Okay, so I have a new Dacor convection wall oven. I have baked Toba Garretts yellow cake and the double chocolate layer cake from epicurious on the Pure convection mode. I kept the temperature as stated in the recipe (300deg) instead of reducing 25 degrees as suggested. It took LONGER to bake than the recipe says. Up to 20 minutes or more longer, I thought it was supposed to take LESS time to bake? My current cake problem is with WBH white butter cake and Dede Wilsons White chocolate cake, both of which call for whipped egg whites to be folded into the batter. Dede Wilson's cake grew and grew and poured over the sides of the pan all over the bottom of my oven and then it SANK? The WBH cake was baked 20 minutes longer than the recipe suggested and it was still raw in the middle so of course it sank after taking it out of the oven. I also baked the WBH cake on surround bake (suggested for angel food cakes) and in this mode it got brown with a hard crust on the top and very raw in the middle after baking for 40 minutes (recipe says 30 minutes). UGH...anyone else having baking problems with their convection ovens? Any suggestions for me. Seems like these delicate type cakes don't care for the convection mode. I bought this oven so that I could bake multiple cakes to save time! I guess my next experiement will be to bake it on standard bake...so much for spending the extra $$$ for convection.

Jacqui

Okay, I see no one is interested in my post so I'll just chat to myself. Anyway...I did a another "test". I baked my cakes (2-6") on pure convection with NO cake strips (I always use them) and YEAH!!! They turned out great! They did take 15 minutes longer to bake than the directions but they look beautiful and level and perfect! I haven't cut into them yet as they are still cooling. WHEW!!! I thought what the heck am I gonna do if I can't get these babies to bake up right! I now have renewed faith in my convection oven. I also had a light bulb moment...I do now remember the Dacor gal at the instructional dinner mention not to use the cake strips with the pure convection...I guess I forgot to write that in my notes. I hope this helps someone else out who may be having the convection oven blues!

Jacqui

I have a convection oven but I don't htink it's as fancy as yours...It's just a straight convection oven. It works really well for cookies and scones but for cakes? I use the regular oven. I always have the problem with mine that they shrink and dry out. When I make quick breads, I always put a pan of water in there to steam them and so they turn out fine but with cakes, i don't want to risk it. I just do them in the conventional oven.

ladyonzlake,


I wish I could help but, was thinking - do you have a manual? if not call them or go online and find out if there are any guidelines etc...

Hope this helps.

ps
Just thought of something --- will get back to you.

This may sound crazy but the manual is actually on the oven panel. There's a "help" button. This oven pretty much does it all for you. You can tell it that you're cooking a whole chicken, put in how many pounds and hit start and it does the rest! As a matter of fact this time I did go to the Dacor menu on the oven and pressed the bake button, the cake button and chose 8" layer cake and it computed it and turned it on pure convection at 325 degrees.

I'm really happy though that my cake finally turned out. It's my 6th one! It's nice to know I won't be needing those cake strips. I guess you just have to learn with trial and error. I'm guessing with the circulating air that the cake strips must insulate the cake too much.

Jacqui