Miso Date Banana Bread Ingredients

The same simple ingredients you’d expect from a classic banana bread recipe, but with just one or two additions that make this banana bread exceptional! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Ripe Bananas are obviously essential for this recipe. The spottier, softer, and uglier the bananas, the better. This is their moment to shine!
• Coconut Sugar adds sweetness with a deeper, almost caramel-like flavour. It pairs beautifully with the miso and dates. Brown sugar or white sugar will also work, but coconut sugar gives this loaf a little more warmth and keeps things refined sugar free!
• White Miso Paste is the ingredient that makes this bread special. I use white miso because it is the mildest miso and works beautifully in baking. It adds saltiness, savoury depth, and umami without making the loaf taste obviously savoury.
• Olive Oil keeps the bread soft, moist, and tender. I love using olive oil in baking because it creates a beautiful crumb and helps the loaf stay fresh longer. Use a mild olive oil so it does not overpower the banana and miso.
• Eggs help bind the loaf together and give it structure. They also help the bread rise and create that soft, sliceable texture we want.
• Vanilla rounds out the flavour and adds warmth. It helps connect the banana, dates, cinnamon, and miso so everything tastes balanced.
• Flour gives the loaf structure. You can use regular all-purpose flour, or swap in a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend if needed. I like Bob’s because it includes guar gum, which helps with binding.
• Almond Flour adds tenderness and richness. It gives the loaf a softer crumb and a little extra nuttiness, which works beautifully with the sesame seeds and dates.
• Baking Powder gives the bread lift and helps it rise evenly in the oven.
• Cinnamon adds warmth and makes the loaf feel cozy. It pairs naturally with banana and dates, softening the savoury edge of the miso.
• Salt balances the sweetness and helps all the flavours pop. Even though miso is salty, a little extra salt in the batter keeps everything well-rounded.
• Medjool Dates bring chewy, caramel-like sweetness. They are one of the reasons this moist banana and date bread feels so satisfying. Roughly chop them and fold them in carefully so they do not clump together.
• Sesame Seeds add a subtle nutty flavour and a pretty finish to the loaf. They also hint at the savoury side of miso without taking the bread too far from its sweet banana-bread roots.