Homemade Rhubarb Bread

Rhubarb is beginning to advance in most places and Amish cooks are eager to use it in everything from shortcakes and cookies to puddings and pies. When working on the book Amish Cooks Across America I found a lot of love for rhubarb, but perhaps no more so than the Amish settlement of Fredonia, Pennsylvania.  You'll have to buy the book to read about Fredonia:), but I did want to share a recipe from that settlement. This is Miriam Miller's recipe for homemade rhubarb bread. And, wow, is it tasty! This is a photo of it in Miriam's kitchen, along with a glass of fresh rhubarb juice and a jar of homemade rhubarb jam.. Here is a recipe for her rhubarb bread 
RHUBARB BREAD

¼ pound butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup hot cooked rhubarb

Topping

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon hot water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Lightly grease and flour a 5 by 9-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together until it becomes light and creamy. Add the eggs and milk, and mix well. In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add this to the margarine-milk mixture, and   stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla and hot rhubarb and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Make the topping: In a small mixing bowl, combine the margarine, flour, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Use a pastry blender to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Pour the mixture over the bread batter. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in the loaf pan, and place the loaf on a wire rack. Slice, and eat either warm or cool.