The rhubarb in my garden is already up and ready to be harvested! Okay, so it’s not quite ready, but I harvested some anyway so I could make some Orange Rhubarb Bread. Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable which is the reason it is the first thing up in the spring.
Rhubarb reminds me of the plant in Little Shop of Horrors!
Kelly started me on my rhubarb journey. Years ago, she had some strawberry rhubarb pie at a friend’s house and fell in love with all things rhubarb. Rhubarb was something I had heard of, but had not really tried. That changed! I found some rhubarb at the garden center and planted it so I could make rhubarb dishes. It is much easier to find in grocery stores and in gardens these days. Over the years, we’ve made a number of different things using rhubarb and we continue to expand our rhubarb repertoire. This is a good place to begin!
Orange Rhubarb Bread (adapted from Taste of Home)
Prep time: 15 minutes. Bake time: 40 minutes Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup finely chopped fresh rhubarb
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until they are light and fluffy.
The butter & sugar need to be creamed until they are light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, orange peel and vanilla.
The orange flavor comes solely from the bit of zest.
Combine the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the sour cream. Fold in the rhubarb and pecans.
Stir in the rhubarb and the pecans last.
Transfer the batter to a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.
The loaf doesn’t rise very much.
You can also use frozen rhubarb. Just measure out the rhubarb while it is still frozen, then thaw it completely under running water. Drain it in a colander, but do not press the liquid out.
Breakfast, snack, dessert or tea time, this works!
Give rhubarb a try! ~Linda
Orange Rhubarb Bread (adapted from Taste of Home)
Prep time: 15 minutes. Bake time: 40 minutes Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup finely chopped fresh rhubarb
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until they are light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, orange peel and vanilla.
Combine the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the sour cream. Fold in the rhubarb and pecans.
Transfer the batter to a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.
You can also use frozen rhubarb. Just measure out the rhubarb while it is still frozen, then thaw it completely under running water. Drain it in a colander, but do not press the liquid out.