How Do You Test Quickbreads/cakes For Doneness?

[gadgetgirl]

In my days of baking with gluten flours, I would always use a toothpick to test if a cake or a quickbread was done - it would come out clean if the item was ready. But now that I'm baking with alternative flours, I find this technique is not working. I made a quickbread yesterday. The recipe said to bake for 1 hour. Since the batter didn't fit into one loaf pan, I split it into 2. Figured it would take less time to bake so checked it at 45 minutes - toothpick came out clean. I took the loaf out but when I cut it in half, it was not done in the middle. It did take almost the full hour and is great. But I'm so confused as to how to test for doneness.

I made Chebe rolls the other night that were done on the outside and rubbery inside - same thing with the toothpick being clean.

Any advice?

[jerseyangel]

I still use the toothpick method--I also look for the bread to stop adhering to the sides of the pan, and shrink inward a little bit.

Touch the top in the center--it should feel firm, not wet or leave a dent where you touched it. If it cracks (like many quick breads tend to do) make sure the batter inside the crack is dry to the touch.

Those are things off the top of my head.

[mamaw]

I do exactly as Jersey Angel....................

[Felidae]

I use the toothpick method and I haven't had a problem.

[gadgetgirl]

Thanks, ladies, for the tips! I will give them a try with my next batch!