This easy strawberry rhubarb cake combines sweet and tart flavors in one dessert! Made with a simple boxed cake mix, it is the perfect dessert for spring or summer. As it bakes, the fruit sinks to the bottom, creating a delicious fruity layer.
If you love this recipe, make my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp or Strawberry Pretzel Salad next!
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This cake is one of my mother-in-law's favorite recipes. We all get excited when the rhubarb is ready so she can bake it. She finally shared this recipe with me, and now I'm sharing it with you.
For more easy cake mix dessert recipes, try Strawberries and Cream Tres Leches Cake and Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits in a Jar.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love It
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cake Ingredients
- A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Store Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
- Jeri's Top Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Rhubarb Recipes
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why You'll Love It
- Easy to Make: Using a cake mix and Jell-O saves time.
- Delicious Flavor Combination: The tartness of rhubarb and the sweetness of strawberries go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Jell-O adds a bright pop of color and intensifies the fruit flavors.
- Perfect Dessert: This dessert is great for family dinners, picnics, or anytime. It's a great way to use up fresh rhubarb!
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- White cake mix. Any brand will work, but a mix with pudding in the mix will make it extra moist.
- Milk. You can also use water, but I find it is more moist when I use milk.
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Rhubarb. Fresh is best, but if using frozen, thaw and drain it well.
- Strawberries. Hull and slice the strawberries.
- Sugar
- Jell-O. Use strawberry, raspberry, or cherry flavors.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
Step 1
Prepare the Cake Mix: Follow the directions on the box of cake mix. For mine, I combine cake mix, milk, eggs, and oil in a large bowl and blend on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Step 2
Pour into Pan: Pour the prepared cake batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread it out evenly.
Step 3
Prepare the Fruit Topping: In a separate bowl, combine the sliced rhubarb, strawberries, granulated sugar, and the package of Jell-O. Mix well to coat all the fruit.
Step 4
Add Fruit Topping: Arrange the fruit mixture over the top of the cake batter. Do not mix it into the batter.
Step 5
Bake: Place the baking dish in a preheated oven at 350°F. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The fruit will sink to the bottom during baking, creating a delicious layer.
Step 6
Serve: Serve warm or cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Substitutions and Variations
Cake Mix Flavor: Use different cake mix flavors like lemon or yellow cake.
Fruit: Use raspberries or blueberries instead of strawberries.
Jell-O: Use cherry, strawberry, or raspberry flavor.
How to Store Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.
Jeri's Top Tips
- Cut the rhubarb pieces the same size so they cook evenly.
- Combine the fruit well with the Jell-O powder.
- Cool the cake in the baking dish.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen rhubarb and strawberries. Just thaw and drain them well first.
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the top is golden brown.
Yes, you can use a gluten-free cake mix and follow the same steps.
Did you make this recipe? If you did, can you do me a big favor and leave a rating and review letting me know how you liked it? This helps my website grow so I can continue to publish free recipes. Thank you! 😊
Printable Recipe
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake From Cake Mix
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 4-5 cups rhubarb cut in ½-inch chunks
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 small box Jell-O (Strawberry or Raspberry or Cherry) 3 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Prepare the Cake Mix: Follow the directions on the box of cake mix. (Combine cake mix, milk, eggs, and oil in a large bowl. Blend on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes).
- Pour into Pan: Pour the prepared cake batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread it out evenly.
- Prepare the Fruit Topping: In a separate bowl, combine the sliced rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and the package of Jell-O. Mix well to coat all the fruit.
- Add Fruit Topping: Arrange the fruit mixture over the top of the cake batter. Do not mix it into the batter.
- Bake: Bake the cake at 350℉ for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The fruit will sink to the bottom during baking.
- Serve: Let the cake cool slightly before serving. Enjoy warm or cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Video
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Notes
- This recipe is a fantastic way to use fresh, seasonal rhubarb and strawberries, but frozen fruit can also be used.
- Feel free to experiment with different flavors of cake mix and Jello to find your favorite combination.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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HSP says
I have't tasted it yet, but why didn't my fruit fall to the bottom?
Jeri Walker says
Hi! That's actually a good thing! 😊 If the fruit didn't all sink to the bottom, it usually means the batter was thick enough to support it while baking. A few things can affect this, such as the size of the fruit pieces, whether fresh or frozen fruit was used, and even the brand of cake mix. Smaller pieces of fruit tend to stay suspended more easily throughout the cake. As long as the cake baked through properly, you should end up with little pockets of strawberry and rhubarb throughout the cake instead of having all the fruit settle on the bottom. I hope you enjoy it once you taste it! Let me know what you think! 😊
Sandy says
Could you do this in a bundt pan?
Jeri Walker says
Hi Sandy! Yes, you can make it in a Bundt pan! Use a VERY well-greased and floured 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan and reduce the rhubarb to 3½-4 cups and the strawberries to ¾ cup so it doesn't get too heavy. Layer half the prepared cake batter in the pan, add the fruit mixture, then top with the remaining batter. Bake at 350°F for 50-65 minutes, and let it cool for 15-20 minutes before inverting. 😊
Barb Shotliff says
This was very good. It was easy to make but I would have liked it a little less sweet. Next time I will use a 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar. Do not save or use my name or email address. Thank you.
Jeri Walker says
I'm so glad you liked the cake Barb! It's always been one of my favorites! 😊 And don't worry, I won't save your email address unless you sign up for my newsletter. 😊
DEE says
I have not tasted the cake yet, but the strawberries & rhubarb did not fall to the bottom of the cake...they stayed on the top of the cake. I made the cakes in two 8 × 8 pans. The cakes look fine, but not like your picture!
Jeri Walker says
Hi Dee! Thanks so much for trying the recipe! In my kitchen, the fruit usually sinks as the cake bakes because the batter puffs up around it—but sometimes it stays more on top if the fruit isn’t super juicy. Even if it doesn’t look exactly like the picture, it should still taste amazing! Let me know what you think once you slice into it! 😊
Linda says
Dodo you have to make Strawberries 🍓 & Rhubarb into a simple syrup before baking?
Jeri Walker says
No, you just combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and Jell-O, then pour the mixture over top of the cake batter, then bake. The fruit sinks to the bottom after baking.