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This easy, tender Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread is tasty, moist, and balanced with a sweet ribbon of cinnamon sugar and tart chunks of fresh rhubarb.

Have you baked with rhubarb? This is a good starter recipe for a vegetable available for a short stint in the summer. This Rhubarb Quick Bread is a delicious way to get your first taste!

Loaf of Ciinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread on white platter.
Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Reader Endorsement:
3 Ingredient Notes
4 Recipe Tips
5 How to Make
6 Frequently Asked Questions
7 You May Also Like:
8 Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread

Why You Must Make

  • It’s a delicious introduction to rhubarb if you’ve never cooked with it.
  • If you have a flourishing rhubarb patch, you can bake and freeze this Rhubarb Bread Recipe to eat later in the summer.
  • Making a quick bread is a heck of a lot easier than making a pie! Plus it’s delicious!
  • If you want to make muffins, only fill the tins ⅔ full, giving them room to rise. Check them at about 20 minutes, then bake longer if you check with a toothpick and there’s batter on it when you pull them out. They could take up to 30 minutes depending on your oven.

Reader Endorsement:

From Marji: This is a delicious way to use rhubarb. I used frozen chunks (excess liquid drained away) from last year’s crop. I made this twice in the last month. The second time, I was out of milk and had to use half and half. No regrets. I didn’t make any adjustments for the extra butterfat, and the loaf got a much higher rise. I didn’t swirl the sugar/cinnamon on top, but I wish I had. The loaf rose so much, the sugar spilled over the sides. Two big thumbs up for this recipe.

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Ground Cinnamon, Flour, Salt, Vegetable Oil (affiliate links)
  • Baking Powder (affiliate link) – This isn’t the same as baking soda and has a much shorter shelf life. See the recipe tips below on how to test it if you’re unsure if it’s fresh.
  • Egg – All my recipes use large eggs unless otherwise noted. Use a room-temperature egg for easier incorporation (get your egg out of the refrigerator about an hour before you start making the recipe or place it in a bowl of very warm, not boiling, water to help take the chill off).
  • Rhubarb – I used fresh rhubarb. If you use frozen, you may need to extend the baking time.

Recipe Tips

  • This recipe is best made with fresh, in-season rhubarb. Frozen rhubarb will work, of course; add it frozen.
  • PRO-Tip: Before you even start, check the expiration date on your baking powder. It is used much less frequently than baking soda and most often expires while sitting in your pantry. If you want to test its potency, put a spoonful in a cup of very hot water. If it is active, it will bubble vigorously. If it doesn’t, buy a new can before proceeding.
  • Make sure to test for doneness with a toothpick in a few spots across the top of the loaf. If there’s any batter on the toothpick, your bread will need additional baking time. If it comes out clean, it’s done!
  • PRO-Tip: Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan. If you release it too early, it may fall apart. And if you wait too long, it can get stuck.
  • You will lose some of the topping when flipping the loaf out of the pan. PRO-Tip: Alternatively, you can swirl in the topping with a table knife or thin spatula before baking.
  • Tip from the Comments: When lining the bottom the of the pan with parchment, extend the parchment up the narrow ends of the bread pan long enough to create a small handle to lift the bread out of the pan, rather than tipping it upside to get it out. No mess, and any sugar mixture stays in place. 

I grew up with a rhubarb patch in my backyard. My mom would harvest rhubarb and make her favorite recipes, typically a sauce or a pie. These Rhubarb Upside Down Cakes from Julia Child are a new family favorite! This tart vegetable is often treated as a fruit because it’s transformed into a soft, sweet addition to pies, crisps, tarts, and bread by counteracting the acidity with a generous amount of sugar.

I had my mom’s ancient rhubarb bread recipe on a faded index card, and I used that as a starting point. I topped my first attempt with a streusel topping, but most of that fell off as I was slicing. The second batch was a compilation of a couple of recipes, but fell short on flavor. It was adding some cinnamon to the mix that finally delivered!!

2 slices of rhubarb bread on a square white plate.

How to Make

Like most quick bread or soda bread, there are a few tips to follow for successful results.

