Hiya,

I'm having terrible problems with my new gas cooker, I just can't seem to cook my cakes right, they tend to burn on the outside but take ages to cook on the inside, I've tried different levels in the oven with no luck. I've even bought an oven thermometer and still am having problems.

It says to cook my cake on gas mark 3 / 160c which is what my oven gets to on the middle shelf but when I put the cake in the oven the temperature drops to about 140/150c and stays at this temperature, is this what ovens are meant to do, I'm thinking of maybe now setting the oven to say gas mark 4 which should maybe be 170/180c and then when the cake goes in it should hopefully drop to 160c.

I'm really at my wits end now, I've thrown away 5 cakes over the last 2 days so any advice would really be appreciated.

Since your stove is new it is probably still under warranty. I would call service on it and tell them what you have stated here. It sounds like the thermostat is not right.