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Moist rhubarb bread topped with buttery streusel —easy, delicious, and perfect for using fresh or frozen rhubarb from your garden. Try this easy recipe!
There’s something deeply comforting about baking with rhubarb, especially when the plants themselves carry a story. My rhubarb patch came from divisions of an old plant that has been growing in my father-in-law’s yard for over 50 years. When we recently moved, I knew I couldn’t leave those plants behind. I dug them up, divided them, and brought them along to our new homestead.
Before transplanting them, I cut the stalks all the way back. Those stalks didn’t go to waste—I chopped them and tucked them into the freezer, which is one of my favorite ways to preserve rhubarb. It freezes beautifully, holding onto that tart, tangy flavor that makes rhubarb so special. (If you’d like to learn how I freeze mine, I share my best method here: The Best Way to Freeze Rhubarb.)
It’s those very frozen stalks that I used for this recipe. And let me tell you, this rhubarb bread with streusel topping doesn’t last long in my house—my family devours it!
Other Ways I Love Using Rhubarb
Rhubarb is one of those versatile plants I never tire of experimenting with. Besides this quick rhubarb bread, here are a few of my favorite recipes you might enjoy too:
A classic Rhubarb Crisp—warm, gooey, and topped with a golden crumble.
Rhubarb Country Wine—a traditional way of preserving the harvest in liquid form.
Freezer Strawberry Rhubarb Jam—a family favorite that tastes like summer in a jar.
Canned Rhubarb Pie Filling—perfect for when I’m craving pie in the middle of winter.
Rhubarb really shines in so many different recipes. And I think part of the fun of growing and preserving it is knowing I’ll be able to enjoy its flavor all year long.
Rhubarb Bread with Streusel Topping
This rhubarb bread recipe combines the tartness of rhubarb with the sweetness of brown sugar and the crunch of walnuts, all finished with a buttery streusel topping. It’s simple enough for everyday baking but special enough to share with friends or bring to a gathering.
Ingredients for the Rhubarb Bread:
- 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped rhubarb
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Ingredients for the Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¹⁄3 cup sugar (white or brown)
- 4–6 Tbsp salted butter, softened
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two 8×4-inch loaf pans. For easier cleanup and removal, you can also line the pans with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and oil until smooth. Add the egg and whisk again, then stir in the buttermilk and vanilla.
Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own! Simply add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill the rest with milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before using.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir this into the wet mixture until just blended. Fold in the chopped rhubarb and walnuts.
For the streusel, mix together the flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt with a fork until the mixture looks crumbly.
Spoon half of the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Sprinkle with half of the streusel topping.
Spread the remaining batter over the first layer, then finish with the rest of the streusel.
Bake for 60–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes before removing.
Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy plain, spread with butter, or topped with strawberry preserves.
Note: Walnuts are optional, but they add a lovely nutty crunch that pairs beautifully with tart rhubarb.
A Taste of Home and Heritage
Baking with rhubarb feels like carrying on a family tradition. Each time I harvest stalks from my plants, I think about their history and how they’ve been nurtured in one place for half a century before coming with me to a new home. There’s something grounding in that—knowing that food can connect us not just to the land, but also to the people and memories tied to it.
Do you have a food plant that holds special meaning for you? Maybe one passed down from a parent, grandparent, or friend? I’d love to hear about it!
In the meantime, I hope this rhubarb quick bread recipe finds its way into your kitchen and becomes as much a favorite for your family as it is for mine.
Rhubarb Bread with Streusel Topping
Equipment
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups rhubarb chopped
- ½ cup walnuts optional
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar white or brown
- 4 –6 Tbsp salted butter softened
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans (or line with parchment for easier removal).
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until smooth. Add egg, then stir in buttermilk* and vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold into the wet mixture until just combined (don’t overmix).
- Fold in chopped rhubarb and walnuts (if using).
- Make streusel – In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, softened butter, and cinnamon with a fork until crumbly.
- Divide half the batter between the two pans. Sprinkle half the streusel over. Repeat with the remaining batter and streusel.
- Bake 60–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let loaves cool in pans for 10–15 minutes. Remove to a rack, slice with a serrated knife, and enjoy plain or with butter/jam.
Notes
- Walnuts are optional but add a nice crunch.
- Frozen rhubarb works perfectly in this recipe.
- If you don’t keep buttermilk in your fridge, you can make it in minutes. Just add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or white vinegar) to a measuring cup, then fill to the 1-cup line with milk. Let it rest 5 minutes before using.
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