Welcome to a delightful baking journey featuring one of nature’s most intriguing ingredients: rhubarb! If you’re looking for an easy, yet incredibly satisfying recipe to celebrate spring and early summer flavors, then this Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread is an absolute must-try. Imagine a tender, moist loaf, generously studded with tart chunks of fresh rhubarb, perfectly balanced by a sweet, aromatic ribbon of cinnamon sugar swirling through every slice. It’s a harmonious blend of flavors that promises to become a cherished addition to your recipe collection.
For many, rhubarb is a seasonal enigma, a “vegetable disguised as a fruit” that only graces our kitchens for a short, precious window. This Rhubarb Quick Bread offers a fantastic, approachable introduction to its unique tartness, transforming it into a comforting treat that’s ideal for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. Even if you’re a seasoned rhubarb enthusiast, the addition of the cinnamon swirl elevates this classic to new heights, making it irresistibly delicious and truly special.
Why You’ll Love Baking This Rhubarb Bread
This isn’t just another quick bread recipe; it’s an experience designed to make the most of fresh, seasonal rhubarb with minimal fuss. Here are compelling reasons why this Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread recipe deserves a spot in your kitchen:
- Perfect for Rhubarb Newbies: If you’ve never ventured into baking with rhubarb, this recipe is an ideal starting point. It brilliantly showcases rhubarb’s vibrant flavor without being overly challenging. The sweet cinnamon swirl complements the tartness beautifully, creating a balanced and approachable taste profile.
- Harvest Your Bounty: For those blessed with a flourishing rhubarb patch, this recipe is a fantastic way to utilize your harvest. You can bake multiple loaves and easily freeze them, allowing you to enjoy the taste of summer rhubarb long after its season has passed. It’s an excellent method for preserving flavor.
- Simplicity Over Complexity: Forget the intricate steps and time commitment of a traditional rhubarb pie. Making this rhubarb quick bread is significantly easier and faster, delivering equally delicious, comforting results with far less effort. It’s perfect for busy bakers who crave homemade goodness.
- Irresistible Flavor Combination: The marriage of tangy rhubarb and warm, sweet cinnamon sugar is simply divine. Each bite offers a burst of refreshing tartness followed by comforting sweetness, making this bread a truly memorable treat.
Heartfelt Endorsement from a Happy Baker
Nothing speaks louder than a glowing review from someone who has successfully baked and loved a recipe. Here’s what Marji shared about her experience with this Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread:
From Marji: “This is a delicious way to use rhubarb! I even used frozen chunks from last year’s crop (after draining away excess liquid). I loved it so much, I made this twice in the last month. The second time, I was out of milk and had to substitute with half and half. Absolutely no regrets! I didn’t adjust for the extra butterfat, and the loaf achieved a much higher rise, which was a pleasant surprise. I initially didn’t swirl in the sugar/cinnamon on top, but I regretted it later! The loaf rose so much, the sugar would have spilled over the sides, so perhaps it was for the best, but the swirl adds so much. Two big thumbs up for this recipe!” Marji’s experience highlights the recipe’s adaptability and delicious results, even with minor ingredient adjustments.
Essential Ingredient Notes for Perfect Rhubarb Bread
Crafting the perfect loaf of Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread begins with understanding your ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is important:
- Kitchen Staples: You’ll need granulated sugar (divided for the batter and the cinnamon swirl), ground cinnamon (the star of the swirl!), all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt to enhance flavors, and a neutral vegetable oil like canola oil for moisture and tenderness. These common pantry items form the backbone of this delicious quick bread.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent is crucial for giving your quick bread its signature rise and tender crumb. It’s important to note that baking powder is not the same as baking soda and typically has a shorter shelf life once opened. Always check the expiration date, or test its potency as described in our pro-tips below, to ensure your bread rises beautifully.
- Egg: Unless otherwise specified, all our recipes call for large eggs. For optimal incorporation into the batter, aim to use a room temperature egg. This helps it emulsify more smoothly with other ingredients, leading to a more uniform batter and a finer texture in your baked goods. Simply take your egg out of the refrigerator about an hour before you start baking, or place it in a bowl of very warm (not boiling) water for 5-10 minutes to quickly take the chill off.
