RUSTIC RHUBARB BERRY LOAF

I found a bag of last year’s frozen rhubarb and sour Evans cherries from our garden and couldn’t let them go to waste. So, I baked them into this Rhubarb Berry Loaf—soft, buttery, and topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel! Plus, I tossed in some freeze-dried strawberries for extra flavor, and let’s just say… I’ll be making this again and again and again! 😍

Makes 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 cup rhubarb, chopped

• 1 cup frozen berries of your choice, chopped

• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped freeze dried strawberries

Streusel Topping

• 1/3 cup brown sugar packed

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp chilled butter

DIRECTIONS

Loaf

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it with cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

5. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined.

6. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.

7. Add milk and mix just until incorporated.

8. Gently fold in rhubarb and berries with a spatula.

9. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Streusel Topping

1. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon.

2. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly, resembling coarse crumbs.

3. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter.

Bake

1. Bake for 40–50 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

2. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Freezes well!