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1. Preheat the oven to 215u00b0F (100u00b0C.) Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) square cake pan.
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2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and rye flours, the baking powder, baking soda, and caraway seeds.
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3. In a spice grinder, or mortar-and-pestle, grind the fennel and anise seeds into they are close to finely ground, but they can still have a bit of texture to them. Whisk them into the four mixture until they are evenly dispersed.
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4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk and dark syrup. Stir the mixture just until the dry ingredients are completely moistened, but don't overmix.
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5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
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6. After 30 minutes, increase the heat of the oven to 325u00b0F (160u00b0C) and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the bread feels just-cooked in the center when you press it. (If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 190u00b0F, 88u00b0C.)
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7. Remove the bread from the oven and as soon as it's cool enough to handle, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
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To serve, cut the bread in half down the center, making two rectangular loaves, then cut slices of the bread.
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Storage: The bread will keep for up to 3-4 days at room temperature. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
