Two things to know about this banana loaf: 1) It's addictively delicious. 2) It's gluten- and refined-sugar-free; meaning addiction is not to be feared! It's perfectly acceptable to devour for breakfast or dessert (with a scoop of tangy yogurt or ice cream; respectively). We love the nutty flavor of buckwheat; but feel free to swap out for more gluten-free flour if you aren't a fan.At the restaurant; we dress it up by toasting slices in ghee and serving them with orange-cardamom-ginger-maple yogurt (more on that below) and whatever macerated or roasted fruit we're making from our latest farmers' market haul. In spring; it's macerated strawberries and kumquats; in late summer; it gets plums and berries.

• 2 cups King Arthur gluten-free baking flour*
• ⅔ cup buckwheat flour
• 1½ cups coconut sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup poppy seeds
• 4 super ripe bananas**
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• Extra coconut sugar, for dusting

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a large nonstick loaf pan with olive oil. If you have a smaller Pyrex loaf pan; you'll have leftover batter; so get a few muffin papers prepped or save the leftover batter for a rainy day!Whisk all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer; or in a large bowl with a hand mixer; mash the bananas until they're smooth. Crack in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is completely incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk; olive oil and vanilla. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix until the batter is smooth; being careful not to overdo it.Pour the batter into your loaf pan (about ⅔ full); bop it gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles; and sprinkle the top with a good handful of coconut sugar. Bake until the bread is golden-brown on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean; about 65 minutes. (Baking times may vary depending on the size of your loaf tin; so be sure to check after 55 minutes or so to be safe! Don't worry if your loaf takes a bit longer -- the key to a thoroughly done cake is a clean toothpick. If the top is browning too much for your liking; simply cover with tin foil for the rest of the baking period.) Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes. Turn the bread onto a plate and let it cool a bit more before slicing. Store in a sealed plastic bag (or well wrapped in foil).To serve it like we do at Botanica: Get the most delicious full-fat yogurt you can find (we're using Strauss organic cow's milk yogurt these days) and stir in some orange zest; a squeeze of orange juice; some grated fresh ginger; a dash of ground cardamom; a splash of maple syrup; and a pinch of sea salt. Toast a fat slice of the bread (preferably in a pan with ghee!) and serve it on over the yogurt; with roasted; macerated or fresh seasonal fruit on top. *We tested a LOT of varieties; this was the clear winner**Stick a few in a paper bag with an apple or avocado to speed up the ripening process!