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Banana bread: Why is it always undercooked in the middle?

Just about every banana bread I bake (with the exception of 1-2 recipes) seems to always be undercooked.

When I take it out after 55 mins-1 hour, the middle looks level and the top is browned. However, as I let it cook, the middle of the bread always sinks. When I check inside, it is still undercooked.

I do do the toothpick check but it comes out clean so I assume it is done, the top is brown, so I take it out... and still, it is always gooey and undercooked inside.

I use a commercial Chicago Metallic bread pan and I have an Emile Henry bread loaf pan as well.

WHAT am I doing wrong?!

From,

Frustrated Baker 

Re: Banana bread: Why is it always undercooked in the middle?

  • You could bake it in a tube pan so that more heat gets distributed to the middle if you'd like.
  • i used to have this problem, but then I either cut down of bananas or strained them a bit.  When i used them frozen, there was too much liquid and the banana bread always seemed to fall in the middle or not cook through.

    So try that!!

  • Good point- I did notice that the bananas (they were previously frozen so I thawed them out) were really liquidy. I will try straining them next time. Thanks!
  • Two tips that might help (I just made banana bread this morning, so it's on my mind...)

    1) Bake it on a rack placed in the lower-middle position in the oven (as opposed to the middle position).  Then you can increase the cooking time if needed, without over-browning the top.

    2) Don't overmix the batter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix it JUST until the dry ingredients are moistened--so the batter is still thick and a little lumpy.  I think this allows the bread to expand more, producing a lighter loaf (vs. a dense, heavy loaf) so I think it bakes through a little better...

    I always have to add at least 10 min. onto my baking time, just because that's the way my oven is.  But I tried these two tips today, and it produced a perfectly DONE banana bread after 65 min. of baking at 350.

  • Use a smaller pan. "1 pound" loaf pans are far too large for any decent sweet bread.
  • My banana bread seems to be uncooked at the bottom.
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