Finally figured out why my banana bread kept sinking in the middle

Honestly, I've been making banana bread for years and every single time the center would collapse into a wet mess. Last week I compared using all-purpose flour vs bread flour in two identical batches. The bread flour loaf actually held its shape perfectly because the extra protein gave it more structure. Anyone else have a basic swap like that totally change their baking game?

2 comments

2 Comments

sean_torres7123d ago

Man, I feel personally attacked by this banana bread wisdom. I once tried to make it with whole wheat flour thinking I was being healthy and it came out like a dense brick that could probably stop a bullet. The center sank so bad it looked like a meteor crater. Pretty sure my oven is just a mean joke at this point. I swear I get more joy out of watching the loaf fail than actually eating it. But hey, at least my trash can gets a nice dessert every week, right?

bennett.nora23d ago

Whole wheat flour is a terrible choice for most baking, that's not really the flour's fault though. Extra protein from bread flour isn't always the answer either. Sometimes a dense, slightly sunken loaf just has better texture and moisture. All that structure talk people throw around sounds nice but a perfectly flat top doesn't guarantee a good crumb or taste. Maybe your bananas were too ripe or you didn't mix the batter enough. Quit blaming the flour and look at the rest of your technique first.