Got 10 minutes? Whip up this easy Rhubarb bread recipe. An old-fashioned quick bread recipe using spring rhubarb. It is a sweet, tangy, tender, and tasty sweet bread with a light, buttery cinnamon streusel crunch topping. It makes two loaves, perfect for sharing with a neighbor!
The Quick Dish on Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Bread
Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 55–65 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cuisine Inspiration: Timeless Midwest comfort food
Primary Cooking Method: Baked in a loaf pan
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made dairy-free
Key Flavor: Tart meets sweet with a cozy cinnamon twist
Skill Level: Easy peasy – beginner-friendly!
When Is Rhubarb Season?
The rhubarb season begins in late spring through early summer, so it might seem that the rhubarb bread-baking season is short, but rhubarb freezes well, and frozen rhubarb can be used in this bread.
Simple Ingredients for Quick Rhubarb Bread
- Brown Sugar – I used light, but you could use dark as well; it would have a bit more of a molasses taste.
- Vegetable Oil – I love using Avocado oil or Grapeseed Oil for recipes like this quick bread.
- Eggs – I always use room temperature large eggs in my baking.
- Buttermilk – I use whole-fat buttermilk, the richness is great, but 2% is fine, if you don’t have buttermilk, see below for how to make your own.
- All Purpose Flour – Use unbleached AP flour or substitute with Gluten Free AP flour. I like using organic flour.
- Rhubarb – Fresh is great, but diced frozen rhubarb may be used too, I’ll explain more about that in the FAQ below.
- Vanilla Extract – Use a quality vanilla extract!
- Walnuts – completely optional, but if you love nuts in quick bread, then you will love this!
- Streusel Topping – Cane Sugar (or white sugar), butter and cinnamon.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Buttermilk Substitute (Homemade Buttermilk)
- In a one-cup liquid measuring cup, add 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, add milk to the 1-cup line, stir, and allow to sit and thicken for 5-10 minutes. 2 tablespoons will more mimic store-bought buttermilk in pH.
- To make dairy-free, use storebought dairy-free buttermilk or make your own using your favorite dairy-free milk and the instructions above.
How to make the best rhubarb bread
Preheat the oven to 325° F (165° C) and spray with non-stick oil a loaf pan or bread pan and a mini loaf pan, or split into 4-5 mini loaf pans, typically about 4-inch loaf pan sized. I prefer to place a piece of parchment paper into the loaf pan for easier removal of the rhubarb bread.
Step 1 – Prepare the Rhubarb Bread batter
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer on low, mix brown sugar, oil, eggs and buttermilk, until smooth.
Add in dry ingredients; all purpose flour, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda, just until combined, scrape the sides of bowl if needed.
Fold in diced rhubarb and chopped walnuts if desired into the wet ingredients
Pour into prepared pan or pans, about ⅔ full.
Step 2 – Prepare the cinnamon streusel crumb topping
If I remember, I will prepare the streusel topping ahead of time, before starting the batter and place it in the fridge or freezer, which will slow the melting process when it hits the oven heat.
In a separate bowl, a small bowl, combine crumb streusel crunch topping ingredients, sugar, cinnamon and butter and using your fingers, smoosh it together until the butter is incorporated.
Place in freezer until ready to place on the rhubarb batter.
Step 3 – Assemble and Bake
Pour batter into parchment lined or well sprayed, 1 lb loaf pan (< my favorite US made pans!) PLUS into one mini loaf pan, or split the entire batter into 4-5 mini loaf pans.
Sprinkle evenly with streusel topping.
Bake at 325° F (175° C) for about 60 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean, check the mini loaf at about 40 minutes.
Years ago a girlfriend gave me a loaf of this fresh, homemade rhubarb bread, similar to an Amish Rhubarb Bread. I have always been a rhubarb lover, but this bread was so moist and tasty and that crunchy crumb topping! I’ve been making it for years, using rhubarb from my friend’s garden! Double Blessings!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, rhubarb freezes very well. I suggest you wash, pat dry and chop into recipe-sized pieces, flash freeze on a small baking sheet for about an hour, then transfer to an airtight container or baggie.
