Gas oven woes!!

[jasonr]

I love my new gas range for cooking, but for baking, the oven is driving me crazy. I just threw a cake in the garbage after hours of work. Once again the center was underdone, even though I baked for the maximum amount of time called for in the recipe. I have calibrated this oven with a thermometer and it's bang on in terms of the temperature. The trouble is the moisture I think. There's just too much moisture in this oven.

Is there anything that can be done? I'm afraid to raise the baking temperature or significantly increase baking time for fear of ruining the product in some other way, but after yet another cake straight into the trashcan I'm getting desperate.

Is there a way to bake properly with a gas oven or should I just give up baking with this oven?

 

[bakechef]

you might just need to get used to your oven. I use baking TIMES as only a guideline, I rarely have something that cooks in the specified time, I either cook it for less or more time. I have a nice electric convection oven, it cooks beautifully, but I still don't cook by time. I prefer electric for baking, but millions get by with gas ovens just fine.

Also make sure that your batter is made properly, everything measured accurately, a too heavy batter will take longer to cook.

Even with a brand new convection oven, I had to get to know it, how it baked, and so on, no two ovens will cook the same.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Time is a Tool....Not a rule!!!



Fun!

 

[jasonr]

Time is a Tool....Not a rule!!!

I guess I'm so used to baking times being at least somewhat accurate that it's very disconcerting when I can't rely on them at all!

Oh well, I guess I know what I have to do...

 

[Andy M.]

If your gas oven is heating to an accurate temperature and maintaining that temperature, the fact that it's gas is not messing up your cake.

The problem could be with the recipe. Did you make ANY changes to it?

 

[Linux]

If your gas oven is heating to an accurate temperature and maintaining that temperature, the fact that it's gas is not messing up your cake.

The problem could be with the recipe. Did you make ANY changes to it?

I was wondering the same. However, gas, if it is bottled butane (which some gas ovens are attached to, rather than pipelined) can contain quite a lot of moisture that is thrown out on gas combustion. Namely, portable gas heaters for an example. But if the OP's oven is temperature-correct, then I would say it's their recipe. Check it out.

Gas ovens, even electric, all have their hot spots, all have their idiosyncrasies and need getting used to. I have a Lacanche, a biggun, and even that is a bit of a cuss at times.

 

[Ronzy]

I wouldn't use any other fuel than natural gas, however my oven bakes fast, so I always have to use less time. I had electric once and hated it. I don't know where you live, but altitude could be your problem.
http://highaltitudebaking.com/adj_recipes.htm

 

[DMerry]

I live at 6,000 feet and have a propane stove with a bad thermostat. It took some experimenting but after I learned to follow the ingredient adjustments for the high altitude and bought an oven thermometer I get good results when I bake and a lot of raves because people here don't bake much!

 

[PattY1]

Could it be your cake pan?? I have a new fangled, fancy heavy gauge cake pan that I have the same problem with. I have tried to bake at lower temps. with out success.

 

[jasonr]

Well there's another pie in the garbage.

I give up, I hate this oven.

It's all well and good to say that you shouldn't be ruled by baking time, but it takes alot of skill to be able to figure out if something is done perfectly just by looking at it with no reference to time. Cakes are easier because you can toothpick test them. But for a Pecan pie? Who knows? The recipe says it's done when it's slightly wobbly and set at top. I don't trust the recipe so I cut into the centre and of course, a lake of liquid. This thing isn't even close to being done. Not even in the ballpark, and we're already at maximum baking time. The crust is already browned, maybe overbrowned.

In this case, the baking time isn't just wrong, it's ridiculously, woefully completely wrong. Not even close.

The oven temperature is fine. I checked it with a thermometer. It's bang on.

I HATE HATE HATE HATE gas baking.

 

[Andy M.]

Calm down! Millions of families across this country are using gas ovens and producing excellent results. You can too.

If the edges of the cake are cooking and the center is undercooked, adjust the temperature down 25 degrees and try again.

Are you making scratch cakes or using mixes?

When you tested the oven temp, did you record readings over a period of time after it indicated it had reached the set temp?

 

[bakechef]

I too have had issues with pecan pies, as much as I have baked in my lifetime, pecan pies still cause me issues, even with my electric oven. I have a friend that rarely bakes, but once a year makes perfect pecan pie, and he swears that using jumbo eggs makes just enough difference to make it set well. I may give this method a try.

Pecan pie will seem quite underdone when it is ready to come out of the oven, much like other custards, it finishes cooking and sets as it cools.

 

[joesfolk]

I absolutely can't stand cooking with an electric range. I burn stuff every time. But the OP are right about the pie. Pecan pie needs to cool before the texture will be right. Also some pies will never set up if they are disturbed by cutting into them before they are set. You may be right about the pie not being done in the center but you'll never know for sure until you allow it to cool without disturbing it in the mean time. Better luck next time.

 

[Ronzy]

Gas ovens and pecan pie

I've only had an electric stove once in a house we rented years ago. It was truly hateful!
As for custard pies, try wrapping the crust edge with aluminum foil to keep it from getting too brown and after the allotted time for baking, after you turn the oven off, leave the pie in the oven for about ten to fifteen minutes, then check it for doneness. I do that with cheese cake and it works fine.