Common Baking Problems and Why They Happen
If you have carefully followed the basic instructions and still experience poor results, these suggestions may be helpful:.
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| Slow baking | Baking or roasting time too short. | Excessive |
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| Too little leavening. |
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| or roasting. | Temperature too low. |
| shrinkage. |
| Overmixing. |
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| Oven out of calibration. |
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| Pan too large. |
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| Old oven out of calibration. |
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| Oven temperature too high. | |||||
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| Incorrect use of aluminum foil. |
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| Baking time too long. |
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| Oven not preheated. |
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| Pans too close to each other | |||||
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| Oven door opened too frequently. |
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| or oven wall. |
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| Too many pans on racks. |
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| Crumbly or dry |
| Improper measurement of | |||||||
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| Cakes are uneven. | Pans touching each other or |
| texture. |
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| sugar, baking powder, liquid | ||||
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| oven walls. |
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| or fat. |
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| Batter uneven in pans. |
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| Old baking powder. |
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| Oven temperature too low or |
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| Oven temperature too high. | ||||||
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| baking time too short. |
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| Baking time too long. |
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| Range not level. |
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| Uneven texture. |
| Too much liquid. |
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| Undermixing. |
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| Too much liquid. |
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| Undermixing. |
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| Oven temperature too low. | |||
| Cakes high in the |
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| Temperature too high. |
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| Baking time too short. |
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| middle. | Baking time too long |
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| Cakes have |
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| Overmixing. |
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| Not enough shortening. |
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| Too much flour. |
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| tunnels. |
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| Too much baking powder. | ||||
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| Pans touching each other or |
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| Overmixing. |
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| oven walls. |
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| Oven temperature too high. | ||||
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| Cakes fall. | Too much shortening or sugar. | Cakes crack on |
| Batter overmixed. |
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| Too much or too little liquid. | the top. |
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| Oven temperature too high. | ||||||
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| Temperature too low. |
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| Too much leavening. |
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| Old or too little baking powder. |
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| Cakes not done |
| Temperature too high. |
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| Pan too small. |
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| Oven door opened frequently. | in the center. |
| Pan too small. |
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| Cakes don’t brown | Oven temperature too low. |
| Pie crust edges |
| Oven temperature too high. | ||||||
| on the top. | Overmixing. |
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| too brown. |
| Pans touching each other or | |||||
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| Too much liquid. |
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| oven wall. |
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| Incorrect pan size or too little |
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| Edges of crust too thin. |
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| batter in pan. |
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| Pies don’t brown |
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| Oven door opened too often. |
| Using shiny metal pans. |
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| on the bottom. |
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| Cakes, cookies, | Oven not preheated. |
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| biscuits too brown | Pans touching each other or |
| Pies have soaked |
| Temperature too low at start | ||||||
| on the bottom. | oven walls. |
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| crust. |
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| of baking. |
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| Using glass, darkened, warped |
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| Filling too juicy. |
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| or dull finish metal pans. |
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| Using shiny metal pans. |
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| Incorrect rack position. |
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| Incorrect use of aluminum foil. |
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Temperature Conversions |
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| °Fahrenheit | 200 | 250 | 275 | 300 | 325 | 350 | 375 | 400 | 425 | 450 | |
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| °Celsius | 100 | 120 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 180 | 190 | 200 | 220 | 230 | |
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Using Your Oven – Baking Chart Common Baking Problems and Why They Happen
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