This banana bread recipe is very similar to the popular Rum Banana Bread recipe that I’ve been making for friends and family for over a decade. My latest obsession with miso has led me to making some delicious savory recipes, like this Miso Cauliflower and Miso Brown Sugar salmon, but I wanted to explore using miso paste in a sweet recipes too. Using miso in desserts is kind of like a secret weapon since it is usually seen as a savory ingredient. But miso adds a bold saltiness that works well with classic banana bread, giving it a whole new layer of addictive. Miso works really well with chocolate too so I can’t wait to add it to some cookies or brownies too. You’ll love this robust, moist miso banana bread especially in the morning with some butter on top and a freshly brewed cup of coffee in hand. It’s a cozy Fall morning must!
Ripe bananas: You’ll want your bananas ripe enough for the best results, look for the brown spotty bananas. (No green on the peel). Freckled bananas = banana bread time! Brown sugar: Dark or light brown both work well, I’ve made it with both. I love the flavor brown sugar adds to the bread! White Miso: Miso is a fermented soybean paste and white miso specifically is light colored and sweet. It’s quite nutritious, having rich amounts of B vitamins and protein and is used in sauces, soups, marinades, dips, salad dressings, etc. Butter: A little unsalted butter is used in the recipe and some for greasing the pan. Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds extra moisture to ensure the bread stays soft and tender. You can sub with milk too but buttermilk is always best! Oil: Vegetable oil is what I recommend, but you can also sub with melted coconut oil if you’d prefer. The oil add richness and moisture to the banana bread. Eggs: The eggs help to bind ingredients as well as helping to make it rise! You’ll need 2 room temperature eggs for this banana bread. Dry Ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar and salt.
Mash the bananas and heat them in a skillet on the stove with the miso paste, butter and brown sugar. Let simmer and then remove from heat to cool. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Once the banana mixture has cooled slightly, whisk it into the buttermilk mixture. Fold in the dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared metal loaf pan (9×5 inch) and bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake time can very but it takes typically ~45-50 minutes.
