Citrusy Rhubarb Quick Bread

Last updated on November 8th, 2025

This citrusy Rhubarb Quick Bread is moist, tender and packed with sweetly-tart fresh rhubarb. Made in one bowl, it’s a cinch to put together with simple pantry ingredients. With bright notes of orange, cardamom and vanilla, it’s a celebration of fresh spring flavours!

One of the simplest, most delicious ways to use fresh rhubarb, in this recipe it’s the star of the show. The sweetness of the cardamom, orange and vanilla work to temper its tartness and add depth of flavour. The hardest part? Waiting for it to cool before slicing it!

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Rhubarb Quick Bread

• 2 cups (200 grams) diced rhubarb
• 1 cup (120 grams) + 1½ teaspoons (6 grams) granulated sugar, divided
• Freshly grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 tablespoons or 10 grams)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup (240 grams) buttermilk
• ½ cup (110 grams) neutral vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) vanilla
• 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (130 grams) whole wheat all-purpose flour 
• 1½ teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (3 grams) baking soda
• ½ teaspoon (3 grams) ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher or fine sea salt

How to bake with fresh rhubarb

When harvesting or shopping for rhubarb, you’ll want to look for firm, brightly coloured pink, red or green stalks. The colour doesn’t really change the way it tastes, but the more colourful stalks will make for a more stunning bake if you can find them. Fresh rhubarb will keep well on the counter for a day or two, in the crisper for up to 4-5 days or you can dice and freeze the stalks in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Tips for making Rhubarb Quick Bread

The vegetable oil and buttermilk are key to its thick, cakey-soft texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own (see note below) or replace it with Greek yogurt. This recipe also works well with frozen rhubarb if you have a stash in your freezer (see note). 

Additionally, I highly recommend baking this rhubarb quick bread in a glass loaf pan like this one. Dark metal pans heat faster contributing to a better rise and crispy, browned edges for things like cakes, pies and bread. Dense, moist bakes made with lots of fruit, however, take a little longer to cook to the centre and benefit from the slower heat conductivity of a glass baking pan. If you don’t have one, you can always tent your loaf with foil to help prevent the top and outer edges from over-baking.

Does the rhubarb have to be cooked before baking?

Not at all! Baking uncooked rhubarb will mellow it’s flavour and help the individual pieces retain their shape.

Why you’ll love this Rhubarb Quick Bread

Simple bakes really are the best, and once brightly coloured rhubarb starts popping up at the market in the spring this is the first thing you should make with it.

Once rhubarb is baked, the flavour shifts from sour to sweetly-tart and berry-like. Delightfully sweet with fresh and unique citrus flavours and an almost crunchy top, this quick and easy recipe produces a seasonally inspired loaf that is soft and buttery with a tender crumb.

Packed with fresh spring flavours, this citrusy Rhubarb Quick Bread will have you doubling the recipe to gift or save a loaf for later in the summer!

Try this Coconut Rhubarb Breakfast Cake or this Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread next.

If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! 

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

Rhubarb Quick Bread

This citrusy rhubarb buttermilk quick bread is moist, tender and packed with sweetly-tart fresh rhubarb. With bright notes of orange, cardamom and vanilla, it’s a celebration of fresh spring flavours!

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Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:1 hour hr

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: baking, bread, quick bread, rhubarb

Servings: 10

Equipment

• 8½ x 4½ -inch (1.5 litre) glass loaf pan
• 4 Qt mixing bowl
• Fine grater/zester
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 cup granulated sugar + 1½ teaspoons, (6 grams) divided
• Freshly grated zest of 1 orange about 2 tablespoons
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk see note below to make your own
• ½ cup neutral vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour all-purpose or finely ground
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and prepare parchment-lined 8½ x 4½-inch (1.5 litre) glass loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, press together sugar and orange zest using a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon until the sugar takes on an orange hue and is fragrant. Whisk in egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla until well combined.
• Add flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt and mix until combined. Do not overmix, it’s okay to still see flour remnants around the edges of the bowl. Fold in rhubarb and stir just until it’s distributed evenly through the batter.
• Turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing out the top with a spatula if needed.
• Sprinkle remaining sugar across the top, then bake for 60-65 minutes until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. *If using a metal loaf pan, don’t forget to tent your loaf with foil to help prevent the top and outer edges from over-baking.
• Set loaf on a wire cooling rack and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Using parchment edges, lift loaf from pan to rest on rack until cooled completely (about 1 hour).

Notes

To make gluten free: Use an equal amount of your favourite good quality 1:1 gluten free flour blend.

Frozen rhubarb: Measure then add the rhubarb straight from the freezer. Do not thaw.

Don’t have buttermilk? To make your own, stir 2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice per ½ cup 2% or whole milk and let stand for 5 minutes while you assemble your remaining ingredients.

Storage: This loaf will keep well in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days, in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.