Bitter Banana Bread

[Kate]

Hi everyone!

This afternoon I thought I'd try to make a delicious banana bread. I've been trying to omit sugar from my diet, so I followed a recipe that called for dates instead. Anyway, the recipe created two loaves of bread and called for 3 and a 1/4 tablespoons of baking powder. I don't know why that didn't freak me out when I was reading the recipe the first time, but my bread is definitely too bitter. I believe 3 tablespoons is far too much for two loaves, am I correct? Could the baker have meant to write 3 1/4 teaspoons instead?

I'd love your input. I above attached a photo of the original recipe.
Thanks!
Kate

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Hi everyone!

This afternoon I thought I'd try to make a delicious banana bread. I've been trying to omit sugar from my diet, so I followed a recipe that called for dates instead. Anyway, the recipe created two loaves of bread and called for 3 and a 1/4 tablespoons of baking powder. I don't know why that didn't freak me out when I was reading the recipe the first time, but my bread is definitely too bitter. I believe 3 tablespoons is far too much for two loaves, am I correct? Could the baker have meant to write 3 1/4 teaspoons instead?

I'd love your input. I above attached a photo of the original recipe.
Thanks!
Kate

Yes, this recipe far exceeds standards for baking powder. It might be a typo. But there are other problems with this recipe as well.

The standard is 1 teaspoon baking powder per one cup of all-purpose flour.

4 cups of flour then would require 4 teaspoons of baking powder.

This recipe has 3 tablespoons. A tablespoon is about 3 teaspoons. So the total is over 10 teaspoons. That's about 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 1 cup of flour.

Then it adds even more chemical leavening in the form of baking soda. The amount of baking soda is what you would normally use without any baking powder.

It's no wonder the cake was bitter.

The general rule on leavening is:


1 teaspoon baking powder per 1 cup of flour


OR


1/4 teaspoon baking soda per 1 cup flour


OR


A combination of both within these guidelines. For example the recipe calls for 4 cups of flour. If you were going to use a combination it would be 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.


Certainly there is some leeway in these chemical leavening guidelines depending on the mixing method and ingredients. But the amounts listed in this recipe are excessive even when ingredients and mixing method are considered.


The mixing method is very unusual. This recipe has everything dumped in one bowl and mixed. Quick breads are normally mixed in what is called the two bowl or the muffin method. Wet ingredients are mixed separately from dry ingredients.


Dry ingredients should be sifted or at the very least whisked well to ensure leavening is properly/evenly distributed. And liquids and fats should be emulsified to ensure proper hydration of the dry ingredients.


The use of alternative ingredients, such as fruit for sugar and water for milk, along with the mixing method will create a dense cake with a coarse crumb.


The use of durum flour is odd too. Durum is the hardest flour. It's very strong, so normally used for pasta and hearth breads. It not a flour normally used for quick breads and muffins.

 

[ChesterV]

I think this might be an Ellie Mae Clampett recipe!!!

LOL


The recipe says "muffins" but it reads like a hard bread!
I'm sure you could build a house with "muffins" of that nature!!! LOL

I'm thinking whoever wrote this recipe was nipping at the cooking Sherry a bit too much.

Like Norcalbaker stated, thats some hard flour. Flour used for muffins is usually the softest kind, triple ground, triple sifted, for that super silky muffin experience. Plain flour is good too, but as long as it's not a bread flour. Ugh.


From my experience, substituting egg/eggs for a levening or baking powder has turned out quite nicely for me.
You get the rise and height without having to deal with the powders and how much to add or not. Eggs.......you just crack em and use em. Have never had a problem using this method when I've come across someone who is allergic to levenings and baking powder or I ran out.