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.
Leftovers keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, refrigerated for 4-5 days, or freeze airtight for up to 3 months.