This easy and delicious rhubarb bread pudding can be made with fresh or frozen rhubarb. Cook it up in a cast iron skillet or any oven-safe baking dish. Serve warm with a drizzle of heavy cream for a lovely rhubarb dessert.
Why I love this rhubarb bread pudding
- I think bread pudding is the ultimate comfort food and adding warm rhubarb just elevates it in the comfort-food department!
- This rhubarb bread pudding comes together quickly, with most of the prep done in the same pan used to bake it.
- You can use any bread to make this bread pudding, so it’s great for using up slightly stale bread bits.
What you’ll need
And a few notes about the key ingredients …
Rhubarb – You can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb for this bread pudding.
Bread – Any bread will work here with the choice of bread bringing a different texture to the bread pudding. I’ve used a Brioche loaf here, which is a richer choice. Bakery-style day-old white bread is always a good option. I also like to use the ends of baguettes. Whichever bread you use, it is always best that it is slightly stale, to avoid a mushy bread pudding. If your bread is still a little fresh, you can toast the slices a bit first to dry them out.
Orange Zest – I love a touch of orange flavour with rhubarb, but if you don’t happen to have a fresh orange on hand, simply omit the orange zest and add more cinnamon instead.
How to make rhubarb bread pudding
- Start by melting a bit of butter in a skillet. Add the rhubarb (fresh or frozen) and cook with the butter for 3-4 minutes to soften a bit.
- Pour the warm rhubarb and butter mixture over the cubed bread in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- In the same skillet, warm the milk, butter and brown sugar just until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved. Don’t overheat the milk mixture.
- Pour the warm milk mixture over the cubed bread and rhubarb mixture.
- Mix together the eggs, cinnamon and orange zest in a small bowl or measuring cup and add to the bowl with the bread mixture. Stir together.
- Pour all the mixture from the bowl back into the skillet and bake. It may look a bit liquidy, depending on the type of bread used, but no need to worry. It will be fine in the end :)
Recipe video
Recipe tips!
- A cast iron skillet is perfect for baking this rhubarb bread pudding, as it goes easily from the stovetop to the oven. Any oven-safe skillet will also work. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, any oven-safe baking dish (7×11 or 9×9) or similar size that allows the pudding to be about 2 inches deep before baking.
- To avoid a mushy bread pudding, be sure your bread is stale or fairly dry. If your bread is still a bit fresh, you can toast it in a toaster a bit, cube and pop it in a 350F oven briefly to dry it out or simply cube, scatter it on a baking sheet and let it sit out for several hours on the counter to dry.
How to serve rhubarb bread pudding
Enjoy this bread pudding fresh from the oven, for best results. Serve warm with a drizzle of heavy cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or make it extra special with a drizzle of creme anglaise. I’ve included a creme anglaise recipe in the Recipe Card Notes below.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
Bread pudding can be made ahead and reheated to serve. Re-heat in the microwave or loosely covered with foil in a 350F oven until warmed through.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Bread pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Rhubarb Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed bread, day-old or slightly stale *see Note 1 below
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2-2 1/2 cups rhubarb, fresh or frozen, diced
- 1 3/4 cups milk, 2 or 3% milk recommended
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, or omit and use 1/2 tsp more cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. (regular bake setting/not fan-assisted)
- If you have a cast iron skillet (10-inch top diameter) that would be ideal, as it can be used on the stove-top and in the oven for baking the bread pudding. An enamelled oven-safe skillet of similar size would also work. If not, use any skillet on the stove top, then after mixing the large bowl, spoon into any oven-safe baking dish (7×11 or 9×9) or similar size that allows the pudding to be about 2 inches deep before baking.
- Add the cubed bread to a large bowl and set aside. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh or frozen diced rhubarb and cook, stirring, until the rhubarb softens slightly about 3-5 minutes. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the bread cubes in the bowl and toss to combine.
- Using the same skillet, add the milk, brown sugar, and remaining 2 Tablespoons butter. Stir to combine and heat over medium heat on the stove-top just until butter is melted. Pour the milk mixture over the bread/rhubarb mixture in the bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a measuring cup, whisk the eggs, cinnamon, orange zest and vanilla together. Pour the egg mixture over bread/rhubarb/milk mixture in the bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture baking into the cast iron skillet or into a baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden and set about 40 to 50 minutes.
- Allow to stand in the pan for at least 5 minutes before eating, or allow to cool, cover and refrigerate if making ahead. Refrigerate up to 2 days.
- Serve warm drizzled with heavy whipping cream or topped with a scoop of ice cream. This bread pudding is also nice drizzled with homemade or store-bought creme anglaise. I've included a creme anglaise recipe in the notes below.