In the fridge – Do not wash it, keep in plastic ziplock back in fridge crisper drawer, when properly stored it can last 7-10 days in the crisper drawer.
In the freezer – Rhubarb is good up to 12 months, though it sure won’t hurt you if used after that date. If kept frozen in an airtight bag and kept at 0° F or below, it should last indefinitely.
No, the leaves from the rhubarb plant are poisonous.
Yes, as with most quick breads, in my opinion, they get better after freezing and thawing. Wrap the completely cooled rhubarb bread well with plastic wrap, then place in a ziplock bag. May be frozen from 3-6 months.
Ask a neighbor who grows rhubarb; I bet they wouldn’t mind sharing!
The best places to try and find fresh rhubarb are your local grocery store or Farmer’s Market. Stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Sprouts can be hit and miss but often have it, frozen at least!
Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, then spray lightly with a bit of spray oil. Make the recipe as described for the rhubarb bread with buttermilk adding up to ½ cup diced strawberries.
Fill muffin cups no more than ⅔ full, top with streusel and bake for 18-20 minutes. Note that I have not tried this recipe as muffins, so watch them and remove them from the oven once the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Substitutions & Variations for Buttermilk Rhubarb Bread
- Rhubarb – While it wouldn’t be rhubarb bread without the rhubarb, feel free to substitute rhubarb (all or partial) with equal amounts of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherry, strawberries (roughly chopped), shredded zucchini or even peaches.
- Replace buttermilk with any milk, plant-based or regular. You may also replace it with equal amounts of sour cream if desired.
- Nuts – If you like nuts in your rhubarb loaf cake, you will love walnuts, but also try chopped; hazelnuts, almonds and pecans.
Gluten-Free Rhubarb Bread
I have had very good luck doing that in the past with my quick bread recipes, you can either use a good Gluten Free AP Flour (my favorite) or you can try 1 ½ cups Gluten Free AP Flour and 1 cup of either Almond flour or Oat flour.
Storage Tips
- Cool rhubarb bread completely on a wire rack before storing.
- Rhubarb bread is best when room temperature; place in airtight container or baggie, on counter 4-6 days.
- Freeze rhubarb loaf cake for up to 3-4 months, wrap well in plastic wrap, then place in freezer baggie.
- To thaw, remove quick bread from freezer and place on counter to thaw.
- Delicious, toasted and slathered with butter, or try this strawberry freezer jam or this strawberry rhubarb jam from my friend Lynn!
Recommended Tools
- Loaf Pan | this USA Pan is by far my very favorite! Heavy duty, non-stick and washes easily.
- Mini Loaf Pans | In making the regular recipe, it makes one large loaf and one mini loaf, but you may also split it up into 4 mini loaf pans, filling about ⅔ of the way full.
- Mixing Bowl | If you are using a stand mixer, then your bowl will fit just fine, you might also want to use a hand mixer, or mix with a wooden spoon, these glass batter bowls are my favorite.
Expert Tips from Kathleen
- Do not over-mix the batter, which is why many of them are done by hand. Overmixing quick bread or soda bread can cause tunneling and alter the texture of the quick bread!
- Bonus TIP | Make sure your baking soda is fresh! See below for how to test!
How to test baking soda & baking powder
- Measure out ½ cup of hot tap water.
- Baking soda needs an acid to get a reaction, so add ¼ teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar to the water if you’re testing baking soda. If you are testing baking powder, you do not need to add any vinegar.
- Add baking soda or baking powder, just ¼ teaspoon — if you get fizzing you are in business, if you get nothing, toss it out and buy a new one!
High Altitude Buttermilk Rhubarb Bread Recipe
- Increase the oven temperature to 350° F (175° C) when baking at high altitude.
- Add 2 tablespoons flour.
- Decrease baking soda by ¾ teaspoon
- Decrease sugar to ¾-1 ¼ cups
- Bake a little longer, but start testing at an earlier time.
