What Is the Best Oven Setting for Baking? Expert Tips for Perfect Results Every Time

When you’re baking, the oven setting you choose can make or break your recipe. Most of the time, the conventional bake mode is your best bet—it uses heat from both the top and bottom elements, no fan involved.

This setup gives you a steady, even temperature. Your cakes or breads cook through without turning into dry bricks.

If you switch on the fan (that’s convection mode), things bake faster. But you’ll need to drop the temperature a bit or risk burning the edges.

For anything delicate, like cakes, I’d stick with the regular bake setting unless your recipe begs for convection. It’s just safer.

For more details on oven settings, you can check this guide on what oven setting to use for baking.

Choosing the Best Oven Setting for Baking

To pick the right oven setting, you need to know what your oven can actually do. That means figuring out when to use the fan, and which heating elements to turn on for your recipe.

Conventional vs. Convection Ovens

Conventional ovens heat from the top and bottom, no fan involved. You get slow, steady heat—awesome for cakes and breads.

This gentle heat helps things rise and bake evenly. It’s kind of the classic approach.

Convection ovens, on the other hand, use a fan to blast hot air around. Everything cooks a bit quicker and more evenly.

If you go with convection, drop the temperature by about 25°F. Otherwise, your cookies might end up a little too brown.

I usually choose conventional for anything fragile, like soufflés or sponge cakes. But if I want a crispier crust or I’m in a rush, convection works.

When to Use Fan Bake

Fan bake means the oven’s fan is running while things bake. It’s handy for foods that need even browning, like cookies or pies.

But, if you use it on cakes or some breads, you might dry them out. Lower the temp and keep an eye on things.

If your recipe doesn’t mention fan bake, just skip it. Use it if you want a golden crust or you’re juggling a few trays at once.

Selecting Upper, Lower, or Both Heating Elements

Most ovens let you pick top heat, bottom heat, or both at once.

• Top heat only: Great for browning or finishing off a dish.
• Bottom heat only: Nice for pizzas or pastries that need a strong base.
• Both top and bottom: That’s your go-to for most baking.

Using both gives you balanced heat. Your cookies don’t burn on the bottom, and your cake tops don’t get too dark.

When I’m baking cakes, breads, or cookies, I always use both elements.

Optimizing Oven Settings for Different Baked Goods

The right oven setting depends on what you’re making and the texture you want. You’ll want to tweak temperature, heat source, and fan settings for different recipes.

Even small changes can totally change how your baked goods look and taste.

Best Settings for Cakes

For cakes, stick with the bake setting. Use heat from both the top and bottom.

Skip the fan or convection mode—those tend to dry cakes out.

Try 175-180°C (350°F) for most cakes. If you want flatter layers, you can lower it to 160°C (320°F).

Always preheat your oven for about 10-15 minutes. That way, your cake rises and bakes evenly.

Recommended Settings for Bread

Bread loves hot, steady heat. Use the bake setting with both top and bottom heat.

Set the oven to 190-220°C (375-425°F). Start hotter, then lower it if your crust browns too quickly.

If your oven has a steam setting, use it—or just toss a pan of water inside. Steam helps the bread crust stay crisp but keeps the inside soft.

Cookies and Pastries Oven Options

For cookies and pastries, try using convection bake if you want that crisp texture and even browning.

Drop the temperature by about 20°C (25-30°F) from what the recipe says when you switch to convection mode. That way, you avoid burning the bottoms but still get a soft inside.

If you’re baking more than one tray, space them out so air can actually move around. I always stick with the middle rack—seems to give the best heat distribution.