Buckwheat Banana Cake with Yogurt-Espresso Frosting

This banana bread from Bon Appétit is different from others I’ve made. On the plus side, it stays moist for days! On the downside, a slice of it won’t hold up to being toasted (unless you have a toaster oven, maybe, but not in a conventional toaster like mine). This means I can’t eat it my favorite way, which is warm from the toaster and spread with a bit of margarine. That being said, this is where the frosting comes in! I keep the bread at room temperature and the yogurt frosting in the fridge and assemble just before serving. I had leftover frosting, so I might make less next time, or slather it on more thickly… This was a nice way to shake up my morning routine!

For the cake
1 cup whole wheat flour (I think I used white whole wheat)
½ cup buckwheat flour (or more whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
4 very ripe bananas
⅔ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
½ cup olive oil
½ cup lactose-free sour cream

For the frosting and assembly
4 oz. lactose-free cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup lactose-free plain Greek yogurt
1 pinch of kosher salt
⅓ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. espresso powder (decaf is fine)

For the cake
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Coat an 8½”x4½" loaf pan with nonstick spray, then line with parchment, letting it hang over on both of the longer sides.

Whisk whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

Mash bananas and brown sugar in a large bowl until virtually no lumps of banana remain and brown sugar is dissolved. Mix in eggs, oil, and sour cream. Add dry ingredients and mix in with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake cake until the top springs back when gently pressed and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55–65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 30 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack and let cool completely.

For the frosting and assembly
Whisk cream cheese, yogurt, and salt in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Sift powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl and whisk vigorously to combine, then stir in espresso powder.

Serve cake with frosting alongside for spreading over.