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A bright, cozy quick bread featuring tart fresh rhubarb and zesty lemon, topped with a sweet lemon glaze. Moist and tender crumb thanks to butter and sour cream (or Greek yogurt). Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5-15 minutes
  • Yield: One 9×5-inch loaf (about 8-10 servings) 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
  • Powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Bring butter, eggs, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt) to room temperature.
  3. Chop fresh rhubarb into pieces; if using frozen, thaw completely and drain excess juice.
  4. Zest the lemon, grating only the bright outer rind without the bitter white pith.
  5. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
  6. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and pale.
  7. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  8. Mix in lemon juice, lemon zest, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), and vanilla until combined.
  9. Slowly add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring gently just until no flour streaks remain; do not overmix.
  10. Fold chopped rhubarb gently into the batter to distribute evenly.
  11. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  12. Bake for 50–60 minutes, testing with a toothpick at 50 minutes; loaf is done when toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  13. Cool loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
  14. Whisk powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until the glaze is smooth and pourable, adjusting thickness as desired.
  15. Drizzle lemon glaze over completely cooled loaf and let set before slicing.

Notes

Use fresh rhubarb for best texture and flavor; frozen rhubarb works if thawed and drained., Zest only the lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white pith for best flavor., Room temperature ingredients help batter mix smoothly and bake evenly., Avoid overmixing batter to keep loaf tender and moist., Test for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center., Variations include adding berries, nuts, warm spices, cream cheese instead of sour cream, or shredded coconut., Loaf keeps well at room temperature for 3 days, refrigerated about a week, and frozen up to 3 months., Mini loaves can be baked in 3-4 pans at 25-35 minutes, test for doneness accordingly.

  • Author: Ashley
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
  • Category: Dessert

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 1/10 of loaf)
  • Calories: Approx. 250 calories per serving
  • Fat: Approx. 11 grams per serving
  • Carbohydrates: Approx. 35 grams per serving
  • Protein: Approx. 4 grams per serving