This miso banana bread is an asian twist on classic banana breads. It's moist, tender, full of banana flavor, and also with a subtle hint of umami and well balanced savoriness. It's a wonderful breakfast/brunch item, but also great as a mid-day snack or dessert!
2cupsoverripe bananasmashed (about 4-5 medium bananas)
Instructions
Make the banana bread batter:Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x4 loaf pan with butter or oil.
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Set aside until needed.
With a hand mixer, cream the butter and miso paste in a large mixing bowl until well combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and cream on medium low speed until the sugar and butter is combined. Then increase the speed to medium high and continue creaming until the butter is fluffy and lighter in color, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla. Blend on medium speed until well combined, then add the overripe bananas. Blend on medium speed until well combined and increased the speed to medium high for a few seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.*At this point, the batter may look a little broken, but don't worry! It'll come together once the dry ingredients are added.*
Add the prepared flour mixture and gently mix the batter with a rubber spatula until no more dry flour is visible. *Make sure to not over-mix! Over-mixing will create a dry, tough banana bread!*
Bake the miso banana bread:Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread the batter with the rubber spatula to level it out.
Optional:Split a banana in half, lengthwise, and place the two halves on top of the batter.
Bake the banana bread for about 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean or with only a few crumbs. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature.*If the banana bread should bet too dark while baking, cover the top with a sheet of foil.*
Once the banana bread is cool enough to handle, flip the pan and pop the bread out of the pan. Let the bread cool completely or until just warm. Slice into your desired thickness and enjoy!
Notes
Please refer to the post for step by step photo reference, tips, and FAQs!
Overripe bananas are essential for making moist, flavorful banana breads. If you have ripe bananas but don't have time to bake that day, freeze the banana for a later bake. Refer to the post for more details.
White or yellow miso are the most suitable miso for baking, as they are not overly pungent nor too salty, due to less fermentation time.
Don't over-mix the batter! Over-mixing the batter will encourage gluten development. This will cause your banana bread to become tough and dry.