This moist rhubarb bread can be made with fresh or frozen rhubarb. It's perfect for breakfast or for snacking and makes a lovely treat.
This is a simple bread recipe flavored with fresh orange juice and orange zest and a touch of cinnamon.
Quick and easy bread with rhubarb
This rhubarb bread is a delicious quick bread that just takes minutes to make. Everything goes into just one bowl and then into the oven.
Once the bread bakes, you have a delicious treat that's perfect for breakfast, brunch or a snack.
Bake in a full size loaf or in mini loaves and share with friends. This rhubarb bread freezes beautifully so make a double batch and freeze some for later.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a perennial plant that is one of the first plants to start growing right after the snow melts. Technically rhubarb is a vegetable, but for culinary purposes it is treated more like a fruit.
Rhubarb is harvested mid spring through mid summer, depending on where you live. I always cook as many rhubarb recipes as I can when the rhubarb first comes on and then I freeze rhubarb to use year round.
The stalks of the rhubarb plant are edible but the leaves are not. The leaves actually contain toxic oxalic acid. Be certain to discard the leaves and only use the stalks.
Rhubarb is very tart and is usually mixed with sugar to offset the tartness. Rhubarb becomes very soft when cooked and has such a delicious tart taste.
Rhubarb can vary in color from bright red to a light green. Many stalks are a combination of reds and greens. The color does not change the taste of the rhubarb.
The rhubarb in our garden is mostly green with some red. The rhubarb I get from my mother-in-law is mostly red! Both colors taste the same.
Key ingredients
- Rhubarb - fresh or frozen
- Flour
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Oranges - use the zest and juice
- Ground Cinnamon
Step by step directions
- Mix sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice and zest together in a bowl
- Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
- Begin by stirring just the dry ingredients first and then mix into the wet ingredients
- Stir just until most of the flour has been incorporated
- Add rhubarb and stir until the remaining flour has been mixed in and the rhubarb is evenly distributed
- Put batter into a greased bread pan and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 55-60 minutes
- Test bread with a toothpick to determine if it's fully baked. The toothpick should be inserted in the center of the loaf. If there are a few damp crumbs, the bread is done. If the toothpick has wet batter, it needs 5-10 more minutes of baking.
- Once bread is fully baked, remove from oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then remove the bread and continue cooling on a baking rack.
- When bread has fully cooled, slice and enjoy
To make mini sized loaves
- To make small loaves of bread, follow the directions for making the bread batter.
- Use 2-3 mini sized loaf pans, depending on the size of your pan.
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 40-45 minutes.
Tips for making this bread
- Cut rhubarb into uniform sizes. They can be cut from ¼ inch slices to ½ inch slices.
- If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw before using. Add frozen and increase baking time 5-10 minutes.
- Do not overmix batter. When stirring in flour, stir just until most of the flour is mixed in. Then add rhubarb. The remaining flour will become mixed in while stirring in rhubarb.
- Make certain your oven is fully preheated to 350°F before baking
- Allow bread to cool before slicing. If you just can't wait, it's okay to slice, but the bread may be a little crumbly.
- Store fully cool bread in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days
Recipe Faqs
Yes, this bread can be frozen. Allow bread to fully cool and then slice. Place sliced bread in its original loaf shape into a freezer safe bag. You could also wrap the sliced loaf with plastic wrap and then wrap in foil. Bread is best if used between 2-3 months. It's okay if it's frozen longer, but the bread may dry out a bit.
You can also freeze the bread without pre-slicing. I like the ease of pulling a loaf out of the freezer and already having it sliced.
Once fully cooled the bread should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or zip top bag. It should be eaten within 3-4 days.
Yes, you can use frozen rhubarb. Do not thaw the rhubarb before adding to the batter. Increase baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Rhubarb Recipes
- Rhubarb Sauce
- Rhubarb Upside Down Cake,
- Rhubarb Muffins
- Rhubarb Crisp
- Rhubarb Jam
- Rhubarb Bars
- Rhubarb Strawberry Jam
- Don't forget you can freeze your rhubarb too! Check out How to Freeze Rhubarb.
Quick Bread Recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious bread recipes!
Rhubarb Bread
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Bread Pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup orange juice (fresh squeezed)
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups rhubarb (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray loaf pan with a nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice and orange zest.¾ cup sugar, 2 eggs, ¼ cup oil, ½ cup orange juice, 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Add to wet mixture and combine.2 ¼ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoons salt
- Stir in chopped rhubarb.2 cups rhubarb
- Place mixture in a greased loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.