- Milk: Dairy adds richness and moisture to the bread. Whole milk is generally recommended for its fat content, contributing to a more tender crumb, but 2% or even a dairy-free alternative can often be used successfully.
- Rhubarb: The star ingredient! Fresh, in-season rhubarb is always ideal for its crisp texture and vibrant tartness. If you’re using frozen rhubarb, there’s no need to thaw it – simply add it directly to the batter. Be aware that frozen rhubarb may release more moisture, potentially requiring a slightly longer baking time to ensure the bread is cooked through.
Expert Baking Tips for Rhubarb Bread Success
Achieving a perfectly moist and flavorful Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread is simple when you follow these tried-and-true baking tips. These insights will help ensure your loaf comes out beautifully every time:
- Fresh vs. Frozen Rhubarb: While this recipe truly shines with fresh, vibrant, in-season rhubarb, don’t hesitate to use frozen rhubarb if that’s what you have. It works wonderfully! The key is to add frozen rhubarb directly to the batter without thawing. This prevents excess moisture from leaching into the batter prematurely, which could affect the bread’s texture. You might just need to bake it a little longer.
- PRO-Tip: Check Your Baking Powder’s Potency: This is a game-changer! Baking powder is often used less frequently than baking soda and can lose its effectiveness sitting in your pantry. To test its potency, simply put a spoonful into a cup of very hot water. If it fizzes and bubbles vigorously, it’s active and ready to use. If not, it’s time to replace it before you begin your baking adventure to guarantee a good rise.
- Doneness Test is Key: To avoid an underbaked or overly dry loaf, always test for doneness accurately. Insert a wooden toothpick or a thin skewer into a few spots across the top and center of the loaf. If it comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it, your bread is done. If there’s any batter, it needs a bit more time in the oven.
- PRO-Tip: The Golden Cooling Rule: Patience is a virtue, especially when cooling quick bread. Allow your loaf to cool on a wire rack in its pan for about 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This brief cooling period helps the structure set. Releasing it too early might cause it to fall apart, while waiting too long can make it stick to the pan. After 10 minutes, gently remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely on the rack.
- Managing the Cinnamon Swirl Topping: Sometimes, when flipping a loaf out of the pan, some of the sugary topping can get lost. PRO-Tip: To ensure every bit of that delicious cinnamon sugar stays put, consider swirling the topping into the batter with a table knife or thin spatula *before* baking. This creates a more integrated swirl and prevents any topping from escaping.
- Smart Pan Lining (Tip from the Comments): A clever trick from fellow bakers: When lining the bottom of your loaf pan with parchment paper, extend the parchment up the narrow ends of the pan. Leave enough overhang to create small “handles.” Once baked, you can simply lift the bread out of the pan using these parchment handles, rather than having to tip the pan upside down. This method is mess-free and helps keep any delicate sugar mixture on top perfectly in place.
A Personal Touch: My Rhubarb Story
Rhubarb holds a special place in my heart, deeply rooted in childhood memories. I grew up with a vibrant rhubarb patch in my backyard, a springtime tradition that my mom eagerly anticipated. She would harvest the crimson stalks and transform them into her favorite rhubarb recipes, often a sweet-tart sauce or a classic pie. While those were beloved, I’ve since discovered new favorites, like these fantastic Rhubarb Upside Down Cakes, which have quickly become a new family obsession! This unique vegetable, with its characteristic sour bite, is almost always treated as a fruit in culinary applications. Its tartness is wonderfully counteracted by a generous amount of sugar, allowing it to magically transform into a soft, sweet, and tangy component in pies, crisps, tarts, and, of course, delicious quick breads.
My journey to perfect this Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread began with my mom’s treasured, ancient rhubarb bread recipe, scribbled on a faded index card. It served as a wonderful starting point, but I knew I wanted to add my own spin. My first attempt featured a streusel topping, which, while tasty, proved problematic as most of it fell off during slicing. The second batch, a compilation of a couple of different recipes, lacked the vibrant flavor I was seeking. It was a moment of culinary inspiration—adding a generous amount of cinnamon to the mix—that finally delivered the rich, balanced, and utterly delicious flavor profile I had envisioned. That’s how this unique Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread recipe was born!
