I think you grabbed the female hormones, by accident, instead of the Viagra. AND you put WAY too many in. ROFLOL

I bake 2 loaves of sourdough a week for sandwiches and occasional treats (cinnamon rolls) or a different kinds of loaves during the week. I don't like it to be too complicated but want what I consider excellent results. Personally, what works for me is just preheating the oven (Wolf CSO) to whatever temp I need in convection steam mode. If loaves in a pan 335, ciabatta type 445, free form loaves generally 400-425. I don't use a stone. One of the reasons I prefer sourdough is the 'to die for' crust and I get it w/the straight up steam convection mode. There's always a great poof of steam when putting the bread in and taking it out but you don't notice the steam in the oven as you would if steaming veggies while cooking. As mentioned steam only exists at 210 degrees over that the waters there but not noticeable until it is 210 degrees. I'm not sure how often or exactly when the water is injected, I can hear the valve working but I'm pretty sure it's not constant. I will sometimes use a large gas oven as I can heat it to ~550 or a large electric convection if I need a larger oven. The results from the CSO are always more impressive, the oven 'spring' is more noticeable and the crust is crustier w/the steam. I'm sure adding water to either of the other 2 would work similarly but like I said I'm in the K.I.S.S. group and don't like overthinking things too much. A lot of people get caught up in thinking rather than doing, having a good understanding of what you're doing, the 'why and how', will eliminate a lot of the guess work. Worse case is you mess up, so? You get to do it again but now you know more than last time. I don't use recipes or measure things a whole lot anymore, I have over the years but learned what to look for and the 'how and why' so have the latitude to experiment relatively successfully and don't get too upset when I fail. A fail for me is a boon for the chickens. My audience isn't very large, as long as we're all happy and occasionally overjoyed it's all good. The best night is when the kids say 'thank you for making this wonderful dinner dad!'. I have no idea where that came from, they started it when they were about 4 (now 8 yo twins). I don't get it every night I cook, but it makes my day when I do.

I agree with those who suggested the need to smooth the batter in the pan as a reason for the uneven shape. I bet it tasted great ;-). This is information I use as judging standards at fairs and some of the baking science involved. I would suggest getting an oven thermometer to make sure the oven is 350°F. It may need adjusting, which is a common problem. Did you use the same size pan as the recipe called for? The loaf looks a little thin and may have been designed for a regular loaf pan (8-1/2x4-1/2"). A 9x5" loaf pan is commonly used for a quick bread, but not always. Personally, I dislike 9x5" loaves and will use a Danish Loaf Pan (aka Tea Loaf Pan) that holds the same volume, but the loaf is long and narrow. Slices from a 9x5" pan are too large for cutting into thin slices and often fall apart in the middle - especially if the fissure on the crust is large (BTW - the fissure on the crust looks quite normal). Using a Danish Loaf Pan, the bread bakes faster and is a nicer size for serving. (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/tea-loaf-pan) Cracks in the crust are typical of quick breads and do NOT necessarily indicate an unsatisfactory product. Here's what happens to cause them. --The large mass of batter in the loaf pan heats slowly. Therefore it is desirable to allow time for the leavening agent to react, and an increase in volume to take place, before the crust sets. When this procedure is followed a baked product with a smooth, rounded crust results. When baking is too rapid, a cracked top crust and more solid crumb will result. --Using long, narrow pans will result in a loaf with a crease or small crack on top. Consistency of batter will influence the depth of the crack. Batter touching the pan bakes first. As batter warms to baking temperature, it thins and allows a film of fat and sugar to run toward the center of the crust; thus a shiny line or a sticky crack forms down the center of the loaf. --A crack forms because the unbaked batter under the crust "erupts" when the leavening agent reacts [with the heat]. Baking hints and options to help prevent cracked crust: Preheat oven to 350°F and bake quick bread as soon as it is mixed. Preheat oven to 375-400°F. Cover quick bread and allow to stand at room temperature 20-30 minutes before baking. Tent a piece of heavy foil over the top of the loaf pan filled with batter. Allow foil to remain until batter rises and begins to brown, then remove foil carefully so that you do not touch the soft crust. This keeps the top moist and prevents a heavy crack from forming. -Grainlady

Hi Nancyjane, There are a few sourdough bread bakers here (I'm not one of them). I bake bread but I don't like the taste of sourdough. Here's a link to a conversation by Ann_T, in case she doesn't chime in. Sourdough