- Allow bread to cool for 5-10 minutes on a baking rack and then remove from pan and let bread cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- To make small loaves of bread, follow the directions for making the bread batter.
- Use 2-3 mini sized loaf pans, depending on the size of your pan.
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 40-45 minutes.
- Cut rhubarb into uniform sizes. They can be cut from ¼ inch slices to ½ inch slices.
- If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw before using. Add frozen and increase baking time 5-10 minutes.
- Do not overmix batter. When stirring in flour, stir just until most of the flour is mixed in. Then add rhubarb. The remaining flour will become mixed in while stirring in rhubarb.
- Make certain your oven is fully preheated to 350°F before baking
- Allow bread to cool before slicing. If you just can't wait, it's okay to slice, but the bread may be a little crumbly.
- Store fully cool bread in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in May of 2019.
Neon says
My bread took about 20 minutes longer than the recipe called for. It was still gooey in the middle at 60 minutes! Taste is OK, but not my favorite use of rhubarb.
Kathy says
Hi Neon,
The bread should not have taken that long to cook. I'm not certain what happened to cause that to happen.
Kathy
Amanda says
This is a great recipe. I made this a while ago, everybody love it! The orange is a nice change from the so often go to strawberries combo which I like but see too often. I added a citrus glaze, took it over the top! Trying it again with flax eggs so my vegan daughter can enjoy, fingers crossed it works out. 🙂
Kathy says
Thanks, Amanda! Keep us posted on how your vegan version turns out! I hope your daughter enjoys it! 🙂
Emma says
The dough was so dry, could hardly get it in the pan.
Bread was very dry, even took out of oven almost 10 min before suggested baking time
I followed recipe exactly
Kathy says
Hi Emma,
I'm sorry this didn't work for you. The dough is thick, but shouldn't be dry. Be careful when measuring your flour. Flour compacts easily and you can add too much without realizing it.
Kathy
How to Measure Flour
Anna Wilson says
I make this for all my bed and breakfast guests, and I get rave reviews all the time! Thank you so much!
Kathy says
Thanks, Anna!
Lucky guests to get homemade bread! 🙂
Valentina says
I think rhubarb is so pretty! And not sure I've ever tried it in bread before. Great idea! Lovely with my coffee. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
It adds a delicious slightly tart taste. I love it!
Anna Wilson says
I just made my first rhubarb bread using your recipe! It turned out beautifully! I picked the rest of my rhubarb so I can chop it up and freeze it. So excited since I’ve never done anything with my rhubarb before!
Kathy says
That's wonderful! I'm so glad you loved it. Now that you have a freezer full of rhubarb, you can make this all year long!
Fred G says
Great idea for the rhubarb we’re picking.
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Kathy, can you believe I've never had rhubarb? I was always afraid to try it because it looks like celery. This would be the perfect recipe to try it in. It really does look delicious with all the little specks of rhubarb throughout the tender crumb!
Kathy says
It does look like celery, but the taste is nothing like it at all!
Valentina says
I'm a huge fan of quick breads. I don't always have the patience for yeast breads. 😉 This one sound delicious and I love that the rhubarb is paired with all of that citrus. I'm used to seeing it with strawberries, so this is a fun deviation. On my "to try" list. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
I hope you do try it! It really is a delicious bread.
annie@ciaochowbambina says
I have never had rhubarb bread but I see that I am totally missing out! This sounds fabulous!
Kathy says
Yep, you're missing out! You'd better bake a loaf!!!
Stacey @ The Sugar Coated Cottage says
What a great way to use rhubarb! Mine is in full bloom right now and I am always trying to think of unique ways to use it, this bread is a keeper! Take care 🙂
Kathy says
Rhubarb can be used in so many different ways!
David @ Spiced says
Fun! I must admit that I've never made rhubarb bread. I'm a huge fan of fruit (even if it's a veggie like in this case) in quick breads, though, so I totally want to try this. I bet a slice would be pretty darned amazing with my cup of morning coffee right now! 🙂
Kathy says
Time to get baking! 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
Oh I love rhubarb, so this recipe makes me very happy to see!
Yum!
Kathy says
I love the tartness of rhubarb!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
My rhubarb has *just* started to grow and this bread would be such a yummy use for it! Never thought of using rhubarb in bread before. Slathered in butter and with a cuppa coffee, that would make one delicious breakfast!
Kathy says
Our rhubarb is just ready for harvesting. I have a long list of baking to do!