Step-by-Step: How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread
Baking this delightful Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread is straightforward, much like preparing most quick breads. Following these simple steps will ensure a perfect, tender loaf every time:
- Prepare Your Pan: Begin by properly preparing your loaf pan. Grease it thoroughly, then dust it with flour, or use a non-stick baking spray designed for baking, such as Baker’s Joy, which contains both oil and flour. For easy removal, place a small rectangle of parchment paper on the bottom of the greased pan, and lightly grease the top of the parchment as well.
- Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature: For seamless incorporation, set your egg and milk out on the kitchen counter at least an hour in advance. This allows them to reach room temperature, which helps create a smoother, more uniform batter.
- Prep the Rhubarb: Wash your rhubarb stalks thoroughly, trim off any leafy parts (remembering that rhubarb leaves are not edible), and chop the stalks into approximately 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces. Set the chopped rhubarb aside.
- Prepare the Cinnamon Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the specified amount of sugar and ground cinnamon for the swirl topping. Stir well to ensure the cinnamon is evenly distributed throughout the sugar, then set this mixture aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining granulated sugar until well combined. This ensures the leavening agent and salt are evenly dispersed throughout the dry mixture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the room temperature egg, milk, and vegetable oil until thoroughly blended.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently until the ingredients are just moistened and barely come together. It’s crucial not to overmix the batter; it should still look a bit lumpy and not perfectly smooth.
- PRO-Tip: Avoid Overmixing: Overmixing quick bread or muffin batter develops the gluten too much, which can lead to a tough, dense texture and undesirable “tunnels” in your baked bread. While it will still taste good, the desired tender consistency will be lost.
- Fold in Rhubarb and Layer Batter: Gently fold the chopped rhubarb into the batter. Once incorporated, scrape half of the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the reserved cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter.
- Layer Again: Carefully add the remaining batter on top of the cinnamon layer, spreading it gently to cover. Finish by sprinkling the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the loaf pan in your preheated oven and bake as directed. Baking times can vary depending on your oven’s calibration and the juiciness of your rhubarb, so be sure to check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf. When it comes out clean, your delicious bread is ready.
- Cool Before Removing: Once baked, transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. This step is vital for the bread to set properly and prevent it from falling apart when removed.
- Complete Cooling for Easy Slicing: After the initial cooling, carefully remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack. For the cleanest slices and best texture, wrap the fully cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours (or even overnight) before slicing and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rhubarb Bread
Rhubarb has a distinctively tart, tangy, and slightly sour flavor. Its intensity can vary depending on the variety and how ripe it is. Because of its pronounced tartness, rhubarb is almost always paired with a significant amount of sugar or combined with sweeter fruits like strawberries, apples, or bananas to create a harmonious flavor profile in baked goods and desserts. Its unique taste is often described as green and refreshing.
Yes, rhubarb leaves are indeed poisonous and should never be consumed. They contain high concentrations of oxalic acid, which can be toxic if ingested in large amounts, potentially causing symptoms ranging from nausea and vomiting to more severe issues like kidney damage or renal failure. Always trim and discard the leaves, using only the stalks for culinary purposes.
Rhubarb is a seasonal crop that is best harvested in the spring and early summer. Its peak season typically runs from April to June in many regions. As the summer progresses, the rhubarb stalks tend to become woodier, tougher, and less flavorful, losing the tender, crisp quality that makes early season rhubarb so desirable for baking and cooking. Aim for the vibrant red and pink stalks found earlier in the season for the best results.
To keep your rhubarb bread fresh, store it at room temperature, ensuring it is well-wrapped in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container. This helps maintain its moisture and prevents it from drying out. It will typically stay fresh and delicious for 3-4 days. If you find yourself with leftovers after this period, or if you wish to bake ahead, freezing is an excellent option to prevent it from getting stale.
Absolutely! Most quick breads, including this Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread, freeze exceptionally well. To freeze, ensure your baked loaf is completely cooled. Then, wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, and for an extra layer of protection against freezer burn, place the wrapped bread into a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or an airtight container. Frozen rhubarb bread can maintain its quality for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Rhubarb is incredibly versatile! Beyond delicious quick breads and muffins, it’s a star in countless sweet and savory dishes. It’s fantastic in classic pies, crumbles, crisps, tarts, and coffee cakes. You can also make delightful rhubarb sauces, jams, and compotes. Many enjoy it roasted with savory meats or incorporated into salads for a tangy crunch. Essentially, almost any recipe that calls for fruit can be adapted to use rhubarb, though you’ll often need to adjust the sugar content to balance its tartness.
