This Buckwheat Banana Bread is a gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free banana bread with a soft and moist crumb and a classic taste.
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!
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Buckwheat Banana Bread
This Buckwheat Banana Bread is a gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free banana bread with a soft and moist crumb and a classic taste.
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Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 164.5 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Mashed Ripe Bananas - equivalent 3 large bananas
- ⅓ cup Light Olive Oil - (note 2)
- ⅓ cup Almond Milk - (note 3)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ⅓ cup Maple Syrup - (note 4)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups Buckwheat Flour - (note 5)
- 3 tablespoons Flaxmeal - (note 6)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper with a cooking oil spray. Set it aside.
- Peel and mash the bananas with a fork to make a smooth puree. Pack it in a measuring cup to get exactly 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas. If you have mashed too much banana, store it in the freezer to use in smoothies.
- Place the mashed banana in a large mixing bowl with oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Fold in buckwheat flour, flaxmeal, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Use a rubber spatula to combine and form a smooth banana bread batter.
- Pour the batter in the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Cover the pan with a piece of foil after 30 minutes if the top browns too fast.
- If you like, press two banana halves on top of the bread batter.
- Insert a toothpick in the center of the bread up to the bottom of the pan, if it comes out wet or with crumb, keep baking in 5-minute increments until it comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool down for 10 minutes in the pan at room temperature, then on a cooling rack for 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
Note 1: You can use ripe bananas with black spots on their skin or yellow bananas. Make sure you mash the banana first, then pack it in cups to measure the amount needed. Too much banana makes the bread too moist.
Note 2: Or any light flavor oil you like including canola oil or melted plant-based butter.
Note 3: Any milk work, like soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.
Note 4: You can’t skip the maple syrup, the bread will be dry. Other refined sugar free sweetener can be used like agave syrup, or coconut nectar.
Note 5: Lightly packed in the cup, not overly packed to avoid a dense bread. Note that buckwheat flour color is a naturally gluten-free flour with a light grey color in NZ/Australia, and darker color in the US/Europe. The bread will have a different color based on where you are, but the taste and amount will be the same.
Note 6: You must add flaxmeal for firmness, or the bread will be too moist and fall apart when you slice it.
Storage: Store the bread in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 164.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.9g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 7.4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.7g | Sodium: 93.4mg | Potassium: 223.3mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 9.3g | Vitamin A: 18.7IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 52.3mg | Iron: 0.9mg | Magnesium: 54.3mg | Phosphorus: 75.5mg | Zinc: 0.7mg
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.
- Buckwheat Flour – This is the base of your gluten-free bread, giving it a unique, earthy flavor and tender texture. It’s important to lightly pack it in the measuring cup to avoid a dense bread. Note that the color of buckwheat flour can vary significantly depending on where it’s sourced (e.g., lighter in NZ/AU, darker in US/Europe), which will affect the color of your baked bread but not the taste or amount.
- Mashed Ripe Bananas – These provide natural sweetness, moisture, and a classic banana flavor to your bread. Using ripe bananas with black spots ensures the best sweetness and a soft texture. It’s important to mash them first, then measure, so you get the exact amount needed for a perfectly moist, not too wet, bread.
- Light Olive Oil – This adds moisture and tenderness to the banana bread. You can easily substitute it with any other light-flavored oil you prefer, such as canola oil, or even melted plant-based butter.
- Almond Milk – This contributes to the liquid content of the batter, ensuring a moist crumb. Any plant-based milk, like soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk, will work well here.
- Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall flavor profile of the banana bread, adding a warm and inviting aroma.
- Maple Syrup – This sweetens the bread and helps with its texture. It’s important not to skip it, as the bread could become dry. Other refined sugar-free sweeteners like agave syrup or coconut nectar are also fine to use.
- Cinnamon – This spice adds a warm, comforting flavor that pairs beautifully with banana.
- Flaxmeal – This is crucial for binding the ingredients and providing firmness to the bread. Without it, your banana bread might be too moist and fall apart when you slice it.
- Baking Soda – This leavening agent reacts with the acidic components in the batter, helping the bread rise and become light.
- Baking Powder – Another leavening agent, this works with baking soda to ensure your banana bread has a good rise and a fluffy texture.
How to Make Buckwheat Banana Bread
This recipe is super easy to whip up in a few minutes.
Combine the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet.
Combine with a spatula until just mixed.
Bake the banana bread for 45-50 minutes at 350°F (180°C)
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for a perfect banana bread.
- Banana Choice – For the sweetest and most flavorful banana bread, use ripe bananas that have black spots on their skin. These bananas are naturally sweeter and mash easily.
- Measure Accurately – Always mash your bananas first, then measure them by packing them into a measuring cup. This ensures you have the precise amount, preventing your bread from becoming too moist.
- Perfect Moistness – The flaxmeal is a must-add in this recipe. It helps with the firmness and structure of the bread, stopping it from being too moist and falling apart when you slice it.
- Sweetener Choice – While maple syrup is recommended, you can swap it for other refined sugar-free sweeteners like agave syrup or coconut nectar. Just don’t skip a liquid sweetener altogether, or your bread could turn out dry.
- Buckwheat Color – Don’t be surprised by the color of your buckwheat flour. It can vary significantly between countries (light grey in NZ/AU, darker in US/Europe) due to processing and types of buckwheat, but the amount and taste will remain consistent.
- Add-Ins – For extra flavor and texture, mix in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips into the batter before baking. Cover if Browning – Keep an eye on your bread during baking. If the top starts browning too quickly, cover the loaf pan loosely with a piece of foil after about 30 minutes to prevent over-browning.
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