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? ›
Always use relatively fresh baking soda/powder when making banana breads & quick breads (such as pumpkin bread). Using too much baking soda/powder can lead to banana bread sinking issues (as the banana bread might rise too high & collapse back on itself).
How do I keep my bread from collapsing? ›
This tip applies to loaves specifically. For recipes like banana bread, lemon loaf, or pound cake, your best bet is to bake in a metal loaf pan. Metal is a quick and efficient conductor of heat. This helps to ensure your recipe will cook through the center and not collapse.
Why does my bread sink after baking? ›
Baking temperature
Some ovens run hotter than its settings, some cooler. If the oven is too hot the loaf will be brown and crispy on the outside but doughy in the middle and may collapse as it cools. When bread is baked at too low a temperature it will not rise enough in the oven resulting in a dense and sunken loaf.
How to keep banana bread from getting sticky on top? ›
The first and easiest surefire way to prevent sticky tops on your baked goods is to ensure that they are completely cooled before closing them in an airtight container. When a baked item “cools down”, during this process there is an amount of moisture, or water, that is being released into the surrounding air.
Why is my banana bread wet on top? ›
Not measuring the flour correctly
If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread, and If you don't use enough flour, your banana bread will be way too wet. The secret lies in how you measure the flour.
Why does the top of my bread collapse in the bread machine? ›
Too little yeast, your bread won't rise sufficiently; too much, and it will rise and collapse. It's important to watch your dough as it rises and bakes; dough that has risen and collapsed may look just like dough that never rose at all, once it's baked.
How do you keep quick bread from sinking in the middle? ›
The editors said one of the most common reasons layer cakes and quick breads fall is that the pan is overfilled. “If the batter reaches the top of the pan and still needs to rise, it will collapse,” they wrote. They also recommended checking to make sure the leavening (baking soda or baking powder) was not stale.
Why did the top of my bread crack? ›
The dough was either too wet or too dry, The slashing of the dough wasn't sufficient or you didn't do it, Under proofing, Shaping and the skin tension.
What causes quick bread to sink? ›
Quick bread was underbaked and cell structure wasn't set. When the cell structure doesn't set, the air spaces created by the leavening in the recipe collapses, causing the bread to sink. Oven temperatures vary over time. To insure the correct temperature each time you bake, always use an oven thermometer.
Cakes sink in the middle due to several reasons. One reason is that the cake batter might be too moist, causing it to collapse during baking. Another reason could be that the oven temperature is too low, leading to uneven baking. Opening the oven door too frequently while baking can also cause cakes to sink.
What temperature to bake bread? ›
Preheat your home oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 to 45 minutes.
What happens when you put too much banana in banana bread? ›
Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.
Should you cover banana bread after baking? ›
But if you're baking plenty of loaves for friends and family, you'll want to make sure it's wrapped to keep it moist and delicious. To ensure you're gifting the best freshly-baked banana bread, wrap the fully cooled loaf in plastic wrap first. Then, place the loaf in a cellophane bag or wrap it in parchment paper.
What do you cover banana bread with? ›
Le recommends both plastic wrap and storing in a glass container or bread box. Wrapped tightly and stored at room temperature, banana bread will last three to four days, says Amidor.
Why does the banana sink to the bottom of my cake? ›
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 prevent cake from sinking after baking? ›
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.
Can you put too much banana in banana bread? ›
Fight the urge to use more banana than called for in your recipe. Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.
How to keep a pound cake from falling? ›
Place the cake pan in the center of the oven, and keep the door closed until the minimum baking time has elapsed. If the cake requires more baking, gently close the oven door as soon as possible after testing to prevent jarring and loss of heat—both can cause a cake to fall if it's not done.
