I entered this bread into our county fair last year and it won a blue ribbon. The recipe is an adaptation of one that was in a Denver newspaper many, many years ago. It's even better if you can let it rest in the refrigerator for a day, but good luck resisting eating it immediately!Rhubarb Cinnamon Bread
1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C chopped pecans
1 C milk, soured with 1 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 C oil
1/3 C applesauce
1 1/2 C finely chopped rhubarb, fresh or thawed frozen
Topping: 1 Tbs. melted butter, 1/2 C sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brown sugar, salt, flours, and nuts in a large bowl. Add soda to soured milk. In a separate bowl, mix egg, vanilla, oil, and applesauce; add to dry ingredients alternately with milk. Fold in chopped rhubarb. Turn into two well-greased loaf pans.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle half on each loaf. Gently press topping into batter with back of spoon. Bake 45-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for several minutes in pans before turning them out. Serve warm or cold.
**Note - by substituting part whole wheat flour and replacing half the oil with applesauce, you increase the fiber, reduce the fat, and improve the nutritiousness of any quick bread!
