When using ovens with both fan-forced and conventional settings, it is best to use conventional when you are baking long and slow (like for cakes) and fan-forced for fast cooking at high temperatures. If using a fan-forced oven, as a general rule, drop the temperature by 20°C to imitate conventional.
The best oven setting for baking cakes is typically 350°F (175°C) on the conventional bake setting. This allows for even cooking and a good rise. Here are a few tips for baking cakes: Preheat the Oven: Always preheat your oven before placing the cake in to ensure even baking.
Fan-forced setting
The benefit of this is that the fan will help distribute the heat in your oven and will generally mean that you will get a more even heat.
When using ovens with both fan-forced and conventional settings, it is best to use conventional when you are baking long and slow (like for cakes) and fan-forced for fast cooking at high temperatures. If using a fan-forced oven, as a general rule, drop the temperature by 20°C to imitate conventional.
The fan oven ensures a faster and homogenous cooking leaving food out fragrant and more humid inside. The static oven, instead, produces a slower and more delicate cooking, ideal for obtaining well cooked and dry even inside dishes.
Conventional heating uses top and bottom heating elements to radiate heat to the centre of the oven. It is an ideal setting for cakes and cupcakes as it creates a gentle, even rise and caramelization.
What is the proper oven rack placement for baking, roasting and broiling? The middle zone is a go-to when baking, and is typically a safe bet for foods like casseroles, cookies and pies. The bottom zone of the oven is ideal for roasting and baking crusty bread or pizza, while the top is ideal for broiling and toasting.
Baking cookies can be tricky, especially when it comes to getting your oven temperature just right. At Crumbs & Doilies, we always use fan ovens because they circulate heat evenly, ensuring consistent results.
Let's start with the main one – the fan oven symbol. As you might expect, it's represented by a fan, usually inside a circle. This is also known as the convection setting. In other words, the fan circulates hot air evenly throughout the oven's cavity.
BUT, because convection ovens are fan assisted, your cakes will bake a lot faster (which has it's own risks), so to prevent cakes from baking too quickly, you want to reduce the baking temperature by about 15-20 degrees C, which is why I recommend using a baking temperature of 160C when using a fan assisted oven.
Exhaust fans capture and filter steam, odours, smoke, grease and other potential pollutants emitted while cooking. Professor Morawska says high-temperature frying in particular has been linked to higher emissions. Standing over the stove and breathing in pollutants could have serious health effects over time.
Fan ovens often cook food more quickly due to the efficient heat distribution. Conventional ovens may require longer cooking times for similar recipes. Fan ovens are excellent for baking as they ensure even browning and rise. Conventional ovens may result in uneven browning and less consistent rise in baked goods.
Yes, it is normal to hear your oven fan running when you turn on the oven including during preheat. The fan helps circulate the oven temperatures and will come on and off during the baking process. The fan may stay on after you have finished baking and turned the oven off.
So which setting to use? The answer could be non-fan for the whole bake or a combination of both. This is simply getting to know your oven and comes with a bit of practice. For the best loaves at home, I use the oven on a non-fan setting for the first 12-14 minutes.
3. Top/Bottom Heating. Top/Bottom heating is the most effective setting to use when you are baking or roasting on a single level. The heat is emitted evenly from above and below, making it ideal for baking cakes.
The center oven rack is ideal for baking cakes and other desserts. However, to achieve the flaky and crispy underside of a pie, positioning the racks lower in your oven can help avoid an undercooked crust.
Middle. The default position. It's ideal for most foods since it situates the item in the middle of the oven, allowing the hot air to circulate evenly around the food, resulting in even cooking. Use this for a single tray of cookies, sheet-pan dinners, fish, brownies, banana bread, and so on.
Bake (conventional)
The conventional Bake oven setting is one of the most common oven cooking methods. This setting uses heat that comes from both the oven's top and bottom elements to cook food. It's great for a variety of cooking applications like baking cakes, cookies, casseroles and more.
#1 Read through the recipe
Make sure to quickly skim the recipe before you start baking to understand the general flow and key steps. You can even make notes on the recipe or highlight key points to help you along.
The 325° to 350°F temperature range is ideal for cooking something low and slow, like a roast. It's also ideal for baking cakes, since they contain lots of sugar — any hotter and the exterior of the cake would bake faster than the interior, leaving it burnt on the outside and gooey on the inside.
For baking cakes and pastries, the fan makes sure everything bakes evenly, so one side doesn't cook more than the other. This is important for getting a uniform texture and even browning. For delicate pastries like macarons or éclairs, the steady temperature and airflow help them rise perfectly and stay smooth.
While this moisture removal can be great for crisping up a pasta bake or firming up a lasagne, it can be adversely effective when baking items like cakes and bread. However, some fan-assisted ovens feature a baking setting that lends itself better for bake purposes.
Convection Ovens: These ovens have fans that circulate hot air, ensuring even heat distribution and faster baking times. The constant movement of air reduces hot spots and allows for multi-rack baking. This makes them ideal for baking cookies, pastries, and other items that require uniform browning.