The Home Cook: Rhubarb Bread

I feel as though I should come bearing gifts in apology. My blogging record over the last year has been less than spectacular and at this point I'd be surprised if there is anyone out there who still meanders by on purpose. But just in case there is someone out there who does still stop by to see the cobwebs and dust, your reward is here. You'll just need to provide the rhubarb and some time...and an oven. But that's it, I promise.

Here in this neck of the woods it's rhubarb season and the stuff out by the shed is going mutant. It will soon rule the backyard and my only hope is that it will be a benevolent overlord and not sell the dog into servitude. In an vain effort to try and curb the beast I took to the internet to try and find a recipe for rhubarb bread because...well it sounded good. I'm not sure there needs to be any other logic to it.



The recipe I finally went with had the odd addition of orange juice and zest, which while not the first place I would have gone was delicious. The bread was super moist and the citrus flavor was surprisingly nice with the tartness of the rhubarb.

Rhubarb Streusel Bread
Adapted from Culinary in the Desert!

Streusel Filling

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
pinch salt

Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh grated orange zest
2 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups 1/4" diced fresh rhubarb

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

2 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tabelspoons White Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees.

In a small bowl, add sugars, flour, butter, cinnamon and salt - stir until mixture is moistened. Set steusel aside.

In a second small bowl, combine cinnamon sugar topping ingredients. Set aside.


In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and zest until very creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing until well combined after each. Mix in orange juice and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in rhubarb.

Scoop one third of the batter into an 8" x 4" loaf pan lined with parchment and lightly greased. Scatter half of the streusel mixture over the batter, gently pressing down to adhere. Scoop and additional 1/3 of the batter on top and scatter remaining streusel over the top, gently pressing down to adhere. Pour remaining batter on and top with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place pan into the oven and bake until a wooden skewer placed into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, about 60 to 70 minutes. Remove and set pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then remove bread from the pan and let cool completely.

Makes about 12 servings.