop easy, from scratch, comfort food recipes for the busy, modern cook.

    Learn more about me →

    Join Our Community!

    I provide the delicious homestyle recipes. You do the cooking and eating!

    Let's Connect!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Me

    Contact

    Recipe Index

    Let's Connect!

    Facebook

    Instagram

    TikTok

    Pinterest

    Copyright © 2022 Modern Farmhouse Eats | Privacy Policy

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest