Vegan Buckwheat Banana Bread (gluten-free)

Vegan buckwheat banana bread may soon be your favorite of all banana breads! It is naturally gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, as well as low in added sugar.

Vegan & Gluten Free Banana Bread Made with Buckwheat Flour

My whole grain flour obsession du jour is buckwheat. I’ve been using buckwheat flour in combination with wheat flour for years, but now I’m learning to savor it solo.

Sweet-tooth me, a cake-y banana bread seemed a great place to start. Hello, Vegan Buckwheat Banana Bread!

What is Buckwheat?

You may already have an affection for buckwheat, too without having thought about it much: think savory French crepes  with melting Gruyere (the ultimate street food IMHO) or a big bowl of earthy Japanese soba noodles. But if baking with buckwheat is unfamiliar terrain, then it’s time to explore.

Buckwheat is actually one of the oldest crops in the world and is naturally gluten-free. Despite the misleading name, buckwheat has no relationship to wheat at all; it’s actually a fruit seed (related to rhubarb—who would have thunk?), not a grain. 

Why Should I Bake with Buckwheat Flour?

When buckwheat is milled, buckwheat produces a flour that is light and fine-textured. It is a very absorbent—more so than wheat flour—and  works wonders in baked goods. Think crisp cookies and tender as can be breads, cakes and muffins.

And the flavor! Buckwheat flour gives baked goods a rich, earthy  flavor akin to nuts (walnuts and pecans come to mind in particular).

Is Buckwheat Flour Nutritious?

Buckwheat (whole, or milled into flour) is very nutritious indeed!

If you need further incentive to give buckwheat flour a try, with this bread or in another recipe, consider this: buckwheat, like quinoa, contains a full spectrum of essential amino acids, making it one of the few vegetable sources of complete protein that equals the protein of fish or meat in quality. Perhaps I should rename this “power banana bread?”

Which brings me to my banana bread.

Everyone who buys bananas ends up with some brown bananas, so it’s my position that one can never have too many recipes that use them up. I prefer simple recipes to deal with my banana bounty, and this bread fits the bill. It is mixed up in minutes and tastes like cake, despite being low in added sugar and all-round healthy.

Happy baking!

More Great GF & Vegan Buckwheat Recipes:

1-Ingredient Buckwheat Bread

Oil-Free Buckwheat Granola

Buckwheat Almond Shortbread Cookies

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Yield: 12 slices

Vegan Buckwheat Banana Bread (gluten-free)

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Vegan buckwheat banana bread may soon be your favorite of all banana breads! It is naturally gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, as well as low in added sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups buckwheat flour
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 and 3/4 cups mashed VERY ripe bananas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175C). Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf  with nonstick cooking spray (optional , but recommended: also line with parchment paper).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla and bananas; add to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just blended.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool 20 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove loaf and cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled bread at room temperature in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. Alternatively, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap, then foil, completely enclosing bread, and freeze for up to 6 months. Let cake thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

1 slice (1/12 of loaf)
Amount Per Serving Calories 120Total Fat 2.8gSaturated Fat 0.2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 140.3mgCarbohydrates 22.1gFiber 3.5gSugar 10gProtein 2.6g

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