Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep and layer
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish so the rhubarb won’t stick.
- Spread the diced fresh rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish and sprinkle with sugar.
- Pour the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the rhubarb layer, keeping the layers separate (do not stir).
- Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix, aiming to cover as much of the surface as possible for crisp edges.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top if using for added crunch.
Bake
- Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350°F until the top is golden brown and the rhubarb is bubbling around the edges (visual cue: crisp, browned topping).
Cool and serve
- Let the dump cake cool for 10 minutes so the topping sets slightly before slicing and serving.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream so the ice cream begins to melt over the golden topping.
Notes
For best texture, keep the cake mix as a dry layer (don’t stir) so it bakes into a crisp, buttery topping. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 325°F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the rhubarb can turn watery when thawed. For a lighter option, try using reduced-sugar rhubarb preserves instead of some of the sugar if you want a slightly less sweet base.