An easy and delicious rhubarb loaf made with yogurt and flavoured with a touch of orange zest. The orange and rhubarb flavour combination is always a winner! You can make this loaf with fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb.
Why you’ll love this rhubarb loaf
- The rhubarb and orange flavour combination of this rhubarb loaf really works!
- You can make this loaf with fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb, so it’s a great recipe to use up the frozen rhubarb from last year.
- This loaf has a fabulously crispy exterior, combined with a moist and tender interior.
- Thanks to the addition of yogurt, this moist rhubarb loaf keeps several days on the counter and is a great bite any time of day.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Rhubarb – either fresh or frozen rhubarb will work for this loaf. For frozen rhubarb, you can use from frozen, with no need to thaw. I find the baking time is slightly longer when using frozen rhubarb.
Orange – the only source of orange flavour in this loaf is from orange zest, so you will need a fresh orange of some sort. If you have no orange, you can just omit and enjoy a straight-up rhubarb loaf.
Yogurt – for best results, use plain, regular yogurt with at least 2% b.f. A higher-fat yogurt will produce a more moist and slightly richer loaf. Sour cream would be a fine substitute for the yogurt.
Recipe tips!
Baking is always best when all the ingredients are at the same temperature. So when you take the butter out of the fridge, take the eggs and yogurt out, too.
After adding the flour mixture, mix just until combined and don’t over-mix.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This loaf keeps well, so don’t hesitate to make it ahead. It will keep on the counter, wrapped, for several days.
This rhubarb loaf also freezes well for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Rhubarb Loaf
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest, can adjust amount to taste or omit, if you like
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) plain yogurt, 2 to 5% b.f. recommended, or sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups (230 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if you used salted butter
- 2 cups (460 ml) rhubarb, fresh or frozen, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
For topping before baking:
- 2 Tablespoons turbinado, raw or white granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (regular bake/not fan assisted), with the rack in the centre of the oven. *Reduce oven temperature by 25F if using a glass pan.
- Grease or spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan and line the bottom and long sides with a sheet of parchment paper that extends over the side edges at least 1-inch (to use as handles to lift the loaf out later). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and slat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the yogurt and mix in. Add the flour mixture and stir in just until incorporated. Fold in the rhubarb until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the top with sugar.
- Bake until the loaf is golden brown and set and a tester inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 55 to 75 minutes. *Baking time will vary based on the colour of your baking pan, your oven and if you used fresh or frozen rhubarb. Mine took 75 minutes with a light coloured pan and using frozen rhubarb. A dark baking pan and/or fresh rhubarb will generally bake more quickly.
- Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf out to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
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 made this loaf with frozen rhubarb, and allowed it to thaw and dry before using. The loaf was light, moist and flavourful. Â I used a 9 x 5 pan, as that was all I had and the loaf took 55 minutes to bake. Â I will definitely make this recipe again.