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Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Rhubarb pudding cake is a self-saucing “magic cake” that bakes into two layers: a moist cake with a sweet pudding sauce beneath. Diced rhubarb turns tangy and jammy while bubbling sauce forms around the edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cake
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup milk
  • 3 tbsp butter melted
  • 2 cup fresh rhubarb diced
sauce
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 tbsp butter dotted on top

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and make the cake batter
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Stir in milk and melted butter until the batter is smooth.
  4. Fold in diced fresh rhubarb and spread the batter into the prepared dish.
Add self-saucing pudding layer
  1. Mix sugar and cornstarch, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter.
  2. Pour boiling water over the top and dot with butter.
Bake and finish
  1. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, until the cake is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
  2. Cool for 15 minutes before serving warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

For the cleanest layers, spread the batter level in the dish before sprinkling the dry sauce mix, then pour the boiling water in one steady stream. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; rewarm individual portions in the microwave until hot. Freezing works best for slices for up to 1 month—thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm. For a lighter option, swap half the sugar for an equal amount of your preferred sugar substitute that measures 1:1 in baking.