Banana Bread Sunken In The Middle? Here's How To Get The Perfect Loaf Every Time

Banana bread is one of those rare comforting classics that tastes like home. While the recipe is largely foolproof — you can make it with just three ingredients — many home bakers know the disappointment of pulling a loaf from the oven only to discover that it sunk in the middle. To find out why this happens, Food Republic spoke with Jessica Robinson, two-time cookbook author, expert baker, and food blogger at A Farmgirl's Kitchen. According to Robinson, banana bread can sink if the pan is moved before the loaf sets, the batter is overly moist with little leavening or too few eggs, or the bread is baked at the incorrect temperature.

If your oven is too hot, the outside will set quickly while the center remains undercooked. Although the loaf may look done, it lacks internal support and risks collapse. Similarly, if the over temperature is too low, the center of the loaf will not have time to finish baking before your timer goes off. Also, avoid opening your oven as the loaf cooks to prevent temperature shock. "You can also gently touch the top of the banana bread, towards the center gently with your index finger and see if it's firm and not overly soft," explained Robinson.

The amount of leavening agents used plays a crucial role in determining the final appearance and texture of the loaf. Too little leavening produces insufficient gas to properly expand the batter, resulting in a dense, high-moisture crumb that struggles to hold itself up. Too much, however, causes the batter to rise excessively and then collapse as it cools. 

When baking banana bread, the pan you use matters. For best results, Jessica Robinson recommends a cast iron loaf pan placed on a metal sheet pan. Compared to aluminum, glass, or ceramic, cast iron is a great choice for baking because it retains heat the best, promoting a deeply browned, flavorful crust while keeping the interior soft. Robinson also notes that it provides an even distribution of heat throughout baking — just be sure you preheat your oven with the pan in the oven before baking. "The metal sheet pan will also help distribute the heat, helps catch splashed batter, and gives you a larger surface to easily rotate banana bread during the baking process," Robinson added. To ensure you end up with the most even bake, place your pan on the middle rack. 

For an extra moist banana bread, Robinson recommends adding vegetable shortening, sour cream, Greek yogurt, or whole cultured buttermilk to the mix. When adding extra wet ingredients, make sure to adjust the ratio of dry ingredients and the baking time. The size and number of bananas can also significantly impact the texture of your banana loaf. For example, if you're keeping to a ratio of two cups of flour to one and a half cups of mashed banana, an extra banana would mean adding a little more than half a cup of flour and increase baking time by up to ten minutes. After baking, let the bread rest on a wire rack for ten minutes to allow the structure to fully set.