Coconut Cashew Banana Bread | Banana-Nut Bread Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is my banana bread dense and not fluffy? ›

As tempting as it may be to dump all those overripe bananas into your batter, four medium-sized bananas are typically the most that a single loaf of banana bread can accommodate — any more and you're likely looking at a loaf that's going to be dense and heavy rather than soft and moist in the middle.

Fight the urge to use more banana than called for in your recipe. Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.

When it comes to banana bread, moisture is key, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference in getting the perfect banana bread consistency. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread, and If you don't use enough flour, your banana bread will be way too wet.

Low and behold the acidic component is in bananas, so any excess baking soda that doesn't help the banana bread rise will react, hence green or blue banana bread slices the next day. Oh and too much baking soda leaves a metallic aftertaste. Not a desireable trait for banana bread.

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

Don't just start adding in more water. Add about a tablespoon at a time and knead or do a few stretch and folds. Let it rest and repeat if necessary. Or instead of adding a tablespoon of water at a time, run your hands under the tap and then knead or do some stretch and folds.

Yellow Bananas with a Hint of Green: These are still a bit early for banana bread, but they can work in a pinch. The flavor will be less intense, and the bread might be a bit denser. Bananas with Mostly Yellow Peels and Brown Spots are my sweet spot.

If they smell off, that's another good indicator that they are no longer okay to use. Rotten bananas will often have a fermented or alcohol-like smell. While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten.

These bananas may be a bit too ripe for your cereal, but they're just beginning to come into their own for banana bread. Let the bananas ripen (and overripen) at room temperature. Depending on the weather, this could take a few days, or up to a week. The best bananas for banana bread aren't yellow; they're black.

Let it cool for 10 minutes — this helps the loaf solidify and makes it easier to remove from the pan. Remove from pan and cool another 10 minutes. Grasping the parchment paper sling, lift the loaf out of the pan and place on the cooling rack. Cool for another 10 minutes before slicing.

Why is my banana nut bread gummy? ›

Banana bread is made with a very wet batter. It's important to use a tester to make sure it's fully baked. Cutting it before it is completely cooled can lead to the gummy texture. Cooling the bread to room temperature allow us the starch that gels during baking to set again.

How To Store Banana Bread at Room Temperature. If you're planning to eat your banana bread within three to four days, it can be left out at room temperature. To keep it fresh, place a paper towel in the bottom of an airtight container.

If you use baking powder instead of baking soda, add a total of three times the amount of baking powder than the recipe recommends for baking soda to “fix” the mistake. However, keep in mind that adding too much baking powder can cause the baked goods to taste bitter. The batter can also rise too quickly and then fall.

From looking at some of the oldest recipes, it seems that baking powder, rather than baking soda, is the most traditional ingredient used in banana bread. However, when you understand how both leavening agents function, you'll understand why you can use one or the other. They'll both work.

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is the raising agent and this can sometimes taste bitter or soapy if the wrong quantity is used.

There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.

Using too much baking soda/powder can lead to banana bread sinking issues (as the banana bread might rise too high & collapse back on itself). Always make sure to level off the baking soda/powder in your measuring spoons.

Adding more eggs makes for a spongy, less flavorful banana bread. Doubling the number of eggs I was using resulted in a spongy cake with a moist texture. While the banana flavor was present, it wasn't as prominent as it was in other loaves.

Too much dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder) and you'll end up with a tough, cake-like result.