Banana bread is the epitome of comfort food.
To be sure it comes out perfectly, there are a few tips that novices and experts alike
need to keep in mind.
Here are the mistakes you might be making, and how to avoid them the next time you attempt
the perfect loaf.
"Jake Jake Jake!"
"What, is he coming?"
"No, but there's more than muffins!
There's banana bread too!"
First thing's first, banana bread, of course, requires bananas.
After all, that's what gives your loaf its flavor and its lovely texture.
But can you just grab any bananas from your kitchen counter fruit bowl and get to baking?
Or even just grab a few at the store for your baking project?
Absolutely not.
Banana bread requires super ripe bananas.
We're talking ripe enough that they're starting to get brown spots on the peel.
You want no green on the peel, but you also don't want your bananas ripe enough that they're
rotten.
As a banana ripens, the starch in the fruit turns to sugar.
Ultimately, they become sweeter the riper they are, which is why those with brown spots
are utilized to add great flavor to baked goods.
Part of making banana bread is all about incorporating the sweet, ripe banana's flavor throughout.
In order to achieve that, it's important to introduce the bananas in a way that can be
easily incorporated, rather than having to break them down in the mixer with the rest
of your ingredients.
If you want to have banana bread with completely smooth bananas throughout, and no chunks,
mashing them in a separate bowl before introducing them to the mixture is the best way to go.
Using the back of a fork will do the trick wonderfully, or you can opt to use a potato
masher.
Baking truly is an art form, but there is quite a bit of science to it as well, and
if certain ingredients aren't introduced in the right order, they work differently with
the other ingredients.
Much like baking a cake, baking banana bread requires a specific order of operations.
Adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients allows for better introduction and incorporation.
According to Cook's Illustrated, that order is actually crucial.
If you were to instead add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl, you end up with pockets of
flour rather than a smooth distribution.
Plus, it's easier to fully mix things together without over-mixing, which can definitely
hamper your banana bread's texture.
As simple as the ingredients are for banana bread, and as achievable as the method seems,
banana bread can be a bit finicky.
Whether you opt to make your banana bread in a stand mixer, or you're simply using a
bowl and a spoon, the key to a beautiful, fluffy, moist loaf is not to overmix the batter.
According to Southern Living, the reasoning for not over-mixing is all about the gluten.
As you mix, the gluten begins to develop.
When too much gluten develops before baking, you can end up with a dense, chewy loaf, rather
than the soft and delicious banana bread you were hoping for.
When it's time to add the dry ingredients to the wet, gently fold them in
“You fold them in.”
“I, I understand that.
How… how do you fold it?
Fold it in half like a piece of paper and drop it in?
What do you do?”
— maybe even using a spoon and not a mixer — just until everything is fully incorporated.
Whether you're using a metal or a glass loaf pan, greasing your pan with oil or butter
will help your banana bread come out smoothly.
Either using canned oil spray or simply rubbing butter or shortening along the insides of
the pan will create a layer of oil that makes for easy release.
Sprinkling the pan with flour after buttering will really make sure nothing sticks while
baking.
Opting for parchment paper is another possibility as well.
According to Bon Appetit, that's the way to go, allowing for a smooth release by just
lifting up the paper.
Whichever way you choose is up to you, but definitely be sure to choose one.
Digging your banana bread out of the loaf pan with a fork really isn't the best way
to eat it.
Most banana bread recipes call for it to be baked at 350 degrees for 50 to 70 minutes.
And while that may seem like a huge range, there's a reason for it.
According to The Kitchn, your bake time will depend on your bananas' sugar content and
how moist they are.
Often, if you make banana bread and cut into it only to find a gooey, underbaked center,
that's the reason.
It's thanks to those bananas not having enough time.
It's best to begin checking your banana bread sooner rather than later, but don't pull it
out of the oven until you've checked that it's fully baked.
The top and sides will be a caramel, dark brown, with a yellow bread color in the center,
but check it using the classic toothpick method to be sure it's done.
If it's clean, or there are only a few crumbs, it's ready to pull out.
You've selected the perfect ripe bananas, mixed your batter, and baked your bread.
It's time to eat it once you pull it out of the oven, right?
After all, what's better than warm, freshly baked banana bread?
"I made her banana bread."
“'Why?"
"Because I love her."
Well, not so fast.
As with many of the steps of baking banana bread, there's a science to it.
Because you pair sugar with banana in your batter, the bananas tend to caramelize while
baking.
This also creates a bit of a gooeyness to the bread if you were to slice it right when
it came out of the oven.
It's best to let your loaf sit in the pan to finish baking for a few minutes on top
of the oven, solidifying the banana mash.
According to Livestrong, letting your bread sit for 15 minutes before removing it from
the pan is best.
From there, you can invert your loaf pan onto a plate or tray, use a spatula to get the
loaf out if needed, and then let it rest a bit longer.
It's best to eat banana bread when it's completely cooled, so you get a nice, clean slice.
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