Whether you are fond of bananas or not, it’s safe to say that Can You Make Banana Bread In A Cake Pan? Banana bread is an absolute people-pleaser! Bananas pack a lot of potassium, fiber and are rich in carbohydrates. They also tend to have a high sugar content, making them a great option for athletes and for individuals who need a quick energy boost.
The main component of banana bread is mashed, overripe bananas (obviously). Hence, these delicious, sweet, moist breads are highly nutritious, and usually a good choice for new moms who struggle with feeding their stubborn children healthy, nutritious food.
A question that we get asked about banana bread often is whether it is possible to make banana bread in a cake pan.
The short answer is yes. However, this needs some further explanation. Continue reading this article for more information on this topic, and also for a banana bread recipe (with instructions) from an expert baker to help you make your first banana bread on a cake pan.
The Difference Between A Loaf Pan And A Cake Pan
A traditional loaf pan is a rectangular, high-walled baking pan used for making bread.
A cake pan, on the other hand, comes in various shapes. This type of baking pan is usually used for baking a cake.
Both loaf pans and cake pans come in various sizes and are made of similar materials. Cake and loaf pans are usually made of non-stick aluminum, heat-proof glass, or steel. This makes cake pans just as good for baking a fresh loaf of bread as a loaf pan.
Bread made in a cake pan would taste the same as bread made in a loaf pan. However, if you use a circular cake pan, for example, the banana bread would come out looking round, rather than a rectangular block of bread.
How To Make Banana Bread On A Cake Pan
Things You Will Need
Since this pandemic is all about staying at home and going out poses a great health risk for you and for the people around you, we will use really basic and simple ingredients for this recipe which are probably lying around on your pantry shelves. Below is the list of things you will need:
- 3 or 4 mashed ripe bananas (make sure the bananas are really very ripe)
- 2 tsp of vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup of lightly packed brown sugar (or more, depending on your preference)
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup of unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp of salt
- ¼ cup of brown sugar (for topping)
Steps to follow
Step 1: When you get started, you should preheat the oven to 350°F.
2: Melt and allow the butter to cool.
Step 3: Whisk the melted butter together with ⅔ cups of brown sugar until properly mixed. This should take you about 1 minute of whisking.
Step 4: Add eggs, bananas (well mashed) and vanilla extract to the mixture, and continue whisking. Whisk until properly mixed.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.
Step 6: Transfer the dry ingredients to the bowl containing the wet ingredients. Stir using a rubber spatula until you get an even, lump-free mixture. Be sure to not overmix. You should now be left with a streak-free batter.
Step 7: Grease two 9×9 cake pans, and distribute equal amounts of batter onto each of the pans. Smooth the top of the batter. In order to get a nice golden-brown top crust, sprinkle ¼ cup of brown sugar on the surface of the batter.
Step 8: Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during the process. This prevents an evenly cooked bread, while also preventing the crust from burning.
Step 9: Once done, poke a toothpick into the bread and check for uncooked batter. If the toothpick comes out dry, it means that the bread is ready to be taken out of the oven. Place your banana bread on a wire rack and let it cool before serving.
What Size Of Baking Pan Should I Use?
Unless you consider yourself an expert baker, we would suggest using a 9-inch baking pan. This is because most recipes that you will find on the internet will give the measurements based on a 9×9 standard-sized loaf pan. The capacity of a 9-inch cake pan/baking pan is roughly equal to that of a standard 9-inch loaf pan. This makes it tougher for beginners to mess up.
Nonetheless, substituting a 9-inch baking pan for a different size is absolutely fine if you are confident that you know your baking measurements by heart!
What Time Setting Do You Set The Oven To?
The time needed to bake a banana bread in a 9 inch round cake pan would be the same as when using a standard-sized loaf pan. This recipe divides the batter into two separate pans. In this way, you will be able to cut down your baking time in half, and the batter will be cooked more evenly, giving your bread a rich golden-brown look.
Conclusion
Can you make banana bread in a cake pan? Of course, you can! Sadly, your bread will end up looking more like a cake. If the looks don’t bother you much, then we would suggest you to not go ahead and waste your money on buying a loaf pan- which basically does the same thing as a baking pan, but in a more traditional shape.
