Bake the Number-One Banana Bread Recipe on the Internet (2024)

FAQs

What is the best pan to bake banana bread in? ›

The CORRECT Pan to use for Banana Bread

The pan I recommend: A light-colored METAL 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Anything too dark in color will risk scorching the edges. Glass and ceramic loaf pans: Take MUCH longer to bake – upwards of 15 to 20 minutes.

Ripe bananas are not only softer and easier to mash and blend into a batter, but they are also sweeter, which is why baking recipes specifically call for ripe bananas in ingredient lists. As the bananas ripen, the fruit converts starches to sugars, making them sweeter and more flavorful.

You can keep the surface more even by using a spoon or spatula to push some of the batter to the sides of the pan, instead of leaving the top level. As the cake rises, the center will come up level with the edges. Because you put a baking soda and/or baking powder in it.

For a picture-worthy loaf of banana bread, don't go overboard with greasing your loaf pan. Grease the bottom of the pan just ½ inch up the sides for a uniform loaf with a slightly rounded top. If you grease all the way up the sides of the pan, the loaf can sink, resulting in a flat top.

In fact, using glass or even ceramic baking pans for certain recipes, such as brownies or banana bread, may create adverse results! This is because they take LONGER to conduct heat. Often times the edges become overcooked before the heat has transferred enough to cook through the center.

Sweets bake and brown more evenly in metal pans; in glass pans, the outside of the baked good is usually done before the inside. Additionally, metal pans create sharp, aesthetically pleasing edges on baked goods, while glass pans create rounded edges.

In my experience, using bananas with a dark brown or even black peel for banana bread is ideal, as long as the inside isn't rotten. Key takeaway: As long as your bananas aren't starting to get moldy, infested with fruit flies or beginning to rot they aren't too ripe for baking banana bread.

As it sits at room temperature, starches convert to sugars, making the fruit sweeter and softer. These brown spots, often seen as a sign of spoilage, are actually a dead giveaway of peak banana bread potential. But, there is a limit. Black bananas or rotten bananas are a no-go.

Insufficient mixing of the dough

Insufficient mixing of the dough can result in bread that contains some glug & some holes. Their position in the final product can be anywhere. The dough needs to be uniformly smooth. If some of the dough is "harder" than the rest the dough hasn't been mixed enough.

Once a loaf of banana bread is fully baked and taken out of the oven, it's crucial to allow it to fully cool. Banana bread retains heat, especially in the center of the loaf. If the loaf is still warm once it's wrapped for storage, condensation can form, which can lead to mold.

Can you line bread pan with parchment paper for banana bread? ›

If you're using parchment paper to line your metal loaf pan when making banana bread, it typically isn't necessary to spray the pan. Parchment paper provides a non-stick surface, making it easier to remove the banana bread from the pan once it's baked.

Stainless steel: Stainless steel is always a solid choice for bakeware and cookware, as it's tough and conducts heat well. For baking, it's best to have a dull rather shiny pan, as it'll result in a browned crust. Aluminum: In terms of bakeware, aluminum is one of the best choices.

Use a Sheet Pan

Rolls, boules (that's a round loaf of bread), braided loaves and many soda breads are baked right on a sheet pan—no loaf pan required. If you want to bake bread on a cookie sheet, look for breads that retain their shape (you don't want overly soft doughs here).

Middle. The default position. It's ideal for most foods since it situates the item in the middle of the oven, allowing the hot air to circulate evenly around the food, resulting in even cooking. Use this for a single tray of cookies, sheet-pan dinners, fish, brownies, banana bread, and so on.

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