Tender Rhubarb and Banana Bread

Name: Tender Rhubarb and Banana Bread
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 slightly heaped cup rhubarb (chopped, 5.5 oz/150 g, Note 2); 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 3 bananas (over-ripe, Note 3); ½ cup unsalted butter (soft, 110 g, Note 4); ½ cup brown sugar (or white, 120 g); 2 eggs (large); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (6 oz/ 175 g, Note 5); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 pinch of salt; icing sugar (for dusting the bread)

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Try this moist, sweet, and slightly tart rhubarb and banana bread this season; you will love it! This easy recipe is super fast, versatile, and always a delight.

banana rhubarb bread cut to show the inside crumb and sprinkled with icing sugar.

This is my favorite banana bread recipe, the one I bake most often when I find overripe bananas on the counter - and that happens quite frequently. It’s a versatile recipe that allows for endless variations. Today’s seasonal variation is this deliciously moist and slightly tangy rhubarb and banana bread.

Try more soft and quick bread loaves with rhubarb, this Rhubarb Loaf Bread with Blackberries, or the Rhubarb Ginger Bread. And if you have a large bush in your garden, make Rhubarb Butter or check out What to do with Rhubarb?

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Recipe ingredients
Variations on the recipe
How to make banana bread with rhubarb?
Good to know!
Recipe FAQ
More rhubarb desserts
Recipe
Tender Rhubarb and Banana Bread

Recipe ingredients

labeled ingredients for making banana bread with rhubarb arranged on the table.

Over-ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots, yet not mushy or almost liquid. The browner the bananas, the sweeter the bread.
Rhubarb is one of my favorite seasonal produce. I really try to make the most of it every spring, and I always make sure to freeze some for later use. Freezing rhubarb is easy; you should try it! This way, you can make this delicious banana rhubarb bread any time of the year. If using frozen rhubarb, thaw it completely and let it drain well. Pat it dry with kitchen towels before mixing it with the flour.
- Make something savory, too: Rhubarb Chicken, Tangy Rhubarb Soup, or Rhubarb Fish Curry.
Flour: I make this recipe with whole wheat flour, but all-purpose flour works well, too. Use whatever you like. You will also need a bit of extra plain flour to coat the rhubarb pieces.
Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter in baking; if you use salted butter, leave out the pinch of salt in the recipe.
Brown sugar is the best choice, but white sugar works well, too.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations on the recipe

If you leave out the rhubarb, you will make a basic and probably the best banana bread. It's moist, sweet, full of flavor, and oh-so comforting.
You can add cinnamon or a bit of cardamom, ½ to 1 cup of chocolate chips (your favorite sort), walnuts or pecans, or 1 cup of berries. Or make strawberry banana bread; it's also perfect for the season. I’ve tried all these versions at one time or another, and we loved each and every one.

How to make banana bread with rhubarb?

chopped rhubarb mixed with flour in a bowl.

Step #1: Chop the rhubarb and toss it with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

Step #2: Mash the bananas with a fork.

creamed brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl.

Step #3: Cream the sugar and the soft butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (or use a stand mixer).

batter for banana bread in a large bowl.

Step #4: Add the large eggs and lemon juice and mix well. Stir in the mashed bananas.

banana bread batter with brown sugar in a bowl.

Step #6: In a medium bowl, mix whole wheat flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

folding rhubarb pieces into cake batter using a spatula.

Step #7: Fold in the chopped rhubarb pieces.

banana rhubarb bread batter in a prepared loaf tin before baking.

Step #7: Transfer the batter to a buttered and floured loaf tin.

baked bread with rhubarb and bananas on a cooling rack.

Step #8: Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes (cake tester). Let it cool for 20 minutes. Transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Good to know!

I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon link opens in a new tab) in baking; it guarantees the best results. I measured the ingredients for the banana rhubarb bread recipe using cups, too, but I still think using metric measurements is more accurate.

Room temperature: Butter and eggs should be at room temperature when baking because they mix better with other ingredients. This leads to a smoother batter, which helps your baked goods rise properly and have a better texture.

Optional glaze: I usually sprinkle the bread with icing sugar before serving it, but you can, of course, glaze it. For instance, make the glaze we used to cover the Blackberry Lemon Bread.

Recipe FAQ

Are my bananas still good for baking?

They should have lots of brown spots; the browner the bananas, the sweeter the baked goods. However, make sure that they are not too soft and feel almost liquid inside. Check them for moldy spots (at the tip), too. If they are almost runny or moldy, please discard them.

How to store banana and rhubarb bread?

At room temperature: Keep it in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If the weather is hot, I would refrigerate after one day already.
Refrigerate it in an airtight container for 5-6 days.
You can freeze the whole loaf or the individual slices (well-wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil) for up to 3 months.

two slices of banana bread with rhubarb on top of each other and the rest of the loaf near it.

More rhubarb desserts

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