BUCKWHEAT-COCOA BANANA BREAD BARS

I first tasted a great bread bar at a baby shower given at the Food Network, where I was developing recipes in the test kitchen. They were banana bread bars slathered with cream cheese frosting, and they captured all the best parts of banana bread—the caramelized top and dense, moist middle. I made this version even moister with buckwheat flour, which brings a deep flavor. This gluten-free flour doesn’t rise well, so it’s perfect for bars. I love the combination of banana and chocolate, and to introduce the latter without overpowering the former, I add cocoa powder rather than chocolate chips. That hint of chocolate helps the cakey bars hover somewhere between snack and breakfast. If you swirl chocolate frosting on top or serve them with a scoop of ice cream, you’ve got dessert.

TIP: Look for stone-ground or other very finely ground buckwheat flour, which won’t be gritty like coarser-ground flours.

makes 2 dozen

gluten-free, no nuts

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the parchment.

2. Whisk the buckwheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the bananas, sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Add to the buckwheat mixture and fold until smooth. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread evenly.

3. Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when pressed lightly with your fingertip, about 25 minutes.

4. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Run a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the pan. Cut into sixths crosswise and quarters lengthwise to form 24 bars.

MAKE AHEAD

The bars will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.