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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?
From Hey To Horses
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!!
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.