February 6, 2010 - 2:09pm
Why Did This Banana Bread Fall?
I made this banana bread from my children's Sesame Street book. I liked that it started out with whole wheat flour and honey. I used pastry flour.
It had an impressive rise in the oven then collapsed to flat on the counter. In fact, it started falling at the 55 minute mark.
Can you suggest any improvements that would help it stay high? I thought of eggs and baking powder but I'm not sure.
3 ripe bananas
3/4 c. honey
1/4 c. melted butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
Cook at 350 for one hour.
Thanks!
Celeste.
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Hi Celeste,
Yes, eggs will provide the structure the loaf needs to stay inflated.It also might have not been thoroughly baked in the center. Baking Powder probably wouldn't help. Baking soda is being used because of the honey in recipe.
You don't list any procedure!
Here is a banana bread formula for you to try.
Best if you have a scale to weigh ingredients. Approx measures included if you don't.
Pastry Flour------1lb 8oz (Approx 6 cups)
(Substitute some of pastry Flour with Whole Wheat. I would keep it no more than 20% of total flour weight)
Sugar---------------------10oz (1 1/4 cups)
Baking Powder-------- 1.25oz (2 TBL + 3/4 tsp)
Baking Soda---------------.14oz (1 tsp)
Salt-----------------------------.33oz (2 tsp)
Walnuts (Optional)----------- 6oz
Eggs-------------------------------10oz (Approx 1 1/4 cups) or (6 large)
Ripe Bananas--------------------8oz
Oil or melted butter-------------8 oz
Sift all dry ingredients
Mash bananas to a puree
Add eggs and oil and blend.
Add dry ingredients
1lb 4oz for a 7 x 3 pan
1lb 10oz for a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 pan
375 deg for approx 50 minutes
Times will vary by pan size and oven.
John
If your bread didn't fall until after it was out of the oven, it just wasn't done inside, and you may need to bake on a lower rung in the oven. You'll need a tester that reaches all the way to the bottom of the pan.
If your bread started falling while it was still in the oven, the batter didn't have enough structure to support it, maybe from switching to pastry flour, or from being too light on the flour measurement.
Here's a similar recipe that works ...
Quick and Easy Banana Bread
This recipe, adapted from one contributed by the Poipu Plantation, Koloa, Hawaii, is from The Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook, by Kitty and Lucian Maynard.
Mix the flour, soda and salt together. Stir in the nuts and raisins if using.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together, and add the honey. Mash the bananas with the lemon juice and stir into the honey mixture. Combine with the flour mixture.
Pour into a greased 9x5" loaf pan. Bake at 325-convection if you have it (350-375F if you don't). Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Be careful not to overbake, as that may make the bread dry.