Explore More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Quick bread is a fantastic category of baked goods that offers incredible flavor and convenience without the need for yeast or lengthy proofing times. Unlike traditional yeast breads, quick breads rely on chemical leaveners like baking soda and/or baking powder to achieve their rise, making them “quick” to prepare and bake. This broad category includes a variety of comforting favorites such as banana bread, pumpkin bread, flavorful muffins, light scones, and fluffy biscuits. If you enjoyed baking this Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread, you’re sure to find a new favorite among these other easy and delicious quick bread recipes:
- The Best Blueberry Bread from Julie Blanner – A classic for a reason, bursting with juicy blueberries.
- Buttermilk Banana Bread – Incredibly moist and flavorful, a perfect way to use ripe bananas.
- Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe – A seasonal delight, spiced perfectly for fall.
- Sour Cream Pear Bread – A unique and tender bread with the subtle sweetness of pears.
- Peach Soda Bread – A wonderfully simple and peachy loaf, evoking southern charm.
- Brown Sugar Apple Bread – Cozy and comforting, packed with apple goodness and brown sugar.
- Discover even more Easy Bread Recipes for every occasion!
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Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread
20 minutes
1 hour
1 hour (cooling)
2 hours 20 minutes
1 loaf (approx. 12 servings)
An easy, tender Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread that is tasty, moist, and balanced with a sweet ribbon of cinnamon sugar and tart chunks of fresh rhubarb. A perfect seasonal treat!
Rating: 4.6/5 stars (based on 206 reviews)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (such as canola)
- 1 cup large diced fresh rhubarb (or frozen, not thawed)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a standard loaf pan (approximately 9×5 inches) with non-stick baking spray or grease and flour. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the short sides for easy removal, then grease the parchment as well. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together ⅓ cup of the granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon. This is your cinnamon swirl mixture. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar until uniformly combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature egg, milk, and vegetable oil until well blended.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently until just moistened and the flour streaks are almost gone. Do not overmix; the batter should still be slightly lumpy.
- Gently fold the diced rhubarb into the batter.
- Scrape half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon swirl mixture over this layer.
- Add the remaining batter on top, spreading it gently to cover the cinnamon layer. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon swirl mixture over the top. If desired, use a knife or thin spatula to gently swirl the top layer of cinnamon into the batter (this step is optional but creates a beautiful visual swirl).
- Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Baking time can vary, so start checking around 50 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10-15 minutes.
- After cooling in the pan, use the parchment overhangs to carefully lift the loaf out of the pan and transfer it to the wire rack to cool completely.
- For best slicing and texture, wrap the completely cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before slicing and serving.
Notes
- The baking time is an estimate and can vary significantly based on your specific oven, the thickness of your loaf pan, and the moisture content of your rhubarb. Always rely on the toothpick test for accurate doneness.
- For an added layer of flavor and texture, consider adding ½ cup of chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) to the cinnamon mixture before sprinkling.
- If you adore rhubarb, feel free to increase the amount to 1 ½ or even 2 cups for a truly loaded rhubarb bread. Be aware that adding more fruit may slightly extend the baking time.
- This recipe has been adapted from a classic quick bread recipe, building on traditional methods to enhance flavor and texture.
For a visual guide on making this delicious bread, please check out our recipe video!
Recommended Baking Tools
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- Silicone Spatulas
- OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk
- Stainless Steel Loaf Pan
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12 servings
Serving Size:
1 slice
Amount Per Serving (Estimated):
Calories: 234
Total Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 17mg
Sodium: 146mg
Carbohydrates: 40g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 22g
Protein: 3g
Please note: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only, calculated using online tools, and should not be considered a substitute for professional dietary advice. Factors such as specific brands, precise measurements, and optional ingredients (like toppings or nuts) can significantly alter the nutritional values. We strive for accuracy, but for the most precise figures, we recommend calculating the nutritional content with the exact ingredients you use. You are solely responsible for verifying the accuracy of any nutritional information.
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