Banana Buckwheat Cake with Espresso Spread
Serves 8 to 10
If you think buckwheat is a cereal grain, think again. It is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. That makes it a suitable grain substitute for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain gluten. Buckwheat’s beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of the flavonoids rutin and quercetin. Scientists have known for decades that rutin and quercetin can inhibit blood platelet aggregation, which impacts normal blood viscosity or thickness. This is needed to maintain healthy blood pressure and to prevent LDL (aka bad cholesterol) from free radical oxidation that turns it into potentially harmful cholesterol oxides. All these benefits make buckwheat part of a heart healthy diet.
Buckwheat is also a good source of magnesium. This mineral relaxes blood vessels to improve blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure, which is a perfect combination for a healthy cardiovascular system. The nutrients in buckwheat may contribute to blood sugar control. In a test that compared the effect on blood sugar of whole buckwheat groats to bread made from refined wheat flour, buckwheat groats significantly lowered blood glucose and insulin responses.
Half of all men will experience prostatitis at some point in their lives. This inflammation of the prostate gland is the number one urological disorder in men over the age of 50. Research at the Harbor UCLA Medical Center found that high doses of quercetin reduce this painful condition in nearly two-thirds of their patients. Making foods like buckwheat essential to the diet of many older men.
If you want a healthy cake, this is about as close as you’ll get!
Ingredients:
For the cake
1 cup white whole wheat flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 very ripe bananas
½ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
½ cup olive oil
½ cup Siggi’s vanilla triple cream yogurt
For the spread
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup Siggi’s vanilla triple cream yogurt
Pinch of sea salt
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
How to make:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8½ inch x 4½ inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Let it hang over on both of the longer sides.
Sieve the flour, buckwheat, cinnamon, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
Place the bananas into a large bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. Stir in the maple syrup followed by the eggs, oil, and yogurt. Add the sieved dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Pop the cake into the oven and cook 50 to 60 minutes. The cake is done when the top springs back when gently pressed or a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Turn the cake out onto the rack, and let it cool completely.
Blend the cream cheese, yogurt, and salt in a medium bowl then add the powdered sugar and espresso. Continue to blend until smooth. Slice into portions and top with equal amounts of the spread to serve.