If you love banana bread but are looking for a healthier version, look no further than this buckwheat banana bread. It’s delicious, nutritious, and perfect for a wholesome breakfast, snack, or dessert.
This buckwheat banana bread is a healthy and delicious twist on classic banana bread. Made using buckwheat flour, mashed bananas, and other wholesome ingredients.
It’s perfectly suitable any time of year including birthdays, holidays, or any day you’re craving a healthy treat.
With its nutty flavour and satisfying texture, this bread is sure to become a new favourite in your baking repertoire.
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What is buckwheat flour?
Buckwheat flour is a gluten-free flour made from ground buckwheat groats.
Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is actually a seed that is high in protein, fiber, and nutrients.
Buckwheat flour has a nutty flavor and is a great alternative to wheat flour for those who are gluten intolerant or simply looking to switch up their baking routine.
For more recipes using buckwheat flour, check out our buckwheat pancakes and buckwheat pizza crust.
Why you’ll love this bread
- Delicious! Buckwheat flour adds a nutty flavour and great texture to the bread, while overripe bananas provide natural sweetness and moisture. Enjoy it plain or with your favourite topping.
- Wholesome: Buckwheat is a nutrient-dense seed that’s high in protein, fiber, minerals, and nutrients like magnesium and phosphorus.
- Dietary friendly: Not only is this buckwheat banana bread gluten-free, but it’s also dairy-free, vegan, oil-free, low in fat, low in added sugar, and easily made nut-free by omitting the optional walnut topping.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s everything you’ll need to make our delicious and healthy buckwheat banana bread recipe.
- Buckwheat flour: This naturally gluten-free and nutritious flour is perfect for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, but it’s so delicious that everyone can enjoy it. I highly recommend weighing the flour using a kitchen scale for the most accurate and best results.
- Bananas: Make sure to use VERY ripe bananas for optimum sweetness and flavour. The skins should be heavily spotted brown for the best results.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce is used in place of eggs and oil, keeping the dessert not only vegan-friendly but also lower in calories and fat.
- Coconut sugar: I like coconut sugar as it’s an unrefined sweetener but you may use brown sugar in its place if you don’t have any on hand.
- Milk: I used soy milk this time, but other non-dairy milk alternatives also work well, such as almond milk or cashew milk.
- Cinnamon: For added flavour, but you may omit it if you prefer.
- Baking powder: Be sure to use ACTIVE baking powder for the best texture and lift. Baking powder that has been open in the pantry for 6+ months may start to lose its effectiveness.
- Optional toppings: Walnuts, banana slices, and a sprinkle of coconut sugar (or brown sugar) are optional, but highly recommended. The banana and sugar add a layer of caramelization, and the walnuts add lovely crunchy texture.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Mash your banana in a large bowl and add the milk and applesauce. (photo 1)
Mix well but don’t worry if there are a few lumps from the bananas. (photo 2)
Add all the dry ingredients to the same bowl. (photo 3)
Then stir until combined, but no need to work out every lump. (photo 4)
Transfer the batter to a loaf pan and top as desired. (photo 5)
Then bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (photo 6)
Let your buckwheat banana bread rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
The rest time is crucial for the bread to completely set and make slicing simpler.
Variations
- Add chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios, OR chocolate chips, or raisins right in the batter for extra texture and flavour.
- Pour half the batter into your loaf tin and then sprinkle with coconut sugar and cinnamon and/or nutmeg before pouring the remaining half on top, as I’ve done with this delicious apple bread.
Or, check out these other gluten-free banana bread recipes:
Equipment
I use this 5″x9″ loaf pan for baking this buckwheat banana bread. If your loaf pan is a different size or different material, cook time may vary slightly.
Always check doneness using the toothpick trick. Insert a toothpick into the center of your loaf, and when it comes out mostly clean and dry, the bread is ready.
Storage
Leftovers will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You may also freeze the bread in a freezer-safe container. Freeze it whole, or sliced for easy on-the-go snacks later. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Make sure the bread is completely cooled before freezing.
Expert Tips
- Weigh the flour using a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. Scooping flour from a bag often results in too much flour being used and can make this bread dry and dense.
- Use overly ripe bananas. The more brown spots, the better, as the sweeter they will be. Since the recipe uses very little sweetener, you want to make sure your bananas will provide ample sweetness.
- Measure your mashed bananas. Bananas really vary in size. So make sure you're using enough for optimal sweetness and moisture. Measure to ensure you're using a full cup of mashed banana.
- Use fresh + active baking powder! Baking powder that has been open in the pantry for 6+ months may start to lose its effectiveness.
- Use parchment paper to line your loaf pan. Although a nonstick loaf pan should do the trick, I find this much easier to remove from the pan when using parchment paper. You can easily lift the bread out and place it on a wire rack without the worry of breaking it.
- Individual ovens will vary. So make sure to test the doneness of your buckwheat banana bread using a toothpick inserted in the middle. When it comes out mostly dry, the bread is ready.
- Let it cool. Give yourself extra time to let your loaf cool down. A minimum of 20-30 mins on a cooling rack is recommended to completely set and make slicing much easier.
More delicious banana-based recipes
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed banana approx. 3 medium or 2 large
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup soy milk or almond or cashew
Dry Ingredients
- 200 grams buckwheat flour approx. 1.5 cups
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional Toppings
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- sliced banana
- coconut sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mash your banana and add 1 full cup worth to a medium bowl, followed by the milk and applesauce. Mix well. Then add all the dry ingredients to the same bowl and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into your lined loaf pan and top with sliced bananas, walnuts, and a sprinkle of coconut sugar. Make sure to gently press the toppings into the top of your bread.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean and dry, approx. 40-50 minutes, depending on your oven.
Notes
- Weigh the flour using a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. Scooping flour from a bag often results in too much flour being used and can make this bread dry and dense.
- Use overly ripe bananas. The more brown spots, the better, as the sweeter they will be. Since the recipe uses very little sweetener, you want to make sure your bananas will provide ample sweetness.
- Measure your mashed bananas. Bananas really vary in size. So make sure you're using enough for optimal sweetness and moisture. Measure to ensure you're using a full cup of mashed banana.
- Use fresh + active baking powder! Baking powder that has been open in the pantry for 6+ months may start to lose its effectiveness.
- Use parchment paper to line your loaf pan. Although a nonstick loaf pan should do the trick, I find this much easier to remove from the pan when using parchment paper. You can easily lift the bread out and place it on a wire rack without the worry of breaking it.
- Individual ovens will vary. So make sure to test the doneness of your buckwheat banana bread using a toothpick inserted in the middle. When it comes out mostly dry, the bread is ready.
- Let it cool. Give yourself extra time to let your loaf cool down. A minimum of 20-30 mins on a cooling rack is recommended to completely set and make slicing much easier.
Nutrition
FAQ
Since buckwheat flour is gluten-free, its texture is different than wheat flour. So although it won’t be as light and fluffy as baked goods made with wheat flour, it does add moisture and tenderness to cookies and cakes.
It’s healthier than all-purpose flour with more protein, fiber, B vitamins, potassium, and essential amino acids. Plus, it has the added bonus of being naturally gluten-free.
Since buckwheat normally results in denser finished products compared to wheat flour, you cannot normally substitute at a 1-to-1 ratio. However, you may replace up to ¼ of the flour with buckwheat or simply search for tested recipes that already incorporate buckwheat.
Emile says
Hiii, this looks great 🙂 I was wondering if it’s possible to use dates instead of the coconut sugar in this recipe?
Thank you!
Rosa says
I haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure how that might alter the texture/consistency.