Tart and tangy rhubarb takes center stage in this delightful rhubarb bread recipe. It’s tender and moist, with a crumb topping that makes it completely irresistible!
This simple rhubarb bread recipe yields a delicious, spice-laden, hearty, big loaf of bread. This is good: you’ll have plenty to share! It’s an ideal choice for breakfast, brunch, or whenever the mood strikes. Serve it warm with a little butter or maybe even cream cheese spread right on a slice.
Why You’ll Love This Rhubarb Bread Recipe
- A bread for rhubarb lovers. Rhubarb is often paired with strawberries, but this is a recipe where rhubarb is the star of the show.
- Perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. The combination of rhubarb and the sweet quick bread base in this recipe creates a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors.
- A great way to use up extra rhubarb. If you have an abundance of rhubarb from your garden or just love buying it at the farmer’s market, this recipe is a fantastic way to use it up!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Crumb Topping:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – These give the crumb mixture a nice texture.
- Light brown sugar – Here’s the difference between light brown sugar vs. dark brown sugar.
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt – To use table salt instead of kosher salt, decrease the amount by a quarter or a half. Learn more: Types of Salt: A Home Baker’s Guide
- Cold unsalted butter – Cut this into cubes.
For the Bread:
- Eggs – Let them come to room temperature; they’ll hold more air when beaten.
- Unsalted butter – Melt this, then let it cool a bit.
- Granulated sugar
- Buttermilk – Here’s how to make a buttermilk substitute.
- Vanilla extract – I like to use my homemade vanilla extract.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Rhubarb – When fresh rhubarb isn’t in season, you can substitute frozen.
- Almonds – You can substitute another nut (like walnuts or pecans) or leave them out if you’re not a fan.
How Do I Prepare Rhubarb for a Recipe?
If you’re not familiar with using rhubarb in baking, don’t worry—there’s not much to it! Select fresh, firm stalks of rhubarb, avoiding any that are wilted or limp. Wash the stalks under cold running water to remove any dirt, then trim the ends and peel away any tough, stringy outer layers (just like you might do with celery). Cut the rhubarb into uniform pieces.
How to Make Rhubarb Bread
- Make the crumb topping. Combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and salt, then work in the butter with your hands or a pastry blender. Refrigerate.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then mix in the butter, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir in the oats and let them soak while you move onto the next step.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Fold in the wet ingredients, followed by the rhubarb and nuts.
- Assemble. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then transfer the bread directly to the rack to finish cooling. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)
Tips for Success
- Use a 9×5 loaf pan. Not just a “big” loaf pan—make sure you measure! There are two different size loaf pans that are often labeled as standard.
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing can result in a tough and dense bread, so make sure to gently fold the ingredients together until just combined.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing. This will ensure that it holds its shape and doesn’t crumble when you slice into it.
- Know the basics. Read over my baking tips for beginners if you’re new to baking.
Variations
- Skip the crumble. Instead, you can sprinkle coarse sugar (like Demerara or Turbinado) over the bread before baking or dust the finished bread with powdered sugar.
- Add a glaze. A drizzle of vanilla or cream cheese glaze over the crumb topping or instead of the topping dresses up this rhubarb bread.
- Swap half the rhubarb for fruit. Rhubarb pairs beautifully with strawberries and raspberries.
How to Store
Wrap the rhubarb bread in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to a week. I recommend slicing it cold, then letting the slices come to room temperature before enjoying.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
To store rhubarb bread for an extended period, you can freeze it. First, let the bread cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy the bread, thaw it in the refrigerator.
More Quick Bread Recipes
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Pumpkin-Pecan Bread
- Blueberry Bread
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Brown Butter Banana Bread
Rhubarb Bread
Tangy rhubarb makes an unexpected addition to this moist, crumb-topped bread!
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 1/4 cup (25g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup (40g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (22g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt*
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the bread:
- 3 large eggs
- 10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (118ml) buttermilk
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (75g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons (240g + 15g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt*
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 & 1/2 to 1 & 3/4 cups chopped (1/2-inch pieces) rhubarb (about 10 ounces)
- 1/3 cup chopped almonds
Instructions
To make the crumb topping:
- Combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Add the cold butter.
- Working quickly, mix with your hands or a pastry blender until the mixture forms crumbs the size of peas.
- Place the mixture in refrigerator while you make the bread.
To make the bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
- Place the eggs in a medium bowl and beat lightly. Add the cooled butter, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Stir in the oats and allow to soak for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Gently fold in the oat mixture until almost combined. Add the rhubarb and almonds, and mix just until combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of the batter.
- Bake 55-65 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden brown and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Place any leftover bread in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
*You can use table salt instead of kosher salt. I would suggest decreasing the salt by a quarter or a half, depending on your taste preferences.
To store, wrap the rhubarb bread in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Recipe adapted from The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread.
Recommended Products
Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
11 Comments on “Rhubarb Bread”
I only started baking with rhubarb last year, and I fell hard. I just love love the stuff. I’ll bet it’s just amazing in this bread with that delicious sounding oat-y topping. I would love some of this!
I love baking with rhubarb. In fact, every summer I search for someone who has too much of it and needs me to take some off of his/her hands. This sounds like a delicious and quick way to make use of it – that crumb topping is calling to me!
Never actually used rhubarb before.. Its not easily found in miami.. Cant wait to get our hands on it though.
That is one beautiful looking loaf of bread!
I remember the first time I baked with rhubarb. I loved the tartness, even if it is extremely tart. I’m so excited to try this bread! Also, I did stop at Amy’s Bread when I was there…last year? Two years ago? Can’t beat fresh bread! Her book has been on my list for quite some time. Pick me!
Oh wow! Yummers!
Rhubarb is actually one of my favorite things to bake with. It has such a unique, tangy flavor that really enhances baked goods. This bread looks incredible. Yay for crumb topping!
I can’t believe you’ve never baked with rhubarb before! Well this sounds like it was a great first recipe…full of so much flavor there’s no way you couldn’t like it!
I love rhubarb… especially with strawberries, will be making this soon
I loved the tartness, even if it is extremely tart.
Would love to try this, as I’m a rhubarb-a-holic…can’t get enough of it! However, not sure what this recipe would do at 5280 ft elevation.. Anyone have any suggestions?