Banana bread with banana topping

Question

I'm in the middle of cooking banana bread with a halved banana on top for decoration. I'm using a 9x5 nonstick pan lined with parchment paper. I never have trouble with banana bread *except* when I do a banana o  top. I've only done it once before and it was raw under the bananas in the centre of the loaf. I just checked after an hour of baking at 350, and the edges are cooked while the centre between/under the banana halves is raw. Is there any way I can salvage this? I've never seen instructions in a recipe to do anything else with the banana on top except slice and out it on... So I've no idea why I'm having so much trouble. Please and thanks!

Emmie · Answer

Usually when I add banana to the top of banana bread, I just do two lines of thinly-sliced bananas on the very edge (inspired by the Cook's Illustrated recipe https://www.cooksillustrated...). Since they're just on the edge, it doesn't hinder the cooking, and it apparently helps the rise. It seems like a whole halved banana could insulate the batter around it and prevent it from cooking and rising properly. If you want that effect, though, maybe try a long thin slice of banana in the middle!

Banana bread with banana topping

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