Have you noticed that your banana bread cracks at the top? We get how frustrating that can be. It’s probably got you wondering why that happens.
Some common mistakes that lead to banana bread cracking include: forgetting to preheat the oven, leaving the batter on the counter for too long, and setting the oven temperature too high. Baking banana bread on the oven’s top rack is also a possible cause.
Read on to learn more about why your banana bread may be cracking. We’ve also included a delicious recipe to use the tips we’ve provided as soon as you finish reading this!
Causes of Banana Bread Cracking on Top
If your banana bread loaves always seem to have cracks at the top, here are some common reasons why:
1 – Forgetting to Preheat the Oven
One mistake people make when baking a batch of banana bread is not preheating the oven.
This is because an oven tries to raise the temperature super fast when you turn it on initially. This sudden surge of heat prevents your banana bread from being baked evenly. In turn, the top, which is closest to the heat source, bakes faster than the rest of your banana bread.
As the rest of the batter rises, it breaks through the already set top of the loaf and breaks through it.
To avoid this, always preheat your oven to 275°F–350°F before you insert the banana bread batter.
2 – Leaving the Batter on the Counter For Too Long
Another possible reason why your banana bread always seems to crack is the time you leave the batter on the counter.
When you leave banana bread batter on the counter for too long, the resulting loaf is prone to cracks that sink into the bread.
This is why you shouldn’t leave the batter on the counter any more than 15 minutes before placing it in the oven.
3 – Baking at a Temperature That’s Too High
Even if you’ve preheated your oven, you need to be careful with the temperature you set it at. Baking banana bread at too high a temperature will also cause the top to set before the insides of the bread have risen sufficiently. In turn, you’ll end up with a cracked loaf.
This is especially true if you bake your banana bread on the top rack of the oven. In such cases, the bread is too close to the heat source and is especially prone to cracking.
Again, the optimum setting for baking banana bread is an oven preheated to 275°F-350°F.
4 – Using Too Much Raising Agent
Raising agents such as baking soda are essential ingredients in all sorts of baked goods.
However, they may be a cause for cracking if you add too much of them to your banana bread batter.
Too much baking soda or baking power leads to excess gas being produced. This can cause the batter to rise too much and crack the top of your loaf.
Is a Crack on Top of Your Banana Bread Always Bad?
So far, we’ve been talking about cracks on the top of your banana bread as a negative thing.
However, if the crack on the top of your banana bread is a certain shape, this is a sign that you’ve baked the perfect banana bread loaf.
If the top of your banana bread has a central crack spanning its length, this means that the insides of the loaf have breathing room to rise as they should.
Delicious Banana Bread Recipe
You’re probably eager to put the tips we’ve outlined above to good use. So, here’s a simple and delicious recipe that’ll give you excellent results.
All you’ll require is two loaf pans and eight ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Here are the quantities you’ll need to bake two loaves of banana bread. Change the quantities accordingly if you want to make more (or less).
Ingredients
- Cooking oil (2 oz)
- Salt (½ tbsp)
- Baking soda (1.5 oz)
- Plain yogurt (4 oz)
- 3 large bananas
- Sugar (8 oz)
- Flour (12 oz)
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas and mix them with the sugar.
- Add the salt and baking soda to the mix and stir thoroughly.
- Throw in the eggs first, then the oil, followed by the flour.
- Stir until all the ingredients are mixed well. Then, apply the batter to the loaf pans.
- Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours. You’ll know when the bread is ready to take out by using the toothpick test.
- Take the bread out of the oven, let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes, and cut yourself a slice of scrumptious banana bread!
Final Thoughts
Why does banana bread crack on top? There are several answers to this question.
You may have forgotten to preheat your oven, left the batter out on the counter for too long, or baked your banana bread at a temperature that’s too high. Other common mistakes that lead to cracking are baking the bread on the top rack of the oven or using too much raising agent.
By avoiding these miscues, you’ll notice a considerable jump in the quality of the banana bread you bake!
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard.