Banana Buckwheat Bread

2 cup unsalted butter
1⁄2 cup maple crystals
3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1⁄2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-4 medium to large bananas)

1⁄4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups buckwheat flour

Prep: Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Beat together the butter, maple crystals, bak- ing soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the banana, honey and eggs, beating until smooth. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Spoon the bat-

ter into the prepared pan and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered for 10 minutes. Bake the bread for 50 minutes. Lay a piece of foil gently across the top and bake until a cake tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.