Anticipating a light, fluffy loaf, but ending up with banana bread that doesn't rise is a deflating experience.
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Anticipating a light, fluffy loaf, but ending up with banana bread that doesn't rise is a deflating experience. There are a couple common explanations: There's a problem with your leavening agent, or the bread isn't cooked properly. Solving these problems will lift your bread and your spirits.
Check the Leavening Agent
What many bakers don't realize is that leavening agents can expire and become inactive. If you've had your packages of baking soda and baking powder in the cupboard since you can't remember when, this could be the explanation for why your banana bread doesn't rise.
According to Quaker Oats, leavening agents should be discarded after six months. Most packaging has an expiration date, so be sure to check it before using. If the expiration date has passed, you can perform a simple test to see whether baking soda and baking powder are still OK to use.
Michigan State University Extension recommends testing baking powder by placing 1/2 teaspoon in a bowl and pouring 1/3 cup of warm water on top of it. The mixture should start noticeably bubbling.
To test baking soda, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. You should see significant bubbling. If either mixture doesn't bubble, the leavening agent is inactive and should be tossed.
It might not be the age of your leavening agent but the amount you use. Using too much or too little baking powder or baking soda in proportion to the other ingredients in your recipe could be the reason your banana bread collapses when cooling.
To measure correctly, Quaker Oats recommends spooning the powder into the measuring spoon instead of scooping it. Then, take a knife and level the powder even with the rim of the measuring spoon.
Make Sure It's Cooked Properly
Leavening agents create air bubbles in the batter, which is what causes the bread to rise. Baking sets these air bubbles so they remain in the finished product. But if the banana bread is not done in the middle, the structure doesn't set properly. That's often why banana bread collapses when cooling.
To avoid banana bread that's not done in the middle, King Arthur Flour offers these tips:
- Calibrate your oven. Oven temperatures vary and may be off by 10, 20, 30 degrees or more. Always use a standalone oven thermometer set on a rack inside your oven. You can even use two so you can check them against each other.
- Preheat your oven properly. Your oven may be lying when it says it's reached the correct temperature. Use your portable oven thermometer to ensure the correct temperature before you put in your pan of batter.
- Position the pan correctly. Place the pan in the exact center of the rack to ensure even cooking. You may also need to raise your oven rack to get the bread closer to the heating element — about 6 inches from the heating element to the top of the pan is an optimal distance. To prevent the top from burning, tent a piece of tin foil over the pan for the last third of the baking time.
- Use a digital thermometer to test doneness. Inserting a toothpick into the center to see if it comes out clean may not get an accurate result with textured breads containing bits of fruit. For a more accurate reading, insert a digital thermometer into the exact center all the way down to the bottom of the pan, then withdraw it slowly. In the center of the bread, the temperature should read 200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything below 200 degrees means your banana bread didn't cook in the middle.
FAQs
Using too much or too little baking powder or baking soda in proportion to the other ingredients in your recipe could be the reason your banana bread collapses when cooling. To measure correctly, Quaker Oats recommends spooning the powder into the measuring spoon instead of scooping it.
How do I stop my banana bread from sinking? ›
Also measure the leavening agents carefully (baking powder and/or bicarbonate of soda/baking soda) using proper measuring spoons. Too much leavening can cause the bread to rise up too much and this will cause it to sink back as it cools. If you are having problems still then you could try making banana muffins instead.
How do you keep banana bread from getting soggy on top? ›
Cool Correctly Before Storing
Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely. If it is not cooled properly, there will be trapped moisture, which can make your banana bread soggy and can also invite bacteria growth, she says.
Why is my banana bread wet on top? ›
You Measure Flour the Wrong Way
Moisture is key when it comes to banana bread, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with dry bread. If you don't use enough, your bread will be too wet. The secret is actually in how you measure the flour.
How to fix sunken loaf cake? ›
How to Fix Sunken Cake
- Step 1: Cut the outer ring of cake. Take your fallen cake and cut the ridge from around the sunken middle, so the top of the cake is level. ...
- Step 2: Fill in the gap in the cake. Using the excess cake, fill the sunken middle in and smooth it out. ...
- Step 3: Cover with frosting.
Once the loaf is fully cooled, cover it in plastic wrap. Then, wrap the loaf in aluminum foil. This will ensure it's airtight and will keep the loaf from drying out and avoid freezer burn.
Why is my banana bread still gooey after an hour? ›
Using a lot of bananas adds excess moisture, and there are two ways to get rid of it. You could either add more flour or increase the baking time. Add a tablespoon of extra flour at a time into the batter and give it a good whisk until its consistency starts to look right: thick but runny enough to fall off a spoon.
How to keep muffin tops crispy? ›
"To keep topping from being soggy the next day, put a few saltine crackers in with the muffins when you store them (to absorb moisture). This also works to keep crunchy cookies from becoming soft."
Can you put too much banana in banana bread? ›
The experts at Allrecipes list excessive bananas as a common banana bread-making blunder, claiming it could make the bread feel a bit more hefty and moist in the middle. So instead of nice, airy, light bread, you might end up with mushy, dense bread that seems undercooked.
How to keep banana bread moist after baking? ›
Place a paper towel at the bottom of an airtight container or in a zip-top bag. Place the cooled banana bread on top of it, then cover the loaf with another paper towel. Seal the container tightly and store at room temperature for up to four days.
Let it cool for 10 minutes — this helps the loaf solidify and makes it easier to remove from the pan. Remove from pan and cool another 10 minutes. Grasping the parchment paper sling, lift the loaf out of the pan and place on the cooling rack. Cool for another 10 minutes before slicing.
Why did my banana bread sink after baking? ›
The banana bread will not rise much during baking and may sink slightly in the centre on cooling, but should not collapse competely. If it did collapse then it is likely that the banana bread had not quite baked fully (and in light of the ingredient change may have needed a slightly longer baking time).
Why does my bread sink at the top? ›
Bread that Falls or Collapses Can Be Caused By:
If the dough is too dry add liquid a teaspoon at a time until the dough balls up. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks as expected. Note that high humidity can add unwanted liquid to a recipe.
How do you keep bread from caving? ›
But my recommendations would be:
- reduce hydration - if you include the eggs and oil, your hydration is 92%, which is pretty high. Try reducing the water somewhat.
- bake longer - aim for 203F internal.
- leave the loaves in the tins for a few minutes when you take them out of the oven.
Have you ever had fresh or dried fruit sink to the bottom of a cake or loaf? Don't worry, it's a common problem and generally happens when the cake batter isn't heavy or thick enough to hold the weight of the fruit as it bakes.
How to stop cake sinking when cooling? ›
Cake sinking after baking can be prevented by ensuring the oven is preheated correctly, using the right size of baking tin, avoiding opening the oven door too early, checking for doneness with a toothpick, and allowing the cake to cool gradually in the oven before removing it.
Why do my banana muffins sink? ›
When the cell structure doesn't set, the air spaces created by the leavening in the recipe collapses, causing the muffin to sink.
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