How To Tell If Banana Bread is Done

Banana bread is a great way to use up overripe bananas. Plus like most quick breads it is really easy to make.

Achieving that ideal balance of moist interior and golden, flavorful crust requires a bit of finesse. Here, I've compiled the ultimate guide to baking your banana bread to perfection every time.

How do You Know When Your Banana Bread is Done?

Have you ever excitedly pulled a loaf of banana bread out of the oven, impatiently waited for it to cool, only to slice into it, and discover the middle is wet and uncooked?

Here are several ways to make sure you have perfectly baked banana bread every time.

Want to try a new banana bread recipe? Here are some of my favorites.

If you have a sourdough starter you might like my recipes for sourdough banana bread or chocolate sourdough banana bread.

If you don't have a sourdough starter I also have this recipe for one-bowl browned butter banana bread.

How Ripe Should Bananas Be To Make Banana Bread?

If you don't want to bake your banana bread right away, check out this post on freezing banana bread batter.

General Baking Tips To Ensure Success

No one wants to slice into their banana bread only to discover a gooey uncooked mess inside.

So if your recipe said to bake the bread for 60 minutes and your 60-minute timer just beeped it should be fully cooked. Right? Possibly.

• Bake time for a recipe is only a suggestion. The actual baking time will vary depending on your oven temperature. It is helpful to know your oven and worth purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer. An oven's temperature can vary as much as 50 degrees plus or minus.
• Also, make sure your oven has reached the proper temperature. Often an oven will say it is preheated before it has actually reached the right temperature. An oven thermometer is a great way to verify that your oven is actually fully preheated.
• Measure your ingredients carefully. Inaccurate measurements can create a too dry or too wet batter which will affect baking times. The best way to accurately measure ingredients is by using a kitchen scale.
• I suggest using light-colored loaf pans and baking pans for cakes, regular bread, loaves of quick bread, brownies, etc. Dark metal loaf pans can cause the outside to cook too quickly and burn before the middle is fully cooked. This is my favorite loaf pan and my favorite 9x9 metal pan.

Tip: If you do notice the top of your banana bread browning too quickly, cover the top with aluminum foil.

• If you are using a glass pan remember that glass is a great insulator that can slow the cooking time as it takes longer for the heat to reach the middle.
• Speaking of baking pans, make sure you are using the correct size. Larger pans allow the batter to spread out more shortening the baking time. Smaller pans create thicker bread and increase the baking time.

Three Ways to Tell When Your Banana Bread is Done

1. Visual Clues

There are a few clues to look for to tell when your banana bread is done. Most loaves of quick bread will crack on top when they are fully baked. This happens because the crust sets before the loaves have finished rising.

You can also gently poke the top of the bread with your finger. If it leaves an indent bake for a few minutes longer. If it springs back quickly your bread is probably done.

Look at the color. Most banana bread recipes have a high sugar content from the natural sugars in the bananas and any added sugar included in the recipe. They will turn a deep golden brown as they bake.

Note: Color isn't a reliable indicator when baking chocolate banana bread or if you have used a lot of toppings like chocolate chips.

Look at the sides of your banana bread. Many (but not all) will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan as they bake.

2. Toothpick Test

Use a toothpick, wooden skewer, cake tester, or thin-bladed knife inserted into the center of the banana bread to check for doneness.

If it comes out clean or with just a crumb or two sticking to it your banana bread is done. If there is uncooked batter on the toothpick bake the banana bread for a few minutes longer.

Toothpicks can be rough and may make an unnecessarily large hole in your banana bread. Try using an inexpensive cake tester instead of a toothpick.

For the best results, test several spots in the banana bread. The center of the bread will always take the longest to cook. So if you test too close to the edge of the baking pan your results may be inaccurate.

3. Use an Instant Read Thermometer

One of the most reliable ways to check the internal temperature of banana bread is by using an instant-read thermometer. This one from ThermoWorks is my favorite.

Once the center of the loaf has reached 200 - 205 degrees Fahrenheit the loaf is done.

Note: Gluten-free quick bread should have a slightly higher finished temperature of 205 - 210 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Fix Under-Baked Banana Bread

First, make sure you let it cool and set properly. As banana bread cools there will be a little carry-over cooking. Meaning the middle will continue to cook as it cools.

So what if you accidentally undercooked your banana bread? Can you fix it?

Once you've sliced into a loaf of quickbread and discovered it is undercooked it is too late to finish cooking it by putting it back in the oven. Doing so would cause the crust to dry out before the interior finishes baking.

My favorite trick is to cut the banana bread into individual slices, then melt a little butter in the skillet. Saute the slices in the butter for a couple of minutes on each side as you would a slice of French toast.

If the banana bread is only slightly under-cooked you could also pop slices into a toaster oven to cook them further.

Mastering banana bread isn't just about following a recipe; it's about understanding the process and paying attention to your bread as it bakes. With these tips, you're well-equipped to create banana bread perfection every time. So, grab those overripe bananas and start baking your way to deliciousness!

More Kitchen Tips

• How to Cool Down Spicy Chili
• How to Dry Out Bread