How to fix undercooked banana bread

If you accidentally undercook your banana bread, you can easily fix it by popping it back in the oven. You can toast it in a flat press or toaster or even microwave it. I have done it many times and you can easily fix it. Test it with a skewer or butter knife and if it is still gooey in the middle check out these easy solutions.

I cook banana bread all the time for my kids. I mix it up and add chocolate chips to make it even tastier. But there are times, even after cooking the same recipe 100 times, that I still take it out of the oven and it is undercooked in the middle. Here are my easy tips to fix this problem at home.

How to tell if your banana bread is undercooked

Before you cook banana bread again or for longer, you need to work out if it is undercooked. Here are some of my favorite ways to tell if the batter is still gooey in the middle.

Stick a skewer in

The best way that I have found to check if the centre of the banana bread is cooked is to use a skewer. I have a small packet of these in my drawer just for testing cakes. Just poke the skewer into the centre of the banana bread. If it comes out clean then it is cooked. If you see batter it is undercooked.

Use a butter knife

If I don’t have any skewers left in my drawer I like to use a butter knife. Just stick it into the middle of the banana bread, about half way in then pull it out. If the banana bread is undercooked I can see batter on the knife.

How to fix undercooked banana bread

Here are my favorite ways to fix undercooked banana bread. Each of these will work and will work differently depending on how much cooking your banana bread needs.

Put it back in the oven

If your banana bread is very undercooked and you can see a lot of batter on the skewer or butter knife after testing, rebaking in the over is the best option. If the bread and oven are still hot this is an easy fix.

Simply pop the banana bread back in the oven for 5 minutes at the same temperature. Re-test the banana bread with a butter knife or skewer. If it is still undercooked, pop it in for another 5 minutes.

Once the knife or skewer comes out clean, leave it in the baking tin to cool for 5 minutes. The stem will continue to cook it slightly. Then, using oven gloves, pop the banana bread out on a cooling tray. This will stop it from becoming soggy on the bottom from the condensation.

Put it in a flat toaster

Another way to cook undercooked banana bread further is to cook it again in a flat toaster. If you find that your banana bread still tastes a little cakey after cooling, pop it in a flat toaster. This will help to crisp up the banana bread.

This works perfectly for banana bread that is not too soggy in the middle. It will taste nice and warm, crispy and will be perfect for spreading with butter and eating with a cup of tea.

Microwave

You can cook your banana bread all the way through using a microwave. Pop the whole load of banana bread into a plate, wrap it in paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Check it with a skewer and microwave for another 30 seconds if it is still undercooked.

Once the skewer comes out clean, leave the banana bread loaf unwrapped on a cooling rack. This will stop 

How to avoid undercooked banana bread

Check out my favorite tips to make sure your banana bread does not come out undercooked. 

Make sure the batter is not too wet

Banana bread can take longer to cook if the batter is too wet. Adding too much mashed banana, milk or oil can make the batter very wet. This will take longer to cook as it will contain more moisture.

Make sure you measure out the ingredients accurately. I like to weigh out the dry ingredients like flour and sugar using kitchen scales. You can even weigh out the wet ingredients too. This will make sure the batter is thick, pourable but not too wet.

Set the oven at the right temperature and let it preheat

Make sure you read the recipe and set your oven at the correct temperature. There are usually instructions for both fan forced and conventional ovens. Conventional ovens will usually need to be set at a higher temperature because they don’t have a fan.

If the temperature is too low, the center of the banana bread will take a long time to cook. It can even start to burn on the outside before the center is cooked through. Check the recipe and make sure the oven is preheated to that temperature before popping the banana bread in.

Test the banana bread before turning off the oven

The best way to avoid undercooked banana bread is to make sure you test it before you turn the oven off. That way you can pop it straight back in for another 5 minutes and keep it cooking. 

Test it with a skewer, butter knife or even a fork. That way you can see if the center is still gooey. Keep cooking the banana bread until the skewer comes out clean.

How to fix undercooked banana bread: Summary

Banana bread can take longer than you expect to cook, but don’t rush. If it is still gooey in the middle, take some extra time to keep it cooking in the oven. This is the best way to keep it moist and still cooked. 

If you didn’t realize that your banana bread was undercooked and it has already cooled, you can pop it in the microwave or a flat toaster plate. Both work well if you want to cover a slice with butter and eat it straight away.