Why am I losing my baking touch?

[sydenhamhiller]

Have enjoyed baking since a child, and not amazing but competent and reliable. However, for past couple years (since new oven) suddenly it's all a bit hit and miss. Quite often cakes very well cooked on outside but gooey in middle...with tried and tested recipes that have ALWAYS worked before.

Is my oven too hot? Should I start setting it 10-20 degrees cooler than used to?

Any advice gratefully received. Sad that am losing my touch :(

have you got an oven thermometer?

It does sound as though your new oven is much hotter than the old one. Since I got my new oven before Christmas, I've found that it is much hotter and I can run it 20C or so below the 'recipe' temperature and get the same result. An easy and simple test is to make some scones, which don't take long, and cook batches on different shelves. You'll be able to see by the browning pattern where the 'hot spots' are in your oven.

Gas or electric? If electric, is it a fan assisted oven or not. If it is fan asisted, can you switch the fan off?

Gas ovens are not always as accurate as they might be at low temperatures. Electric ovens with fans behave differently from ovens without fans. Have you changed your bakeware. Some types of bakeware are better at conducting heat than other types.