How To Make Rhubarb Upside Down Cake (With Fresh Rhubarb and Strawberry Jello)

Looking for a delicious and easy dessert to make with fresh rhubarb? Try this irresistible rhubarb upside down cake recipe with cake mix and strawberry Jello! Learn how to make it step by step below.

Ingredients for Rhubarb Upside Down Cake with Cake Mix and Jello

I love a shortcut dessert recipe, especially when nobody can detect that it’s so easy to make. Case in point, this particular rhubarb upside down cake is made with both cake mix and Jello mix.

• Fresh Rhubarb Stalks
• Strawberry Jello Mix
• Yellow Cake Mix
• Large Eggs
• Vegetable Oil
• Water

The original name of the recipe is Rosy Rhubarb Cake, and that’s because it’s such a pretty rosy color due to the dry strawberry Jello mix that’s sprinkled right over top of the diced rhubarb.

How to make rhubarb upside down cake

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a 13 x 9 inch pan by spraying with nonstick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
3. Dice rhubarb stalks into 1-inch pieces. Discard the leaves.
4. Arrange diced rhubarb into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
5. Pour dry Jello mix over top of the rhubarb.
6. In a large bowl, prepare the yellow cake mix according to the box instructions. (Beat together cake mix, eggs, oil and water using a stand mixer or hand mixer at medium speed).
7. Pour over the rhubarb mixture in the cake pan.
8. Bake according to the directions on the back of the box, around approximately 34 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let cake cool on a wire rack.
10. To serve, sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar, and serve with the fruit on the bottom, or loosen the edge of the cake with a knife, cut and invert onto a plate, and serve as a rhubarb upside down cake. If desired, top with whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool completely. Cover with a tight fitting lid or with plastic wrap. Store on the counter at room temperature for up to 48 hours. To extend the shelf-life, store in the refrigerator.

Recipe FAQs

• For a fruitier rhubarb cake, use 6 cups of diced rhubarb.
• Fresh rhubarb works best. Frozen rhubarb releases a lot of water changing the consistency.
• I typically use a regular Jello mix. The sugar-free Jello mix should theoretically work; however, I have not tested this version.
• Serve one of two ways. Serve with the fruit on the bottom of the cake or invert and serve as an upside down cake with the fruit on the top.

Recipe Variations

• Use anywhere from 4 to 6 cups of diced rhubarb.
• A white cake mix would work great too. Just follow the instructions for how to prepare and how long to bake it on the back of the cake box.
• Try different types of Jello mixes, if desired. Cherry jello, raspberry jello and blueberry Jello would all be tasty.
• Serve this easy rhubarb cake either with the fruit on the bottom or flip it over with the fruit on the top.
• Split this into 2 round cakes instead of one large, rectangular cake.
• Add lemon zest or orange zest in either the cake batter or sprinkled over the rhubarb for a bit of brightness. Squeeze the lemon juice or orange juice out, and add a couple Tablespoons of that as well.

How to store rhubarb upside down cake

To store rhubarb upside-down cake, let it cool completely and then cover it with a tight-fitting lid, plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. Store it on the counter at at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Can you freeze rhubarb upside down cake?

Yes, you can freeze rhubarb upside-down cake. Cool it completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap in aluminum foil. Place it in a freezer-safe bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer. To thaw, move it to the refrigerator before serving.

Fresh Fruit Recipes

While our family are huge chocolate fans, we also have several members who would take a fruit dessert over chocolate. This means we have lots of dessert recipes featuring fruit.

Easy Cherry Crisp

Grandma’s Apple Crisp

Peach Batter Cake

Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler

Banana Pudding

Rhubarb Recipes

• Easy Rhubarb Sauce – Spiced Rhubarb Sauce, Perfect for Ice Cream
• Rhubarb Nut Bread – An Amish Rhubarb Bread Recipe
• No Crust Rhubarb Pie – Crustless Rhubarb Pie Recipe
• Old Fashioned Rhubarb Cake – A Sour Cream Rhubarb Cake
• Rhubarb Strawberry Pie
• Rhubarb Crunch – A Step By Step Guide To Making Rhubarb Crumble With Oats

Rhubarb Cake with Cake Mix

My daughter has been going on and on and on about how delicious this cake mix rhubarb cake is. She is known at school for having the best desserts in her lunch box. Almost every day, I pack her a little baggie of homemade cookies or a container with some tasty cobbler, pie or cake in it.

Her friends were a little unsure about rhubarb; most of them had never even heard of such thing. But she told me that she was raving to them that they had to try it.

My Dad was also very impressed with this rhubarb cake, and he’s a hard nut to crack when it comes to rhubarb desserts since he is typically a rhubarb purist, meaning he prefers rhubarb desserts without strawberry.

Kitchen Tools and Pantry Staples

• Yellow Cake Mix
• Strawberry Jello Mix
• Kitchenaid Mixer
• Spoonula
• 13 x 9 inch cake pan
• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife