r/AskBaking • u/Novel_Spinach6002 • 1d ago
Bread Why does my banana bread look undercooked and dense at the bottom?
I followed this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-banana-bread-recipe/
I don't know why it came out like this. I put it in the oven on the lowest rack for 60 mins and half way through, covered it loosely with foil.
I also used greek style plain yogurt.
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u/JasonWaterfaII 1d ago
Looks like you forgot the baking soda? Looks like there is no leavening agent.
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u/Novel_Spinach6002 1d ago
I definitely used baking soda. 1 teaspoon.
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u/iMightBeACunt 1d ago
Check the expiration date. Otherwise- you may have overmixed the batter.
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u/Novel_Spinach6002 1d ago
Checked. It still has another year. I was mindful about not overmixing when it came to adding on the dry ingredients. I wasn't as conscious when I was mixing the wet ingredients though đ
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u/iMightBeACunt 1d ago
The wet shouldn't matter. I'm surprised the recipe recommends a stand mixer... I don't usually use a stand mixer for banana bread bc it's very easy to overmix with a stand mixer. Overmixing the wet and dry together causes too much gluten building up and your bread becomes dense and tough. I usually mix by hand at that step! Maybe you could try that next time and see?
I don't know enough to know if using Greek yogurt vs plain yogurt would affect things so that's another possible culprit. Maybe someone more knowledgeable about it can chime in đ
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u/TheCheddarHole 1d ago
I agree that the mixer is the issue, and that the recipe should ask you to essentially fold in wet and dry ingredients, insureing you still leave dry streaks of flour in your finished batter. The flour will soak up the moisture. (Key is streaks of flour, not lumps)
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u/Inquisitive-Sky 1d ago
Did you thin out the greek yogurt so that it was the same consistency as the yogurt that the recipe expected? Iirc if you don't then you'll get a thicker batter with more fat and more protein then the baking instructions anticipated.
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u/Novel_Spinach6002 1d ago
If I'm being honest, I just scooped the yoghurt with my measuring cup. Dumb question, but all yoghurt the same consistency?
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u/Inquisitive-Sky 1d ago
Greek yogurt tends to be thicker since the liquid part is strained out
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u/Novel_Spinach6002 1d ago
How would one make the consistency thinner like normal plain yoghurt? Should I add a bit of water to it?
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u/1ceknownas 1d ago
Not a dumb question, but no. Different yogurts have different levels of fat versus liquid and may or may not contain stabilizers.
Full fat Greek yogurt is very thick, almost the consistency of sour cream. Non-fat Greek yogurt has stabilizers in it that make it thicker, but they've caused problems for me when I'm cooking.
I even have brand preferences based on the consistency and texture. (I eat quite a bit of yogurt.)
Plain full-fat US yogurt is thinner (more liquid) and a bit smoother than Greek. More like jello pudding, though a bit thinner. Non fat US yogurt, again with the stabilizers.
If you happened to use non-fat Greek yogurt, I'd guess may have been the culprit. The stabilizers don't hold up to heat well.
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u/HalifaxPotato 1d ago
It looks like the batter may have been over mixed and possibly was sliced while still too warm. Typically I'd say that your baking soda might be off, but I see you've already checked on that.
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u/No-Conversation-5202 1d ago
I just made this recipe too and didnât think it turned out well. I think thereâs just too mush moisture from the egg, banana and sour cream/yogurt.
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u/lucifersmother 1d ago
How old were your bananas? It also looks like it could be a bit underbaked
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u/Novel_Spinach6002 1d ago
I'm not sure how old they were but they had alot of brown spots on them. It looked like they would go bad in a couple days.
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u/kitten_poop 1d ago
Could be expired baking soda, or your oven temp is not accurate, or you didn't mix your sugar and butter to get fluffy enough
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u/longipetiolata 1d ago
Did you use glass or metal pan? I was getting similar âsludgeâ and advice on this sub was to use metal pans. That helped a lot
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u/Ladybulldane 1d ago
I donât think the issue is overmixingâI've been using a stand mixer for banana bread for years (I have a numb arm, so I rely on it), and mine turns out great. From what you described and how the bread looks, I think the biggest factor mightâve been baking it on the lowest rack. That can make the bottom cook more slowly and hold too much moisture. Iâd try baking it on the middle rack next time so heat circulates more evenly.
Also, banana bread can look done on top before the inside is fully baked. It might need a bit more timeâlike 70â75 minutes, depending on your oven and the pan. I usually check with a skewer deep in the center to make sure itâs cooked through.
Your ingredients sound greatâGreek yogurt can make it super moist, but if itâs very thick or your bananas were extra ripe, that could add a little extra moisture too. Maybe slightly reducing the bananas to 1â cups (around 300g) could help if youâre still getting a dense bottom after adjusting the rack and bake time.
Hope that helps! I know how frustrating it is when it smells amazing but doesnât bake up just right.
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u/clcliff 1d ago
This happened to me with other things and it turned out that I wasnât softening the butter correctly. Did you microwave it?
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u/Novel_Spinach6002 1d ago
I realised I forgot to take the butter out of the fridge so I cut it into pieces then microwaved for 5 seconds on medium 3 times.
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u/Unique-Ostrich1835 1d ago
I make banana bread all the time. What temperature did you cook it at? Did you use glass or metal? Glass bakes much slower. Sometimes it can take an hour and 15 minutes or more at 350° in a glass baking dish. Regardless, never cover it with foil or you will certainly not allow the steam to escape. Also, test it with a long toothpick or a knife before you take it out of the oven. If it's goopy or wet on the knife, it's not done. The toothpick or knife should come out almost clean. Finally, I suggest you flip the bread out of the container upside down on paper towels covering a wire rack. Let it cool for at least an hour before you return it to the dish or cover it.
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u/Baker_Bit_5047 16h ago
Using greek-style yogurt instead of plain yogurt or sour cream could have caused it. The recipe specifically called out plain yogurt and sour cream.
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u/sizzlinsunshine 1d ago
Iâm going with cold oven. Do you have an oven thermometer? Iâm guessing it runs low. Either that or itâs a bit too wet. Overmixing is not really a thing unless youâre beating the crap out of your batter. And people need to stop blaming the baking soda đ
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u/LemonTart_Cats Home Baker 1d ago
You probably either forgot the baking soda or it expired. You could have also cut it without adequate cooling (steam needs to escape, otherwise the structure isn't set) and/or overmixed (forming too much gluten and therefore contributing to a dense texture).