Burnt Miso Pound Cake with Roasted Bananas and Miso Caramel
8-10
servings
Dessert
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
5 tbsp
shiro (white) miso
⅔ c
buttermilk
½ c
grapeseed or neutral oil
1
stick plus 3 tablespoons butter
5 lg
eggs
1 ½ c
plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 ⅓ c
cake flour
¼ c
plus 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 ¼ tsp
baking powder
¼ tsp
kosher salt
Toppings
1
banana
1 tbsp
sugar
Miso Caramel
1 c
peanuts, crushed
Miso Caramel
¼ c
water
½ c
heavy cream
¾ c
sugar
2 tbsp
shiro (white) miso
Adapted from Christina Tosi’s All About Cake
This pound cake is the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Using Christina Tosi’s miso-flavored pound cake recipe from All About Cake as a foundation, I added my favorite warm, nutty flavors, like roasted bananas, crushed peanuts, and even more miso in the form of a caramel sauce on top. (Tosi’s original recipe pairs the loaf with a sour whipped cream and an apple compote.) Burning the miso sounds a little counterintuitive, but it adds a great malty depth to the cake itself. Finally, treat the miso caramel topping as you would any other caramel sauce, and drizzle it onto ice cream, pancakes, or pies.
Directions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- Spread the miso out in an even layer, about ¼ inch thick, on the lined baking sheet. Bake it until the miso is browned and quite burnt around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. The edges should be quite burnt, and there should be patches of burnt spots all over the top. Remove it from the oven, and let it cool slightly.
- Reduce the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 1-pound loaf pan.
- Scrape the miso into a blender. Add the buttermilk and oil, and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter and eggs into the miso mixture.
- Whisk the sugar, cake flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a separate large bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones, and stir to combine. If the batter looks lumpy, use a whisk to break up all the lumps.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake until the cake rises and puffs, about 80 minutes. At 75 minutes, tap the top of the cake with your fingertips: The cake should bounce back, and the center should no longer be jiggly. If it doesn’t pass this test, leave the cake in the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 45 minutes, then run a small butter knife or offset spatula between the edge of the cake and the pan to help release it. Invert the pan onto a wire rack to fully release the cake. Turn the cake right side up, and let it cool completely before slicing.
- While waiting for the cake to cool, prepare the miso caramel.
- A few minutes before serving, cut the banana in half lengthwise, and sprinkle it with sugar, making sure the flat surface of the banana is covered. Arrange your oven rack to the upper third and set oven to broil, then broil for 3 to 4 minutes (being careful that the sugar doesn’t completely burn.)
- Toast the cake slices lightly (optional) and top them with roasted bananas, a drizzle of miso caramel, and crushed peanuts to your liking.
Miso Caramel
- Add the sugar and water to a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar.
- Bring to a boil without stirring, and allow mixture to reach a deep golden brown color, then remove from heat.
- Slowly pour in the cream (the caramel will bubble), and stir to combine.
- Add miso, and whisk to combine. Allow to cool.
Tatiana Bautista
Tatiana Bautista is an assistant editor at TASTE.