This holiday season is just around the corner which means a lot of holiday cooking and baking. Below is a step by step guide on How to Calibrate your Oven! An oven that isn’t true to temperature is the main reason for uncooked, overcooked, and disappointing recipe results.
When the temperature is off by 40 to 50 degrees inside to what the temperature is showing can have a huge negative impact on the result of your recipe. Accuracy in temperature is crucial if you want to cook successfully.
I’ve had many comments on my Pound Cake Recipes of cakes that don’t turn out like mine did. The first thing I ask is ‘have you calibrated your oven?’
How to Calibrate your Oven
- Buy a new reliable oven thermometer. It doesn’t have to be an expensive thermometer. I suggest one like this Rubbermaid brand thermometer. Professional bakers recommend replacing your oven thermometer every year to assure accuracy.
- Most ovens have ‘hot spots’. Thes are caused by position of the elements (heating coils) and temperature cycles in the oven. The temperature is calculated where the oven’s internal thermometer is. All ovens have an internal thermometer. For this reason, you want to place the thermometer in the center of the oven. Turn the oven on 350° F. Record the temperature every 20 minutes for 4 times.
- Calculate the after by adding the numbers together and dividing by four.
- If the average is between 325° and 372° F your oven is calibrated correctly.
- If the temperature is outside that range it needs to be adjusted. Every brand and model is different on the process to calibrate. Review to your owner’s manual or look the brand and model up online to get the correct steps for your particular oven. If this fails you may want to call in an expert to calibrate it for you. You will be happy you did.
Rob says
I assume you take 4 readings 20 minutes apart?
Paula says
yes
Debbie says
Thank you for sharing this. Also, I want to tell you that I am delighted the share of Pound Cake on Pinterest. I’ve never seen that many great cakes together, I’ve made several of them and can’t wait to bake the rest
Kathleen R. Mitchell says
Thank you so much! This was very helpful. Solve my problem.
Linda says
Paula, I need to do this. I think using the oven as often as I do makes a difference in the accuracy. Thanks for the reminder. BTW I adore your pound cake recipes.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda