Rhubarb Quick Bread
Updated April 15, 2026
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
8 tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for the pan
1 cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
⅓ cup whole-milk yogurt
2 large eggs
1 ¾ cups/223 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¾ cups/227 grams chopped rhubarb (8 ounces), cut into ¼-inch pieces
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
52 grams carbs; 78 milligrams cholesterol; 343 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 13 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 268 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 29 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 ½-inch-by-4 ½-inch loaf pan.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, 1 cup of the sugar, orange zest and yogurt until well combined. Whisk in eggs. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and 1 ½ cups rhubarb to butter mixture and fold until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup rhubarb and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and set and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes.
- Step 3
Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then cut around the edges and carefully flip the loaf out of the pan. Turn it right side up and let it cool completely before slicing.
Private Notes
Comments
I was feeling alternative and used lime zest instead of the orange, which gave it a subtle cocktaily feeling that worked well with the tart rhubarb. Also, on rhubarb quantities, go big or go home. It's called rhubarb season, not quick bread season. You want to taste rhubarb held together by a bit of cake, not cake speckled with polite rhubarb pieces. Be the rhubarb monster of your dreams. Finally, I recommend saving some for the next day–the cake settles into itself wonderfully overnight.
I've now made this delightful cake five times, and I've passed the recipe on to many people. My only suggestions are: increase the amount of chopped rhubarb to as much as two cups; and don't bother strewing the 1/4 cup rhubarb after the batter is in the loaf pan. But don't forget the crackly raw sugar sprinkled on top!
I've now made this numerous times and it's one of my favorite "cakes". Tweaks: bake in an 8x8 pyrex and reduce time to 35-40 mins and temp to 325 (bakes more evenly). Butter and *sugar* (not flour) the pan. 0.5 tsp cardamom with the dry ingredients (do not skip!). Mix in rhubarb with the dry ingredients before adding to wet to prevent clumping. Rub zest into sugar before using. If I don't have oranges, clementines or orange flavoring out of the bottle work just as well.
Very easy and delicious recipe. I added pecans which is a nice touch. I agree that using more rhubarb adds to the flavor. Delicious with morning coffee or as a dessert with some ice cream or just by itself!
After reading the comments I tinkered a bit with the recipe and wowzer! First, I made muffins, using sour cream instead of yogurt and adding a generous 2 1/2 cups of rhubarb to the batter. I sprinkled raw sugar on top. Then I baked them at 375 for 25 minutes. Absolutely delicious!
My mother didn't like rhubarb so we never had it; I've recently become obsessed with it. I'm going to try this with paleo flour and increase the rhubarb content as julie b suggests.