Which Oven Setting Is for Baking? A Clear Guide to Perfectly Cooked Meals

When you want to bake, go for the conventional bake mode. This setting heats from both the top and bottom elements, without the fan, so you get even warmth—great for bread, cakes, and cookies.

It helps your food cook all the way through, without drying out or burning the edges too fast.

You’ll probably notice other options, like convection bake, but those use a fan to move hot air around and tend to work better for roasting or when you want things done faster. If you stick with conventional bake, your cakes and cookies will usually have the right texture and rise.

Understanding Oven Settings for Baking

The way heat moves in your oven really changes how things bake. Some settings just heat from the top and bottom, while others add a fan that pushes air around.

Getting a handle on these differences lets you pick the right mode for whatever you’re making.

Conventional Bake Setting

Conventional bake heats the oven with both top and bottom elements. Heat rises naturally, so your food cooks mostly from below.

This setting shines when you’re making cakes, cookies, or casseroles that need steady, gentle warmth.

There’s no fan here, so the air inside stays still. That can mean things cook a bit slower, but it also keeps the edges from drying out or browning too quickly.

Make sure to preheat your oven—usually somewhere between 200 and 375°F. That helps you get even results.

If you’re baking one tray at a time or working with recipes that don’t like sudden air movement, this is the way to go. It’s just a straightforward, reliable setting.

Fan or Convection Bake

Fan bake, or convection bake, brings fans into the mix to move hot air around. This spreads heat more evenly and tends to cook food faster.

It’s handy when you’ve got several trays going at once, since the air hits everything more evenly.

You’ll get a crisper crust on bread or roasted veggies with this setting. Since convection speeds things up, drop the temp about 25 degrees or shave off some time.

I wouldn’t use fan bake for delicate stuff like soufflés or cakes needing gentle heat. The air movement can dry them out or make them bake unevenly.

Fan bake works best for sturdy foods you want browned or crisp on the outside.

Want more on oven settings? Whirlpool has a pretty thorough guide on oven settings and symbols.

Selecting the Right Setting for Different Baked Goods

It’s important to match your oven setting to what you’re baking. Each type of treat needs its own kind of heat and temperature for the best results.

Cakes and Pastries

For cakes and pastries, conventional bake is your friend. It heats from both the top and bottom, but skips the fan.

This helps batter cook evenly and keeps things moist. Most cakes do well at about 350°F (175°C).

Thicker cakes appreciate that steady heat, and if you want a nice flat top for layering, try dropping the temp to around 160°C.

Skip convection mode for these—circulating air can dry out the edges or make cakes bake unevenly. Pastries also like conventional bake, since it lets the layers puff up without burning.

Bread and Pizza

Bread and pizza usually need a hotter oven. Cranking up the convection mode really makes a difference here.

The fan blasts hot air around the dough, which helps form a nice, crisp crust. I mean, who doesn’t love that?

Try convection at higher temps—think 400–450°F (200–230°C). This way, you’ll get that golden, crunchy outside but the inside stays moist.

If you’re baking bread, the fan helps it brown more evenly. But if you want a softer crust, just use the regular bake mode at a slightly lower heat.

For pizza, convection speeds things up and gives you a crispier base. Honestly, it’s usually the better call.