We're used to having mostly electric ovens at home, but we might find ourselves using a gas oven. If you need to use one of these for cooking, you need to be careful: it distributes heat differently. For this reason, the temperatures you need to set are different than those you'd use in an electric oven. This is even more true when you're baking cakes and desserts: you can get golden brown and crispy results even with a gas oven, but you need to be very careful.
There are a few things to keep in mind when baking a cake in a gas oven, especially regarding the temperature you should set, but not only that. Today we'll reveal all the secrets you need to know to achieve perfect baking.
Gas Oven: Pros and Cons
In general, cakes, sweets and leavened products are cooked in an electric oven set to static mode; it is the most widespread cooking method and also the most effective for obtaining even cooking and tall, soft products.
This doesn't mean you can't achieve the same result with a gas oven: this type of oven has a burner at the bottom that transmits heat throughout the appliance. When the selected temperature is reached, the burner automatically switches to the lowest setting to maintain a constant heat.
Today, gas ovens have evolved and have integrated a series of cooking modes in addition to the so-called convection mode, including fan-assisted and grill cooking, and in some cases, they also allow for specific cooking for pizzas and bread, becoming an excellent alternative to the classic electric oven.
There are also some disadvantages, the first being the greater difficulty in controlling temperatures. For this very reason, it's important to know the correct temperatures for your gas oven to avoid the risk of cakes baking unevenly or even burning.
The Correct Temperatures for The Gas Oven
As a general rule, a gas oven should be set about 20 degrees higher than an electric oven. To be sure, we suggest a table to follow regarding the most suitable temperatures for baking cakes in a gas oven. Remember that these are only guidelines, as each oven may vary slightly in heat distribution.
- 160°F – 230°F / 70°C – 110°C : meringues;
- 250°F – 320°F / 120°C – 160°C : cakes with a thick dough, cakes that don't need to rise and doughs that contain whipped egg whites;
- 340°F – 375°F / 170°C – 190°C : moist doughs, for example those containing a lot of milk;
- 395°F – 430°F / 200°C – 220°C : puff pastry and brioches;
- Above 430°F/220°C : to brown the surface of desserts, especially those covered with whipped egg whites.
Regardless of this table, it's important to pay attention to the temperature during cooking. A good trick to follow is to slightly lower the knob every time the oven reaches maximum temperature: this way the burner won't restart at full power and the cakes won't burn.
Other Tricks for Perfect Cooking
Besides paying attention to the temperature, there are other tricks you can use to get perfectly cooked cakes in the gas oven.
- First, remember to preheat it to the right temperature before placing the cake in it: this way, it will cook evenly.
- It's important to use molds designed for a gas oven, as not all are suitable for high temperatures. Definitely avoid glass or ceramic containers, which won't withstand the intense heat and risk breaking.
- The position of the rack on which you place the pan is also important: it should be in the middle of the oven or a notch higher than the center. This way, not only will the heat be evenly distributed on all sides of the cake, but the batter will also have room to expand without touching the sides.
;Resize,width=767;)
