When I make a quick bread it often comes out looking great, but then sinks in the center as it cools and is doughy/uncooked (yuck) in the middle. What am I doing wrong?
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COMMENTS
claire R.
October 30, 2019
1) Using the wrong size or shape pan could make it harder for the center to cook fully in the designated time.
2) Are you testing with a skewer or toothpick before deciding it looks done?
3) Do you use an oven thermometer, or have you tested the oven temperature?
4) Are you preheating the oven fully? That means the oven, not the air inside it.
Terri W.
November 8, 2019
For years I had the same problem with an otherwise-exceptional pumpkin bread recipe. Then, I got a terrific book by (I don't know if it's "Kosher" to recommend a book that's not published by Milk Street, but here goes...) Shirley O. Corriher, called "Bakewise." Corriher is a bio-chemist so she focuses a lot on the chemical reactions that take place when cooking and baking. She explained that this type of problem is often the result of using too much chemical leavener in the batter (which seems counter-intuitive). Here's how she explains it in her book:
"When a recipe contains too much baking powder or soda, the bubbles get too big, run into each other, float to the top and POP -- there goes your leavening! Your cake or muffins will be very heavy or fall completely. This is a widespread problem. Even in 'good' cookbooks there are many recipes that contain excessive amounts of leaving agents. Unfortunately, this leads to heavy cakes, quick breads, and muffins. Often the problem is with the quantity of baking soda. Each teaspoon of baking powder contains only 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Baking soda is strong stuff! It should be used carefully and cautiously. For each cup of all-purpose flour in a recipe, use no more than 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder or 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda."
In total, she writes for about 2 1/2 pages in greater detail, giving info about how to calculate the correct amount of baking powder and/or baking soda for your particular recipe, but this post would be way too long if I copied it all. I would recommend that you check with your local library to see if Bakewise is available, and look up the detailed info on pages 48 thru 51.
Anyway, I used the info in her book to adjust my pumpkin bread recipe, and voila! No more sunken center!