Mumsnet Talk

have moved recently from a place with a fan oven to a place with a gas oven (double oven, small + grill on top).

have only made bread and roast in there yet, but a few birthdays (=cakes) coming up.
what to look out for? shelf height? turn halfway through baking?
can you get a fan for better heat circulation? thermometer?

mousey, i'm exactly the same as you, i recently moved two months ago to a bungalow with the same as you, going from a fan electric oven, boy is that a big change or what?, just getting used to it but would go back any day to my old oven.

I'm terrified of the thing. the whoosh when it lights...

Yep know what you mean! i keep thinking i'm gonna blow us all up. i've got two wedding cakes to make next year so i've been baking every week to get used to it, the first week i cooked a sponge it sank (so did my heart) i'm ok now with an ordinary sponge but cooking everything takes sooooo long.

i did buy a thermometer only to convince myself the oven was 20degrees lower but not sure how accurate it is though.

I was the same - moved into a house with gas oven (frantically saving for electric fan oven replacement).

For baking cakes, I just used a recipe I was very familiar with (basic cupcakes) and saw how it worked in the gas oven. Cooking time is usually longer, but I need to turn the cakes less.

I hated changing from a fan oven to gas but I've got used to it. I can now cook most things in it.
I find mine takes a bit longer & runs a bit cold. Cakes do best about about 2/3rds up.
Best thing is lots of practice.
I always check cakes through the glass with a torch so you get a very clear view of the top & can decide if it needs more time as I find that sometimes (usually if the boiler is firing at the same time) it runs slightly cooler than on other days, this just means it doesn't collapse because I've taken it out to soon.
But to be honest practice, practice, practice. Cooking with gas is more of an art than in a fan oven.
The most important thing I've learnt with this oven is what to do if you can't get it to light. If you've been cooking & some fat has spat down the back onto the burner it sometimes won't light, sparks but doesn't light (in our case this was on Christmas morning... Cue huge panic!), if this happens get a hairdryer and dry down the back where the burner is (yes you feel like an idiot but it really works)
Good luck & enjoy practicing.

If its a hotpoint don't cook cakes in the top oven as the outside cooks too fast and the middle too slow. I also bake on top shelf not middle and get great results. Prob takes extra 5 mins.

thanks, made vegan brownies today and they turned out well.
big party next weekend so will have to buy double the ingredients of the cake I have baked loads of times just in case.
bread usually turns out well and the breadrolls even better, maybe because it is a bit cooler.

it's a stoves with a double oven.

mousy, mines called Lamona, i'm fine with the cupcakes mix now as getting used to them cooking for bit longer, but i haven't cooked a madiera cake in there yet. i cooked a bakewell tart last week and it took ages, lovely though.

the bake off is off oven broke and the little table top one is too small...

oh no, what you gonna do now?