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Equipment
Ingredients
Rhubarb Bread Batter
- ¾ – 1 ½ cups light brown sugar use less sugar for a less sweet and more tart bread, dark brown sugar may also be used. Use less for high altitude
- ½ cup vegetable oil I used avocado oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature is best, may use just the whites
- 1 ⅓ cups buttermilk I used, full fat, but you can use lowfat
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour add 2 tablespoons for high altitude
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda decrease to ¾ teaspoon for high altitude
- 1 ½ cups rhubarb fresh or frozen, wash, dried and diced
- ¼ cup walnuts optional
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar may also use brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F (165° C) and spray with non-stick oil a loaf pan and a mini loaf pan, or split into four mini loaf pans. I prefer to place a piece of parchment paper into the loaf pan for easier removal of the rhubarb bread.
Prep streusel topping
- In a small bowl, combine crumb streusel crunch topping ingredients, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon and 1 tablespoon butter. Using your fingers, blend it all together until the butter is incorporated throughout. Place in freezer until ready to place on the rhubarb batter.
Prepare Batter
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer on low, mix ¾ – 1 ½ cups light brown sugar , ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs and 1 ⅓ cups buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add in 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda, just until combined, scrape the sides of bowl if needed. Fold in diced 1 ½ cups rhubarb and optional ¼ cup walnuts, chopped if desired. Pour into prepared pans, about ⅔ full.
- Pour batter into parchment lined or well sprayed 1 lb loaf pan (<= my favorite US made pans!) PLUS into one mini loaf pan, or split the entire batter into 4 mini loaf pans. Do not fill over ⅔ full.
- Sprinkle evenly with streusel topping.
- Bake at 325° F (165° C) for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean; check mini loaf at about 40 minutes. If baking in mini loaf pans, check at about 35-45 minutes.
Notes
-
- Increase the oven temperature to 350° F (175° C) when baking at high altitude.
- Add 2 tablespoons flour.
- Decrease baking soda to ¾ teaspoon
- Decrease sugar to ¾-1 ¼ cups
- Bake a little longer, but start testing at the earlier time.
STORAGE TIPS
- Cool rhubarb bread completely on a wire rack before storing.
- Rhubarb bread is best when room temperature; place in airtight container or baggie, on counter 4-6 days.
- Freeze rhubarb loaf cake for up to 3-4 months, wrap well in plastic wrap, then place in freezer baggie.
- To thaw, remove quick bread from freezer and place on counter to thaw.
- Delicious, toasted and slathered with butter, or maybe strawberry rhubarb jam from my friend Lynn!
Nutrition
You might like in these luscious Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars, Rhubarb Dump Cake Recipe or this Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Cake recipe. It provides moisture to baked goods like zucchini does, as in this rich Chocolate Zucchini Cake.
Dave
I tried this recipe and it was great but. What’d I do wrong the topping went to the bottom of the baking pan and it was very hard to get out of the pan. I spread t like you said on top and baked at 350 degrees for 60 minuted. Was delicious but topping was on the bottom???????
Hi Dave, sorry to hear that happened. I haven’t experienced that but it might have been your butter was too soft. Did you pop in the freezer until you were ready to bake it? Glad it was still good tho!
DAVE
Yes I had the butter in the freeze like you said even over night, It was really good and I will try making it again. In the picture it showed the batter to be thicker than mine? Was the only difference.
Awe a loose batter could definitely do it Dave. You may bake half way and then sprinkle on the streusel and finish baking that might hold it up better.
Debra Kewatt
This recipe was delicious 😋 made per instructions, perfect. Will make this again
Thank you so much Debra! So appreciate your comment!
Tasia
The most delicious rhubarb bread Kathleen! We all especially loved the streusel topping. 🙂
Tank you so much, Tasia!!
Carmen
Do I need to thaw frozen rhubarb before using? What about thaw and drain? Thank you
Hi Carmen, no the rhubarb should not be thawed ahead of time, if you do, though yes, please drain it!
Cyd Meidinger
Huge hit! Made into muffins and they were all devoured in minutes!
Yay!! Love it!! Bet it was so yummy!
Pam
Best Rhubarb Bread I have made in 50 years. So moist, it melts in your mouth.
Wow! Thank you, Pam.