- To re-heat, microwave or place into a 350F oven, loosely covered with aluminum foil, until warmed, about 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Note 1: Day-old or slightly stale bread will give the best results and avoid a mushy bread pudding. If your bread is still a bit fresh, toast it lightly in a toaster or cube, place onto a baking sheet and place in a 350F oven for a few minutes to dry it out.
Optional Creme Anglaise (can be made ahead):
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
-
Combine the milk, cream and vanilla in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat.
-
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture. Return the custard to the saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves a path on the back of the spoon when a finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into a bowl. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
More rhubarb recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I am making this bread pudding right now.
I used frozen rhubarb and did not add water as instructed but there seems to be an awful lot of water forming as rhubarb is thawing.should some of this water be stained off or should I used it as is.
Hi Carol, if you have an opportunity to pour off some of the water, I would. Most will bake off, but always better to start with less, when you can :)
So I will finish this pudding today. As I cooked that rhubarb I did pour off some of the water, I could see there was way too much moisture. So now it seems like there is still some, but maybe not too much so I am glad to have your advice and I will take a bit more off.
I have the lovely Creme Anglaise ready and waiting for when I finish this now, so I am going to get to it.
I was wondering how the topping would be if I swapped a bit of brown sugar for a bit of crunch,in place of the icing sugar, or would that be too sweet with the sauce?
Sounds good Carol and yes, you could certainly do a sprinkling of brown sugar on top for a bit of crunch. I would even do a sprinkling sugar, too, as I always thinks it looks pretty and a dusting adds little sweetness, really. Enjoy!
This is the best bread pudding ever…everyone just loved it..will definitely be in my must make again list
So glad to hear, Peggy :) Thanks so much!
I have only made bread puddings with chunks of bread. How big are the slices in this recipe?
Hi Georgia, as detailed in the recipe instructions, the slices should be 1/2-3/4 inches. Hope that helps.
I was assuming that the 1/2-3/4 inches indicated the thickness of the bread but like Georgia, I can’t tell how larges the bread is. Not all baguettes are the same size.
Hi Mary, Yes, the 1/2-3/4 inches is how thick you should cut the slices. While baguettes do vary somewhat in size (height), it’s not a wide variation generally, so whatever baguette you start with should be fine.
I made this for a co-worker’s birthday and I have to say, it was fantastic!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this, Janna! Thanks :)
Please pass me a spoon, this bread pudding looks simply divine! :)
Thanks Laura :)
Jennifer, this is truly a masterpiece! Love absolutely everything about this bread pudding!
Thanks so much, Julia :)
Jennifer this bread pudding sounds amazing! It is one of my favorite comfort foods! My Mom loves rhubarb too, so this is on my list for when she comes to visit in a few weeks!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann. It’s a nice treat for rhubarb lovers :)
What a delightful combination Jennifer! Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts but I never thought to make it with rhubarb, yum! And the creme anglais sauce is the crème de la crème for sure!
Thanks Chris. The rhubarb was so nice with the bread pudding and if I could, I would put that sauce on everything ;)
Jennifer – this is beautiful! I love the creme anglais sauce too! Such a perfect touch. I don’t know what it is about my area but it seems like we never got a good amount of rhubarb so I am totally envious.
Thanks Jessica. I think rhubarb loves a cooler climate. It grows like a bad weed around here, so there’s always a lot of it around :)
JUST had the idea to do rhubarb bread pudding. How funny! Yours looks sensational. Creme anglaise is the perfect touch :)
Great minds think alike, Sarah :) I was looking for something different to do with my rhubarb, too!
You are an artist Jennifer – this is beautiful on so many levels. So rich and soft and I would love it!
Thanks so much, Tricia :)
We still have some time before local summer produce kicks in here. I’m still seeing rhubarb at the store and love the idea of this recipe. I feel rhubarb gets the short end of the stick, almost always relegated to the traditional pie before summer hits. This elevates it so and gives it a whole new destiny!
Thanks Toni and we are the same here. Local strawberries won’t show up here until mid-late June, so rhubarb is still the only fresh, local thing around.
I have to confess I’ve never made a bread pudding, but you’ve tempted me with the rhubarb and that gorgeous sauce!!
Thanks Sue. For a number of year, I thought I wasn’t really a bread pudding lover, but then I had one at a restaurant and was totally won over. I think I had become jaded by dry bread puddings. I love a moist and creamy one and yes, that sauce helps, too :)
Bread pudding is absolutely the ultimate comfort food!! And this rhubarb version is calling my name. Girl, seriously, if you’re ever in Montreal we need to get together and just go wild making rhubarb treats! Pretty sure I’ve pinned every single one of your rhubarb creations!
Thanks Katrina :) I have always loved rhubarb and the fact that it freezes so well means it’s an almost year-round treat for me!