Quick and Easy Rhubarb Custard Cake Dessert
Old-fashioned Rhubarb Custard Cake is a vintage dessert that tastes delightfully fancy with morsels of sweet-tart rhubarb hidden in a creamy custard and covered with moist and fluffy cake. It’s also delightfully simple to make, making it an easy dessert for any night of the week or to whip up to bring to a potluck.
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I first ate this delicious, creamy cake dessert when a friend brought it to a church potluck years ago. It’s one of those old-time recipes you might find tucked into your Grandma’s recipe box or in a timeless ladies’ society cookbook.
What Type of Cake Mix Does Rhubarb Custard Cake Need? What if I Want to Make the Cake Batter from Scratch?
This popular dessert recipe calls for a boxed cake mix prepared according to the package directions. Most traditional recipes for Rhubarb Custard Cake call for a yellow cake mix, but I prefer a white cake mix to avoid the food dyes found in most yellow cake mixes.
Whichever type of cake batter you choose, you’ll pour the batter into your 9×13 cake pan, then sprinkle on some finely chopped rhubarb, followed by extra sugar. The final touch will be to pour heavy whipping cream over everything and pop it into the oven. As the cake bakes, it magically transforms into a fluffy cake on top and a decadent creamy custard on the bottom.
Why is Rhubarb Custard Cake a popular dessert? One reason is that it’s so flexible.
Like many vintage recipes, this easy Rhubarb Custard Cake has a lot of flexibility. Homemakers of yesteryear knew how to make do with what they had on hand, and this classic recipe is no exception: you’ll find recipes online that call for more or less rhubarb, sugar, and cream than my recipe does. I’ve developed this recipe to be just how my family likes it, but you can use my amounts as a basic guideline and adjust them to suit you perfectly.
For instance, I’ve made this recipe with only 2 cups of rhubarb, and I’ve made it with as much as 4 cups of rhubarb, depending on how much I had on hand. If you decrease the rhubarb, you’ll want to also reduce the sugar to maintain the sweet-tart balance.
Rhubarb: a Delicious Food that May Be Growing in Your Backyard
Rhubarb is a delightfully tart fruit (actually, it’s technically a vegetable since it is the plant’s stalk) that is one of the first things to pop up in home gardens in spring. It is versatile and easy to grow. If you live in an area with cold winters and warm summers, chances are you have a rhubarb plant or two growing in a garden near you, and many neighbors with a rhubarb patch are happy to share with others if you aren’t growing any yourself.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb for Rhubarb Custard Cake?
This recipe is best made with fresh rhubarb, but it can also be made with frozen rhubarb (frozen rhubarb may be available in the frozen fruit section of your grocery if you can’t find any fresh). If you are using frozen rhubarb, you’ll have the best results if you measure the amount of rhubarb while it is frozen, then allow it to thaw and drain off the extra liquid (do not squeeze the rhubarb).
Here are the Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
1 white or yellow cake mix, mixed according to the package directions (you’ll need eggs and oil for this)
3 cups finely chopped rhubarb (a nice red rhubarb will make the prettiest cake, but a green rhubarb will taste just as nice).
1 cup granulated sugar (I prefer Morena sugar)
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
How to Make Easy Rhubarb Custard Cake
Now, without further ado, let’s make dessert!
Quick and Easy Rhubarb Custard Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 Cake Pan
Ingredients
- 1 white or yellow cake mix mixed according to the package directions. See note.
- 3 cups finely chopped fresh rhubarb. See note.
- 1 cup granulated sugar I prefer Morena sugar
- 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9×13” cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix the cake mix according to the package directions (or prepare a standard white cake batter from scratch if desired). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the finely diced rhubarb evenly over the cake batter. Next, sprinkle on the sugar. Do not stir.
- Lastly, pour the heavy whipping cream over everything. Carefully place the pan into the heated oven.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. The cake will be done when the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed.
- Rhubarb Custard Cake can be served warm, but it is best served at room temperature. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to three days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Most traditional recipes for Rhubarb Custard Cake call for a yellow cake mix, but I prefer a white cake mix to avoid the food dyes found in most yellow cake mixes. You can use either a yellow or white cake mix, or even make your own standard cake mix from scratch and proceed with the recipe as directed.
- This recipe is best made with fresh rhubarb, but it can also be made with frozen rhubarb (frozen rhubarb may be available in the frozen fruit section of your grocery if you can’t find any fresh). If you are using frozen rhubarb, you’ll achieve the best results by measuring the amount of rhubarb while it is frozen, then allowing it to thaw and drain off the excess liquid (do not squeeze the rhubarb). Proceed with the recipe as directed.
