Safety first: Lower in added sugar, not sugar-free. Not medical or nutrition advice; check with your doctor about your own diet. Please read our editorial guidelines before you start.
Key takeaways
- Use very ripe, spotted bananas, because they are the only sweetener.
- Bake until the center reads 200 to 205°F or a toothpick comes out clean, and tent with foil if the top browns early.
- Cool completely before slicing. Buckwheat loaves are gummy when cut warm.
In this post4 sections
What we found, and what we are guessing
The buckwheat banana bread recipes we read agree on the method: mash or blend ripe bananas, mix with a wet base, fold into buckwheat flour with a leavener and bake at 350°F in a loaf pan. Bake times in them range from about 38 to 65 minutes, so they say to trust a toothpick or a thermometer reading of 200 to 205°F rather than the clock. They advise mashing the bananas well, cooling fully in the pan or on a rack, and using light buckwheat flour because dark flour can taste bitter or grassy. Some use ground flax or a chia egg, pumpkin seeds as a mix-in, and maple syrup or dates for sweetness. Ours blends the pumpkin seeds into the batter and uses only the bananas for sweetness, with cider vinegar and baking soda to lift it, so it is less sweet than most of the versions we read. We could not read reader comments, so complaints here come from the recipes' own tips.
Tested recipe
Pumpkin Seed Banana Bread (Buckwheat)
A one-bowl loaf of buckwheat flour, ripe bananas and soaked pumpkin seeds blended with milk, leavened with baking soda and cider vinegar. One 9x5 loaf, about 1 hour 10 minutes plus a short soak.
Ingredients
Loaf
- 1 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), soaked in cool water 2 to 4 hours, then drained and rinsed
- 2 large very ripe bananas, peels spotted brown; about 1 cup mashed
- 1 cup milk, dairy, or unsweetened soy or oat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour, light buckwheat flour tastes milder; check the label if gluten-free
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine salt, a pinch to 1/4 tsp
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Steps
Step pictures are AI illustrations, not our dish. Our photos are coming after we cook it.
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Soak the pumpkin seeds in cool water for 2 to 4 hours. In a warm kitchen, soak them in the fridge. Drain and rinse.
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Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving some hanging over the long sides as handles.
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Blend the drained seeds, bananas, milk and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down once. Small flecks of seed are fine.
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In a large bowl, whisk the buckwheat flour, baking soda and salt.
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Pour the blended mixture into the flour, add the vinegar and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour is left. The batter will be thick and spoonable. Do not beat it.
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Scrape into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, the top springs back when pressed and the center reads 200 to 205°F. If the top browns too fast, tent it with foil after 35 minutes.
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Cool in the pan 30 minutes, then lift out on the parchment and cool on a rack at least 30 minutes more before slicing. A buckwheat loaf is gummy if cut warm.
AI illustration
Notes
- Buckwheat flour has no gluten, so the loaf holds together because of the bananas and seeds. Cut it only when cool.
- This loaf is only lightly sweet, because the bananas are the only sweetener. Use spotty, very ripe bananas. For a sweeter loaf see the swaps.
- Buckwheat is not a form of wheat and is naturally gluten-free, but check the flour label if you need to avoid cross-contact with wheat.
- Contains milk unless you use a plant milk. Pumpkin seeds are a seed allergen for some people.
- Bake time varies by oven and pan. Trust the toothpick and thermometer over the clock.
- The book recipe gives about 50 minutes. Our time, pan size, soak time and cooling steps are our estimates.
Swaps
- Add 1/4 cup maple syrup for a sweeter loaf and bake 5 minutes longer; untested.
- Fold 1/2 cup walnuts or extra pumpkin seeds into the batter, and scatter a few seeds on top; untested.
- Use equal amounts of sorghum or brown rice flour in place of buckwheat flour, as some versions suggest; untested.
Storage and reheating
Storage: Once fully cool, wrap and keep at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Slices freeze wrapped up to 2 months. We have not tested freezing.
Reheating: Toast a slice for 2 to 3 minutes or warm it in a 300°F oven for 8 minutes.
Nutrition (1 slice (1/10 of the loaf))
- Calories: 170 calories
- Carbs: 22 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
Estimates only, summed from standard USDA SR Legacy values per ingredient. Not medical or nutrition advice.
Where this recipe comes from
- Inspired by Buckwheat Banana Bread from The Toasty Kitchen, Buckwheat Banana Bread from Simple Veganista and Buckwheat Banana Bread from In Jennie's Kitchen.
How to serve it
Slice it thick and toast it, then top with butter, nut butter or yogurt. It is a quick breakfast or an afternoon snack with tea.
Every recipe from Diane's reels in one printable book: the Healthy Recipes Cookbook.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my loaf gummy?
It was likely cut while warm or under-baked. Bake until the center reads 200 to 205°F and cool it fully before slicing.
Does the loaf taste sweet?
Only lightly, because the bananas are the only sweetener. Use very ripe bananas or add the maple syrup swap.
Do I have to soak the pumpkin seeds?
We have not tested it without soaking. The soak softens the seeds so they blend smoothly.
