There's savoury depth to this Miso & Black Sesame Banana Cake recipe

Miso, that traditional savoury staple of Japanese gastronomy, has ventured outside its comfort zone and into the sweet dish sphere. Satisfying our cravings for umami, miso can add a rich, savoury baseline to cakes, cookies and ice cream.

Inspired by the salty-sweet combination, we've got masterful with miso, and creative with cake. We encourage you to try this indulgent Miso & Black Sesame Banana Marble Cake recipe at home.

Miso & Black Sesame Banana Marble Cake

Ingredients
3 tbs black sesame seeds
1 tsp charcoal powder (this is optional, to intensify the black)
3 very ripe bananas, peeled weight 225-250g. Plus one banana for the top
250g plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus a little more to grease the tin
3 tbs sweet, white, miso paste
180g caster sugar
3 eggs
2 tbs yogurt

Method
Line a large, deep, approx. 24 cm loaf tin with baking paper (or use two smaller loaf tins, or a medium, buttered, bundt tin – the batter should come no more than 2/3 of the way up whichever baking tin you are using).

Heat the oven to 180 C.

Prepare the ingredients: Grind the sesame seeds (and charcoal powder, if using), to a paste in a pestle and mortar. Mash the peeled bananas to a lumpy paste, and measure the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate into a bowl, and set aside.

Place the butter, miso paste, and sugar into a mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with each egg. Beat in the mashed banana and the yogurt. Finally, add the flour mixture, and stir in until only just combined. Remove half the batter to a separate bowl and stir in the sesame paste until combined.

Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the prepared tin, alternating the plain and the black. Swirl a skewer through the mixture to marble it. Peel the fourth banana and slice it in two, lengthways. Place the banana slices on top of the batter, cut side up, and place in the hot oven.

Bake for 70 - 80 minutes, until well risen and golden. A skewer inserted in the centre of the cake should emerge clean. Cool the cake in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

INFORMATION

Recipe by Melina Keays, Entertaining Director