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Rhubarb Bread is soft, incredibly moist, and filled with jammy pockets of tart rhubarb in every bite! With its delicate crumb, tender texture, and thin layer of crackly sugar topping, this old-fashioned quick bread is one everyone will rave about!
You’ll Love This Rhubarb Bread!
- It’s super easy to make! No stand mixer, no kneading, no yeast….just a bowl and a wooden spoon and you’re good to go!
- Great for many occasions. This is a fun addition to breakfast, brunch, with afternoon tea, or even as a simple dessert!
- Perfect balance of sweet & tangy! It’s packed with rhubarb and I love the balance of juicy, tart rhubarb and the sweet bread. There’s an option to add a little hint of cinnamon, too!
- Great way to use up fresh rhubarb! Banana bread is great….but I love how unexpected and delicious this loaf is!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full list of ingredients and amounts are in the recipe card below, but I wanted to draw attention to a few of them:
- Rhubarb – Be sure to cut these into small pieces so they can really disperse well throughout the batter and show up in every bite. I like them in cubes that are a little less than 1/2 inch. More on preparing the rhubarb below!
- Vegetable Oil – Feel free to swap this out with avocado oil or melted (and cooled) unsalted butter.
- White Sugar – You’ll need the sugar for the batter and for the topping. I tried this with half white sugar and half brown sugar and found that I preferred the flavor and texture with all white sugar. You can use coarse sugar on top in place of granulated if you want a more sparkly look.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 2 1/4 teaspoons of white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup then adding enough milk to equal 3/4 cup of buttermilk; stir and it’s ready to go!
How to Make Rhubarb Bread
Start by preheating the oven and lining your loaf pan with parchment paper. I like to grease the sides of the pan and then lay a piece of parchment paper into the bottom and two large sides of the pan.
Prepare the Rhubarb
If you picked the rhubarb fresh, you’ll want to make sure to cut the leaf off (and discard it) and wash the stalks well. Once cleaned, you’ll pat them dry and cut them into small pieces. If the stalks are really wide, I recommend cutting them in half before chopping. I often get asked if you need to peel the stalks….nope, you don’t.
Mix Up the Batter
To make the batter, start by combining the sugar and the liquid ingredients in a large bowl.
Then, add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. If you’re noticing lots of clumps, use a whisk to break them up a bit.
Mix in the Rhubarb
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the ingredients are all well-incorporated. Add the rhubarb and stir until well-dispersed.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and spread to an even layer. Sprinkle with sugar (or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar!) for a shiny, crackly top!
Bake Until Golden Brown
Set the timer for 50 minutes and check on the bread. It will likely need 5-10 minutes more in the oven. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick pressed into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. You can also check for doneness with an instant read thermometer. Once the bread is 200F in the center, it’s ready to come out of the oven!
Let the bread cool before slicing into it. If you can’t wait, the bread will still be delicious, but your slices might not be as pretty!
Tips for Making the Best Rhubarb Bread
- Start with room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature buttermilk and eggs will help the batter come together really effortlessly!
- Toss the rhubarb with flour if really juicy. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the rhubarb before mixing it into the batter so it doesn’t make the bread soggy.
- Wait for the bread to cool before slicing. I know, it’s so hard to wait, but will help you make much more clean slices!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Add the frozen rhubarb as-is (don’t thaw or it’ll release too many juices). If you do choose to use frozen rhubarb, I recommend tossing it in 1-2 tablespoons of flour to soak up any excess moisture as it bakes. The frozen rhubarb may add a little more bake time as well.
I recommend using my recipe for Rhubarb Muffins, which is very similar but will give you the timing you need for the muffin pan!
Yes! Freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Please note that the texture may soften a bit in the freeze thaw process as the rhubarb’s moisture really spreads throughout the bread.
Other Easy Rhubarb Recipes to Try
- Rhubarb Muffins
- Rhubarb Sauce
- Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
- Rhubarb Dump Cake
- Easy Rhubarb Cake with Vanilla Butter Sauce
Rhubarb Bread
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups diced rhubarb
- 1 tablespoon sugar* for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a loaf pan with parchment paper (or grease the pan well).
- Add the sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla to a bowl and stir until well-combined.1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the rhubarb and mix until dispersed evenly throughout the batter.2 cups diced rhubarb
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread to an even layer.
- Sprinkle with sugar.1 tablespoon sugar*
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick pressed into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
