Bread is definitely one of the most essential elements on dining tables all across the world. There are an endless variety of bread flavors besides the good old white or brown wheat loaves.
In recent years, bread with added vegetables such as carrots or zucchini has become popular as people look for ways to add more nutrients to their diets.
Zucchini bread in particular is delicious and has a moist texture. It is easy to make and with the addition of nuts and spices, one would never imagine there are vegetables in there! It is a great way to get kids to eat extra veggies.
However, because zucchinis contain a lot of moisture, it is easy to undercook the bread and end up with a soggy loaf. We tell you here how to fix undercooked zucchini bread.
How to Fix Undercooked Zucchini Bread
1. Use the oven – microwave or conventional
The most convenient and fastest way to fix the problem is with your microwave oven. Simply put the zucchini bread on a microwave-safe plate and nuke it for a couple of minutes on a medium setting.
Remove and check the bread and if it still needs further cooking, give it another couple of minutes.
If you intend to use a conventional oven, preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celcius). Once it’s hot, you can put the bread into a loaf tin or wrap it in tinfoil.
Cook it for 10-20 minutes more. The cooking time will be depending on how undercooked the bread is.
To test for doneness, insert a fine skewer or knife into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. If it comes out sticky, cook the bread for longer.
2. Moisten
When cooking underdone zucchini bread for longer, you need to be careful that the outer crust does not become dry while the middle cooks. There are a few ways to prevent this.
- Make sure when you put the loaf back in the oven that it is either wrapped in baking paper or foil or that you use a loaf tin. If using a tin, we suggest covering the top of the bread with foil.
- If the crust is already dry, spray it with some water before returning the oaf to the oven.
- An alternative to spraying the bread with water is to brush it with melted butter.
3. Cool it down
You might be mistaking the freshly cooked hot bread for being undercooked which is a mistake that even experienced chefs sometimes make.
Freshly baked bread just out of the oven tends to be moist and a little squishy but remember that it firms up a little as it cools and also continues cooking in the middle for a few minutes after being removed from the oven.
To prevent sogginess, always turn the bread out of the tin onto a wire rack to cool. Do not leave it to cool in the tin.
Leave the bread to cool for at least 2 hours before cutting it. However, zucchini bread, like banana bread and other loaves of that type, is actually better served the day after baking it.
4. Toast individual slices
This is a quick fix that we recommend if you don’t have an oven or are in a hurry. It depends on the bread not being still completely raw and doughy in the middle though.
Simply slice the zucchini loaf and toast the slices in your toaster or sandwich toaster until golden and slightly crisped before serving hot with butter. Delicious!
Tips to prevent undercooked zucchini bread in the future:
We hope our four tips have helped you to fix your current issue of undercooked zucchini bread. To prevent the same problem in the future, bear the following in mind:
- Preheat your oven to the required temperature before putting the bread in to bake.
- Set the oven rack in the middle for even cooking.
- If you notice that your loaf is browning too much on the top before the center is done, simply cover it with a piece of foil and continue cooking. This often happens if you make a large loaf.
- Instead, try splitting the batter between two smaller loaf pans. This will result in more even cooking. Remember to shorten the cooking times if you do this.
- Recipe times are a guide only. Ovens vary so if your recipe says, “bake the loaf for 40 minutes” but you feel that it needs a little longer, go ahead and give it the extra time.
- The best way to test for doneness involves two steps:
First, open the oven door and press lightly on the top of the loaf. If it springs back or holds its shape, it is probably done. If the top crust does not spring back and remains indented, the loaf is still undercooked and needs more time. Second, insert a metal skewer or knife into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, the loaf is done. If it comes out with sticky bits of dough attached, the loaf is undercooked and should be given another ten minutes before testing again.