Miso Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 (240g) overripe bananas, plus one more for garnish
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  
• 3 tablespoons shiro (sweet/white) miso
  
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 2 whole eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  

Directions

1. Peel all the bananas, and mash up all but one with a fork. (That last one we’ll use as a garnish.)
2. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and ready a lined loaf tin for your banana bread batter.
3. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, sweet miso, caster sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until it turns light and fluffy. This should take 2 to 3 minutes. Then, add in the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix for 30 seconds. The batter might start to look a little chunky and split at this point; don’t fret, this is perfectly normal. Finally, add in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and cinnamon) and mix for another 20 to 30 seconds, until a smooth batter forms.
4. Pour the banana bread batter into the lined loaf tin. Then, take that extra banana you saved in step one, and slice it in half lengthwise. Place them on top of the batter, cut side up. (See the photo above for reference.)
5. Bake the banana bread in the oven for 60 to 75 minutes, rotating once 45 minutes into the baking process. To check for doneness, prick it in the middle with a skewer or cake tester; the cake is done when the skewer comes out clean. When done, let it cool in the tin for 30 minutes before digging in.