Buckwheat banana bread is made with ripe bananas, buckwheat flour, and simple baking staples. It has a tender texture and nutty, lightly sweetened flavor that's great for breakfast, snacking, or even dessert.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender banana bread is made with nutty buckwheat flour and sweet, ripe bananas.
Pan size: 9x5 loaf
Yield: 10 slices
Similar to: Banana Nut Bread and Banana Nut Muffins
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Bananas - You'll need about 2 large or 3 medium bananas, or about 1 cup of mashed banana. Any bananas will work, but it's best to wait for a few brown spots to appear. Ripe bananas are softer, sweeter, and mash easily with a fork to incorporate into the batter.
- Buckwheat flour - This recipe is written to be made with dark buckwheat flour, which has more fiber, protein, and minerals than light buckwheat flour. I haven't tested this recipe with light flour, so I can't say how your bread would turn out with this substitute.
- Optional mix-ins - Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips if desired.
How to make buckwheat banana bread
- Add banana to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add remaining wet ingredients and combine, then add dry ingredients and combine.
- Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.
- Bake until bread pops back when pressed and reaches 200F in the center.
Heather's Top Tip
To test for doneness, gently press the top of your baked good. If it springs right back, it's done. If an indent is left, it needs more time. For accurate results every time, use an instant read thermometer. Quick breads (baked goods made with chemical leavening) are done when they reach 200F in the center.
Tips and tricks
How to ripen bananas in 24-48 hours - Place your bananas in a brown paper bag and fold closed. Leave them on the counter for 24-48 hours.
How to ripen bananas same day - Set your oven to 300F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your unpeeled bananas. Bake for about 15-30 minutes, or until skins look shiny and black. Allow bananas to cool before handling.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this recipe is made entirely with buckwheat flour, which is naturally gluten-free.
Yes, fresh bananas will work in this recipe. Ripe bananas work better because they're softer, sweeter, and incorporate easily into the batter. Take time to mash your fresh bananas well or they'll leave noticeable chunks throughout the baked bread.
Yes. Allow your frozen bananas to thaw first, then drain off excess liquid before mashing.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Buckwheat Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas, 1 cup of mashed banana
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (56 g) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper (or grease and flour the bottom and sides) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add your bananas and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together the dry ingredients: buckwheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Pour batter into loaf pan. Tent pan with foil (remove halfway through baking). Bake for about 55-65 minutes, or until the top pops back when gently pressed (if an indent is left, your bread needs more time). Optionally, test with an instant read thermometer. Banana bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 200℉.
- Allow bread to cool before slicing.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Banana bread will keep for about 3-4 days at room temperature, up to a week in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.
- To ripen bananas quickly: Set your oven to 300F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your unpeeled bananas. Bake for about 15-30 minutes, or until skins look shiny and black. Allow bananas to cool before handling.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!