Description
This Rhubarb Bread recipe is a delightful, moist quick bread featuring tart rhubarb pieces balanced with warm cinnamon and fresh orange zest. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, the bread has a tender crumb with a sweet cinnamon-sugar sprinkle on top, baked to golden perfection in the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2¼ cups chopped rhubarb (½” pieces), divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon loosely packed fresh orange zest
Topping
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9″x5″ light-colored metal loaf pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper for easy removal. Chop the rhubarb as instructed.
- 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 medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, kosher salt, and fresh orange zest to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix to ensure a tender bread.
- Incorporate Rhubarb: Fold in 2 cups of the chopped rhubarb gently into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Assemble in Pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Distribute the remaining ¼ cup chopped rhubarb over the top, lightly pressing it so it sits evenly but remains visible.
- Make Cinnamon-Sugar Sprinkle: In a small cup, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the batter in the pan.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to underbake so the bread remains moist and fully cooked.
- Cool Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Then lift the bread out using the parchment sling and cool completely on the rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use a light-colored metal loaf pan to ensure even baking and avoid over-browning.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to keep the bread tender.
- The parchment sling makes it easier to remove the bread from the pan without breaking.
- Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing to ensure clean slices.
