Description
This Rhubarb Bread Recipe offers a moist, tender quick bread bursting with fresh rhubarb flavor, highlighted by warm cinnamon and bright orange zest. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, it features a subtle cinnamon-sugar topping and mouthwatering pockets of rhubarb throughout. Easy to prepare and baked to golden perfection, this bread brings a delightful tart and sweet balance to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon loosely packed fresh orange zest
Fruit
- 2¼ cups chopped rhubarb (½” pieces), divided
Topping
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a metal, light-colored 9″x5″ loaf pan with non-stick spray and line it with a sling of parchment paper to ensure easy bread removal after baking. Chop the rhubarb into ½ inch pieces and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and fresh orange zest so all dry ingredients are well distributed.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold using a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Incorporate Rhubarb: Fold in 2 cups of the chopped rhubarb carefully to evenly distribute throughout the batter without crushing.
- Assemble in Pan: Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it out into an even layer. Arrange the remaining ¼ cup of chopped rhubarb over the top, lightly pressing it into the batter so it sits evenly but remains visible.
- Make Cinnamon-Sugar Sprinkle: In a small cup, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, then sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the batter in the pan to create a sweet, spiced crust when baked.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 65-70 minutes, or until the center feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Be careful not to underbake to ensure the bread is cooked through but stays moist.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender and moist.
- Use light-colored metal loaf pans to ensure even baking without over-browning the edges.
- Fresh rhubarb is best for this recipe, but frozen rhubarb can be used if fully thawed and drained to avoid excess moisture.
- The cinnamon-sugar topping adds a lovely texture and flavor contrast; don’t skip this step.
- If parchment paper is unavailable, grease the pan thoroughly but the parchment sling makes removal easier.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to get the cleanest cuts.
