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Easy Strawberry rhubarb crumble (Crisp)

Our strawberry rhubarb crumble will satisfy any cravings for a delicious strawberry rhubarb dessert that’s easy to make and will feed a crowd.

Wouldn’t you love to be able to freeze the leftovers (if there are any!) to have mini delicious desserts throughout the week? 

And just what is the difference between a strawberry rhubarb crisp and a crumble?

Then keep reading!

You will need: frozen strawberry rhubarb mix (fresh works too!), sugar, cornstarch, yellow cake mix, unsalted butter, 13 X 9 pan

serving of strawberry rhubarb crumble on a white plate on red checked tablecloth

Why I love cake mix recipes

Well I guess the obvious reason is convenience, but have you thought about the savings too?  Cake mixes are often on sale and I like to stock up on the basic ones – chocolate (of course!) and yellow, and white – At least two of each.

I usually stick to the main players, like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, but I’ve had some success with the generic brands too! 

You will find a number of recipes here that use cake mixes like delicious Lemon loaf cake (better than Starbucks!) yummy Pineapple Upsidedown Cake and the gooey-est chocolate brownies ever! 

Tips for using frozen fruit

For this recipe, and many of the pies I make (with the exception of my Cherry Pie) I always bake using the fruit frozen and do not thaw.  There is more liquid this way, and that’s perfect for something like a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp.

Most grocery stores carry frozen fruit blends including strawberry rhubarb mix.

It’s perfect every time.  

When you use frozen fruit in pies, tips like letting the fruit rest, using enough cornstarch to soak up the juices, and letting the pie rest after baking all help to let the fruit ‘set’.

generous serving of strawberry rhubarb crumble with whipped cream and sliced strawberries on a white plate

Getting your Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble top to be well, crumbly and crispy…

Now I’ve called this recipe a Crumble but it is also a Crisp and put Crisp in brackets.  Why did I do that?  Well to me they are interchangeable.  

Here’s why.

Some folks feel that the topping of a Crisp has oatmeal in it.  Now I know that using oatmeal is very popular in making baked crisp desserts, like Apple Crisp, and I do use it in that recipe.  

I have found  that oatmeal makes the crisp – well not crispy, so  I prefer to use butter, flour, sugar (often brown demera sugar sugar) and a bit of baking powder to get a delicious crunchy topping. 

So for this recipe – when I swap in the cake mix and butter – that’s all I really need to make a delicious crunchy and crumbly topping.  You could add nuts, or dried berries, anything you want.

But we’re going for easy right? 

Crumbles, crisps or cobblers, what’s the difference? 

Thank your ancestors for these delightful desserts.  Crisps, cobblers, grunts, buckles and pandowdies are mainly Americana recipes. 

 We’ve already shared about crisps and crumbles. A cobbler is very similar but uses a biscuit like topping that is cobbled, hence the name.

A buckle is a cake with fruit mixed into it, and a grunt is very similar to a cobbler, but it’s steamed and cooked on the stove top, not in the oven. 

A pandowdy is a form of pie, except the top has the pie crust dropped by spoonfuls onto the top, and then mixed a little with the fruit or ‘dowdied’.

You can see our Apple Pandowdy recipe here.  

This awesome post from Serious Eats gives a high level overview about the different types of these easy and amazing fruit desserts. 

Sugar Substitutes

Do you or someone you love need to watch your sugar intake?  No problem. Just be sure to check the ratio on the sugar substitute  bag and swap it out.

I love to use Truvia, you can buy it in most grocery stores and of course on Amazon! 

Strawberry Rhubarb (Crisp) Crumble – 

So what did you decide?

Is this delicious recipe a strawberry rhubarb crisp or a strawberry rhubarb crumble?

Either way this easy recipe will be a big hit at your next meal.

If you like the recipe, please give it a 5 star rating.

strawberry rhubarb crumble on a white plate with red checked placemat

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble (Crisp)

Yield: 12

A delicious strawberry rhubarb dessert that’s easy to make and will feed a crowd. Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp or Crumble, this recipe uses a yellow cake mix for the topping and the flavours are amazing!  

Ingredients

  • 8 cups frozen strawberry rhubarb mix
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Mix the frozen fruit, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl
  3. Mix the cake mix with the unsalted butter, and work the butter through the cake mix with your fingers making it ‘crumble’
  4. Layer the fruit in the bottom of a 9 X 13 casserole dish (affiliate)
  5. Sprinkle the cake mix/butter mixture on top and be sure to get into the corners, covering the fruit entirely.  
  6. That’s it!
  7. Bake at 350F for 35 to 45 minutes
  8. Serve warm with a generous scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!  

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strawberry rhubarb crumble with whipped cream and sliced strawberries background shows white plate and red checked placemat

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Judy Kahansky is an experienced baker and writer. She loves to take classic and vintage recipes and update them to fit the busy lives of her readers. When not baking, Judy and her husband Mark are passionate golfers, travelers and dog lovers, spending as much time as they can with their sweet pup Millie.

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