QUICK question for those with fan assisted ovens - cake already been in 5 mins...

[DANCESwithDumbledore]

This cake usually takes about 35 mins in a conventional oven so how long will it take in a fan assisted one? Answers on a postcard to...

EEEEEEEeeeeek, now I know I should have checked before I put the cake in but it's in now...HELP!

Pretty please

I put them in for however long it says but check if it's done from about 10 minutes before the time's up. To be honest,mine doesn't seem to cook any quicker than an ordinary oven though!

The problem with cakes is if you check and they aren't done then you end up with sunken cake

in a normal oven if mine took 35 it would be between 25-30 minutes too cook in my fan assisted oven.

I also have to lower the heat very slightly (only by 1 gas mark)

HTH

I would check it 10 minute before for convential, stab with skewer or knife to check if its cooked.

"The problem with cakes is if you check and they aren't done then you end up with sunken cake"

I never have!

I find it cooks better if you put the cake straight in, as in not pre-heated, takes about 20-25 minutes.

I find with our fan oven that the temperatures and times are pretty much the same, but the good thing is the temperature is the same in the whole oven, so it doesn't matter which shelf you put it on.

Which is pretty much how fan ovens are meant to work, only most of them don't IME.

The main thing is, resist the temptation to look in and check until quite close to the end of the cooking time - if you open the door too early it might sink.

Lucky you soupie!

I would go with MrsWeasly's advice, my oven normally does a bit quicker too. Not had sunken cakes either. Can you look through glass on oven door?

Keep peering through but the light isn't great - maybe I should use a torch ! I'll leave it 30 mins I think then risk a peek. It's my mum's 60th birthday cake so I don't want to risk the sunken problem.

LOL Dances, I do the torch thing

our oven is nuclear
cakes normally need 20C cooler and 10min shorter

10min from end of cooking is fine to test as it will have done most of the rising by then, it's if you peek early (eg after 5-10min) that the steam bubbles pop and collapse before the mixture sets around them.

Ok, now am feeling paranoid about the peeking thing but I have done that after 25 mins and a cake did sink a bit (it was a 6oz mix in a 8 or 9 " square tin) so I'm not just being stupid! Tragically I was forced to fill that dip in with chocolate fudge icing which was obviously a tragedy for everyone

Mrs B - how is Laura, do you have pics yet?!

practically perfect in every way

Oh good grief, my vocab is limited today - spot the overuse of the word tragic/tragedy!

Awwwwwwwww, so she is! Ds used to be found in that exact pose quite often

oooh she's so lovely (still).

How did the cake turn out then?

Beeeauooootiful thanks! Did it for 30 mins in the end. Now I'm seeking more MN knowledge here Might have a go at the silvery star things...not sure...