How to get more rise in loaves?

[CanadianBakin']

I use a 4-1/2x11-3/4" loaf pan for banana bread, lemon pound cake and pumpkin loaves, etc. We will be selling slices so they need to be even, instead of peaked in the center and very short on the ends. I was able to correct this problem with those magi-strips from Wilton. Now I have an even loaf but it's not very high. I was at another coffee house this afternoon and their loaves were about 4"high, maybe even more.

I have read that you should always leave 1"of space at the top when filling a loaf pan. I do this and with the magi-strips although it is even, it only rises to just over the top of the pan. I'd like a bit more height if possible. I'm concerned that if I fill it fuller it will just pour over the edges. Am I mistaken? Or if I'm not, can I get more height if I add a bit more flour to stiffen the batter? I've only got 2 weeks at the most to get this figured out. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[spyddie]

1. put more batter

2. add more baking soda/baking powder

3. use cream cake mix to make loaf cake, I don't know what they put in there butif you follow the instruction on the bag, the jump is nothing short of amazing(I think this is what other "coffee house" is using).

[Really Nice!]

I use a 4-1/2x11-3/4" loaf pan for banana bread, lemon pound cake and pumpkin loaves, etc. We will be selling slices so they need to be even, instead of peaked in the center and very short on the ends. I was able to correct this problem with those magi-strips from Wilton. Now I have an even loaf but it's not very high. I was at another coffee house this afternoon and their loaves were about 4"high, maybe even more.

I have read that you should always leave 1"of space at the top when filling a loaf pan. I do this and with the magi-strips although it is even, it only rises to just over the top of the pan. I'd like a bit more height if possible.  I'm concerned that if I fill it fuller it will just pour over the edges. Am I mistaken? Or if I'm not, can I get more height if I add a bit more flour to stiffen the batter?  I've only got 2 weeks at the most to get this figured out. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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How are you mixing your batter? Are you using the biscuit method or the creaming method (aka muffin method)?

[CanadianBakin']

3. use cream cake mix to make loaf cake, I don't know what they put in there butif you follow the instruction on the bag, the jump is nothing short of amazing(I think this is what other "coffee house" is using).

spyddie - I'm sure that's what they use but we are making everything from scratch, no mixes, so I have to find a way around that.

How are you mixing your batter? Are you using the biscuit method or the creaming method (aka muffin method)?

Really Nice! - Most of them use the creaming method. What did you have in mind?

Edited November 30, 2004 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[Really Nice!]

How are you mixing your batter? Are you using the biscuit method or the creaming method (aka muffin method)?

Really Nice! - Most of them use the creaming method. What did you have in mind?

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Okay, so you're following something along these lines:

Measure all ingredients

Sift dry ingredients together

Combine liquids and fats

Add liquids to dry ingredients

Stir just until combined; batter will be lumpy

And based on your initial post, it sounds like you know what you're doing, you just need assistance with the magi-strips. Don't know how much I can offer, but here's some things that might help or someone else can further expand upon.

Why do they need to be even? Is it a portioning issue; i.e., the person getting the center cut gets the most for the dollar?

How thick are the magi-strips? Do they recommend adjusting the oven temperature or cooking time?

How old are the leavening ingredients? How much mixing are you doing?

Here's some troubleshooting notes from culinary school that might help.

Quickbread Troubleshooting

Problem.................................Cause

Soapy/bitter flavor.....................chemical leaveners not properly mixed or too much baking soda

Elongated holes.........................overmixing or too much sugar

Crust too thick.........................too much sugar or oven temperature too low

Flat top with small peak................oven temperature too low

Cracked, uneven top.....................oven temperature too high

No rise; dense product..................old batter or damaged levening ingredients or overmixing

[CanadianBakin']

Why do they need to be even? Is it a portioning issue; i.e., the person getting the center cut gets the most for the dollar?

Yes, it is a portioning issue. I'd like to have all the slices as close to the same as possible.

How thick are the magi-strips? Do they recommend adjusting the oven temperature or cooking time?

The magi-strips are 1-1/2". They don't say anything about adjusting the temp onthe instructions. I had them wrapped around the top of the pan. I think I'll try wrapping them around the lower half instead to see if this makes a difference.

How old are the leavening ingredients? How much mixing are you doing?

My leaveners are brand new. I'm only mixing as much as is necessary to combine.

Thanks for all your thoughts adn the trouble shooting guide from school. I'd like to try baking with the oven a bit hotter but it says to not have your oven hotter than 350 which is of course the temp I'm baking at now. If I use a 350 convection oven though, that might make the difference. I'm just doing the trial and error stuff at home right now.

[RETREVR]

I am not an experienced baker, but I did get a little extra rise out of my bannana bread today. I can't help you with making them more even though.

In the past I had used a hand-held blender. Today I used the kitchenaid.

I cream my eggs and sugar.

I beat in veg oil.

Add bannana

Fold in dry ingredients.

Now.

In the past I did not beat my eggs and sugar as much. With the stand mixer, I walked away to grab something.

I also think that in the past I just added the dry ingredients and did not do a carefull folding.

This is what I am thinking:

The extra beating of the eggs in the first stage incorporated more air into the batter.

The care I took to fold the dry ingredients helped keep the air in the batter.

My loaves had better rise than ever.

Again. I know a lot about cooking but I am not a pro baker.

[Wendy DeBord]

You can fill your pans more..........you could come up to 1/2" down from the top. Also try a deeper pan.

I agree with Spyddie........theres a good chance that they are using cream cake batter.

I think it was Neil that wrote in a previous post that he pours a line of butter down the center of his loafs before baking so the top splits nicely. That: combined with your cake strips should give you a nice looking product.

[spyddie]

ok no mixs, I like that! I would use scratch also if labor is not an issue in our bakery.

1. sponge method: whip fresh whole egg with sugar till batter is light and airly(I first use top gear to whip it up and then whip at 2nd gear for at least 10 min), fold in the dry ingredients carefully, I use hand folding method instead just dump the dry ingredients into running mixer, then fold in the wet ingredients (juice, oil..), the key is retain as many air bubbles as you can.

2. creaming method: cream butter/shortening with sugar using paddle till the batter is light and airly, add wet ingredients (eggs, juice) slowly, then add the dry ingredients.

good luck

Edited December 2, 2004 by spyddie (log)

[CanadianBakin']

I just wanted to follow up and let you know what I did. I did let it beat a lot longer with the butter, sugar & eggs. About 5 minutes. I filled the pans to within a 1/2" from the top and I put the magi-strips around the lower edge of the pan. Instead of using the melted butter line (which I may try in the future) I sliced a line in the top about 15 minutes into baking time. I'm pretty sure I read that tip on here as well. With these adjustments, I did end up with a taller, but not spilling over, loaf. And Wendy I think you're right about the pans. My dough has enough strength to rise in a taller pan. I'll have to search some out but for now I'm happy with how they have turned out. Thanks again for all of your input.

[andiesenji]

I have always filled my loaf pans to within 3/4 inch of the top, banged them down on the counter to knock out any air pockets.

Then, with the back of a wet, rounded spoon (I use a round soup spoon) I make a depression down the center, working from the center to each end, forcing the batter up on all 4 sides.

This will level in the baking so the tops are nearly flat, just a bit rounded as the cake rises more in the center.

(This is also the way I get a flatter layer cake. I start at the center with either a similar spoon or an offset spatula and work the batter out from the center to the outer edge by turning the cake pan and moving out from the center in a spiral patter, forcing the batter out to the edges. This leaves a slight depression in the center of the batter and the final product is an even layer, no center bulge.)

Edited December 6, 2004 by andiesenji (log)