While I don’t post too often, I’m a regular reader (and huge fan!) of TFL, so thought I’d finally ask a question I’ve been wondering about for months. I bake a lot of loaf-pan sandwich breads (50% to 100% whole wheat), and while they taste great, I have trouble getting an even crumb—the bottom of the loaf, especially to bottom 1/2 inch or so, is usually most dense, while the top is much airier. Do people have any thoughts about the best way to get the crumb more even? Is it a matter of shaping? proof times? something else?

Also is there any consensus how many ounces of dough is optimal for an 8 x 4 ½ pan? I’ve seen suggestions from anywhere from 16 oz to 32 oz. Is it just a matter of how big you want the loaf to be?