Banana Cake Recipe {Sheet Pan Cake} - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much banana in banana cake? ›

Using a lot of bananas adds excess moisture, and there are two ways to get rid of it. You could either add more flour or increase the baking time. Add a tablespoon of extra flour at a time into the batter and give it a good whisk until its consistency starts to look right: thick but runny enough to fall off a spoon.

It's important to make sure your bananas are well mashed. If they aren't broken down well enough less moisture is released from the fruit, effecting the texture of your cake. That being said you don't want to blitz it to a banana puree either! A few chunks here and there adds some variety and texture.

The pan is too small. There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking. Oven temperature is too low, or cake isn't baked long enough.

You Over-Mix the Batter

For soft and tender banana bread, gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry — don't overmix! The more you stir, the more gluten will develop. The result will be a tough, rubbery banana bread.

If the peels have gone completely black, you might be thinking it's time to dump them, but bananas are good for much longer than you may think. If you didn't get a chance to freeze the bananas before they ripened, start preheating the oven, because more likely than not, they are perfectly fine to bake with.

Using too many bananas can make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing.

This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

Making a Perfectly Baked Cake

Check the colour – golden brown for lighter cakes, or a shiny matte look for chocolate. The toothpick test – a toothpick or knife should come out clean after inserting into the centre. The internal temperature should be around 98°C/210°F.

(Although some recipes with add-ins, like cream cheese banana bread, shouldn't be left out.) After that, the bread starts to stale. To keep it fresh, place a paper towel in the bottom of an airtight container. Place the loaf of banana bread on top, add another paper towel, and put the lid on the container.

If your oven isn't up to temperature consistently during the baking time, you may experience sunken cakes or loaves. Use an oven thermometer to gauge the accuracy of your oven. At the very least, try waiting 10 minutes after the oven has beeped to signify it has preheated before actually baking anything.

Why has my banana cake split? ›

If the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising, the middle will try to push through the crust as it continues to bake, causing it to crack and possibly dome.

Yes, you can use overripe bananas for baking banana cakes or muffins. In fact, overripe bananas with brown spots are often preferred because they are sweeter and have a stronger banana flavor, which can enhance the taste of your baked goods. Just make sure to mash them well before adding them to your recipe.

Ripe and overripe bananas are superheroes in a healthy kitchen—especially when it comes to vegan baking, where they can bind and moisten ingredients while adding flavor and natural sweetness.

One of the most common misfortunes among bakers is that they are using too much baking soda or baking powder. Know that too much baking soda or baking powder in cakes will not just lead to a metallic and bitter taste, but it can also make a big mess in the oven as it will rise beyond expectations.

There was too much moisture in your batter. I've had this happen more than once since I like to add 5 bananas per loaf. I use frozen/thawed bananas, or I place fresh ripe bananas in the microwave for about 5min to release liquid. The liquid is then cooked down into a syrup and added back to the batter when cooled.