  1. First, prep your pan properly. You should grease, then dust with flour, or use an oil and flour non-stick cooking spray like Baker’s Joy (affiliate link). Place a small rectangle of parchment paper onto the bottom of the greased pan and grease the top as well.
  2. In advance, set out the egg and milk on the kitchen counter to take the chill off. This will make for easier incorporation.
  3. Wash, trim, and chop your rhubarb and set it aside.
  4. Mix the sugar topping mixture and set aside.
  5. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  6. Whisk together the wet ingredients in another bowl.
  7. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, just until it comes together. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth.
  8. PRO-Tip: Overmixing quick bread or muffin batter will cause tunnels in the bread as it bakes. It will still taste good, but it won’t have the desired consistency. Stir just until combined. Do not use a mixer unless it’s at the very lowest speed. I still recommend mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula.
  9. Mix in the rhubarb, and scrape half the batter into the prepared Loaf Pan (affiliate link). Fill about
  10. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar, then add the rest of the batter, followed by the remaining cinnamon sugar.
  11. Bake as directed. The timing depends on your oven, so you will need to check by inserting a toothpick into the middle. It will come out clean when the bread is done.
  12. Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan.
  13. Fully cool on the rack, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate before slicing.
2 slices of rhubarb bread on a round white plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does rhubarb taste like?

Rhubarb is an extremely tart vegetable that’s treated like a fruit. This is why it is typically cooked with plenty of sugar and paired with sweet fruit like bananas, raspberries, strawberries, and apples.

Are rhubarb leaves poisonous?

Yes, they contain high levels of oxalic acid, which can cause renal failure if large amounts are ingested. This is why only the rhubarb stems are used in recipes.

When is rhubarb season?

Rhubarb is best harvested in spring and early summer. As summer progresses, the stalks get woody and won’t taste nearly as good as the younger, more tender stalks.

How do you store rhubarb bread?

Rhubarb bread can be stored at room temperature, well-wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container. After 3-4 days, if you have any leftovers, freezing it will prevent it from getting stale.

Can you freeze rhubarb bread?

Yes, most quick bread freezes well. Make sure your loaf is well wrapped in plastic wrap, and for extra protection, you can place the wrapped bread in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

How else can rhubarb be eaten?

Besides rhubarb bread and muffins, rhubarb is delicious in pie, crisps, crumbles, coffee cakes, sauces, and more. Almost any recipe that utilizes fruit can be made with rhubarb, although the sugar amounts will need to be adjusted since rhubarb is so tart.

You May Also Like:

Quick bread is a category of bread that doesn’t use yeast as a leavener. Instead, these baked goods use baking soda and/or baking powder. They are “quick” because they don’t need to “proof” or rise before baking. Bread like banana bread and pumpkin bread, muffins, scones, and biscuits are all considered quick bread.

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Two slices of one of the best Rhurbarb Bread Recipes
The Recipe:

Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 20 minutes
Yield 1 loaf

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.

4.5 Stars (256 Reviews)

Ingredients

  • 1 ⅓ cups sugar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup large diced rhubarb

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
    2. Grease a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
    3. Stir together ⅓ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
    4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a large bowl.
    5. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and oil.
    6. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula until just moistened. Do not beat or overmix. Fold in the rhubarb.
    7. Scrape ½ of the batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle with ½ of the cinnamon mixture. Repeat by layering the remaining batter and then the cinnamon mixture.
    8. Swirl the topping into the batter with an offset spatula, if desired (I did not).
    9. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour.
    10. Place the pan on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, remove the bread and let cool completely.
    11. Wrap bread with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours to help make slicing easier.

    Notes

    • The baking time varies depending on the thickness of your loaf pan, your specific oven, the juiciness of the rhubarb, etc. So check before the baking time in the recipe and note that it may take longer.
    • May add ½ cup chopped nuts to the cinnamon mixture.
    • One reader added 2 cups of rhubarb and loved having the extra fruit. So go ahead and add more than the recipe calls for if you'd like a loaded rhubarb bread. It may take a little longer to bake.
    • Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.

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    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    12

    Serving Size:

    1 slice
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 146mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 3g

    Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.

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    © LIz Berg
    Cuisine: American / Category: Bread