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I baked a banana bread from a pre-mixed package, following directions, using a loaf pan and it sagged in the middle. What could have gone wrong?

Working With Your Oven

Fran Costigan - Working With Your Oven

Recorded

This event was on April 26, 2023

Are you tired of burnt bottoms and soggy centers? Do you feel like your oven is more of a foe than a friend? Well, fear not my friends, because the queen of vegan baking, Fran Costigan, is coming to town to spill the beans on all the secrets of working with your oven. Get ready to rise to the occasion and whip up some truly delicious treats. With Fran's guidance, you'll be baking like a pro in no time, and your oven will be your new BFF (Best Flourishing Friend). Don't miss out on this live event, or you'll be left with a half-baked approach to baking! Bring your culinary questions, Fran will be available for all your queries in this live event.

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Question

Sylvia Edwards

I baked a banana bread from a pre-mixed package, following directions, using a loaf pan and it sagged in the middle. What could have gone wrong?

Answer

Oh my gosh, so many things could have gone wrong. It might have been the mix, you know, not every mix that we buy really is good. They have summer better than others. I haven't used a mix in a while. I'm not denigrating anybody who does but I make my own mixes now. It might have been the mix. It might have been your oven. maybe your loaf pan if it's sagged in the middle, it's likely that the batter was too high too much better for the size of your loaf pan, very occasionally or more often when I'm testing recipes. I'll get a bake that looks really nice except for the middle and the middle didn't bake and sag a little oftentimes. You can just let the cake cool cut out the part. That isn't so good. And serve it proudly but that's all I can think of Sylvie. Is that the particular mix was deficient or you didn't measure the liquid ingredients properly or your loaf pan was too small for the amount of batter or your oven wasn't at temperature.

Fran Costigan

Director of Vegan Pastry

FranCostigan.com

Fran Costigan is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Trained at the New York Restaurant School and Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 20 years ago. A lifelong chocoholic and long time vegan, Fran’s latest book, Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy Free Desserts, (Running Press 2013) is for all who madly, deeply love chocolate desserts, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue. Her previous cookbook, More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally (Book Publishing Company 2006) is the basis of the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®. For more information, www.francostigan.com.