Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

Bake Strawberry Rhubarb Bread for a bright, tender loaf with a crunchy crumble and sweet glaze.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ cup canola or vegetable oil (unsalted melted butter may be subsituted)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup strawberries (diced* (See Notes))
• 1 cup rhubarb (sliced thinly* (See Notes))
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (very well-softened to room temp)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream (half-and-half or milk may be substituted)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and prepare the loaf pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan: spray lightly with cooking spray and line with a parchment sling that drapes over both long sides for easy removal. If you prefer, grease and flour the pan, but the parchment sling is the foolproof trick to keep the crumble intact when you lift the bread out later. Set the pan aside on the painted pine wood surface while you assemble the batter.

Step 2: Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, lemon juice, oil (or melted unsalted butter), eggs, and vanilla until smooth and slightly glossy. The mixture should be homogenous and fluid, with the sugar mostly dissolved and the batter showing a pale, creamy sheen. Keep the whisk nearby—it’ll be used again when you make the glaze.

Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients and combine

In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt until evenly distributed and aerated. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir gently, folding just until there are no streaks of flour—avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.

Step 4: Fold in fruit and transfer to pan

Gently fold in the diced strawberries and thinly sliced rhubarb until the batter is uniformly speckled with pink and faint green ribbons; the batter should look moist but not runny, with visible fruit pieces suspended through the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared parchment-lined loaf pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula so it’s level and ready for the topping.

Step 5: Make the crumble topping

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and salt, then cut the very-softened butter into the dry mix until small pebbles and clumps form. The texture should be purposeful and loose—little pebble-like crumbs, not a paste. Fluff and lift as you cut so the butter-coated pieces remain separate and crumbly.

Step 6: Top, bake, and check for doneness

Evenly scatter the crumble pebbles across the smoothed batter in the loaf pan so you get a thick, crackly streusel layer. Bake in the preheated oven about 55 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden-brown, the loaf springs back to a gentle touch, a toothpick comes out clean, or the interior reaches about 200°F. The crumble should be crisp and slightly browned at the peaks.

Step 7: Cool and remove from pan

Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes so it firms up and the crumble sets. Carefully lift the loaf out using the parchment sling and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing. Scatter a few crumbs around to show freshness and texture.

Step 8: Whisk the glaze and drizzle before serving

Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with vanilla and 3 to 5 tablespoons of heavy cream until a glossy, pourable glaze forms—adjust with more sugar to thicken or more cream to thin. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled loaf so it runs in delicate ribbons down the sides. Slice into thick pieces to reveal a moist, speckled interior of strawberries and rhubarb, serve, and store airtight at room temperature up to 48 hours (or refrigerate for longer).

Notes

• Dice strawberries and slice rhubarb thinly so they suspend in the batter evenly.
• If using frozen fruit, thaw and drain well to avoid a soggy loaf.
• Use a parchment sling for easy removal and to protect the crumble.
• For a richer loaf, substitute half the oil with melted unsalted butter.
• Freeze slices individually for up to 2 months for easy breakfasts.