# Recipe changes for Electric to Gas Oven



## bobbohner (Aug 25, 2009)

My wife and I are going nuts trying to bake in a gas oven when all our experience has been in an electric. For instance, a favorite coffee cake recipe in a bread loaf pan has a wet center that makes up 30% of the loaf and it's inedible unless you like raw dough. Does anyone have a rough conversion factor from going from electric to gas... i.e. 20% less temp and 15% longer cooking time?  I know both ovens are calibrated to the same temp, and that gas gives off moisture and gas cooks faster but how do we change our recipes so we don't waste ingredients?  Thanks for your ideas... Bob


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## apple*tart (Aug 25, 2009)

Are you positive they are the same temps? Meaning, have/had you checked them both with a separate oven thermometer?

I only ask because I haven't seen variations like the ones you've mentioned in recipes. That said, I have been cooking with gas for several years. 

Sorry to hear about your frustration! I can only imagine.  Hope that whatever the problem, you can get it sorted soon.


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## Andy M. (Aug 25, 2009)

The source of the heat, gas or electric, shouldn't effect the cooking time for a particular item.  If the coffee cake in a bread loaf pan took an hour to cook in an electric oven, it should take an hour in a gas oven.  

If all factors are the same; recipe, ingredients, pan, cooking time; the only variable is the oven.  To me that suggests one of the two ovens' temperatures was/is inaccurate.

If you have verified the gas oven's actual temperature to the set temperature then perhaps the electric oven was off, causing this difference.


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## Scotch (Aug 25, 2009)

There should be no difference in baking time for a recipe in either gas or electric, or at least not because of the heat source. It sounds as if there may be a difference between the stoves in the actual temperature at any given setting. You may want to have it calibrated, or at least check it yourself to see how the heat setting compares to the actual heat of the oven. 

In any case, the time specified in any baking recipe is merely a suggestion. Numerous factors affect how long it will take the item to cook completely, such as the starting temperature of the batter or dough, the humidity, the flour used, how quickly the oven comes back to temperature after the door is opened, how close the item is to the heat source, etc. etc. 

Rather than simply following the suggested time, judge to see if a cake's done by 1) touch -- it should bounce back nearly 100% when you lightly press it in the middle with your finger tip, 2) inserting a toothpick in the center -- if it comes out clean, the cake is done, and 3) by appearance -- when the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, it's probably done.


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## bobbohner (Aug 25, 2009)

yes, I have checked both for the temp. Thanks for your inputs - bob


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## Robo410 (Aug 25, 2009)

bob,where are you? location can play a role in baking differences. Are you in a humid area? Then the slightly more humid air of a gas oven may affect your recipe slightly. or high altitude?  just wondering.


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## Scotch (Aug 25, 2009)

Robo410 said:


> bob,where are you? location can play a role in baking differences. Are you in a humid area? Then the slightly more humid air of a gas oven may affect your recipe slightly. or high altitude?  just wondering.


But the problems Bob described were hardly slight.


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## bobbohner (Aug 25, 2009)

Robo410 said:


> bob,where are you? location can play a role in baking differences. Are you in a humid area? Then the slightly more humid air of a gas oven may affect your recipe slightly. or high altitude? just wondering.


Buffalo, NY and we have A/C running too.


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## Andy M. (Aug 25, 2009)

So, to recap:

Same recipe both times
Same ingredient brands...
Same assembly process
Same pan, same pan size and same pan material
Same oven temperatures
Rack in same position in the oven
Oven fully preheated each time
Both oven temps verified as accurate to set temps.

If all of the above are answered with a 'yes', I don't have a clue.


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## bobbohner (Aug 26, 2009)

yes, all these variables are the same - gas creates moisture when it burns, so doesn't that have some effect? Also, this gas range has more variation in the temp range. about 30F


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## bigdaddy3k (Aug 26, 2009)

The one thing about electric over gas is that the heat is constant and even. I know when I bake in my oven (gas) I have to rotate the pans. If I'm making cookies I have to rotate and switch shelves to make sure they are all getting even cooking temp.

There is not that much moisture released in gas cooking.


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## Andy M. (Aug 26, 2009)

bobbohner said:


> ...Also, this gas range has more variation in the temp range. about 30F




WOW!  That's a big fluctuation.  I see that as a problem.  My gas oven fluctuates no more than 10 degrees.


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## apple*tart (Aug 26, 2009)

Yes, I think that temperature fluctuation may be the problem.  I'd be on the horn with the retailer or manufacturer in that situation, I think.


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## Scotch (Aug 26, 2009)

I agree -- that shouldn't be. I've never had any more temperature fluctuation with my gas stoves than with my electric. I suspect that's a function of the sensitivity of the thermostat and of how well the oven seals in the heat. The source of the heat, however, shouldn't account for much difference -- with either gas or electric, it's either on or off, and the gas flame begins heating much more quickly than the electric heating element.


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## bigdaddy3k (Aug 26, 2009)

bobbohner said:


> yes, all these variables are the same - gas creates moisture when it burns, so doesn't that have some effect? Also, this gas range has more variation in the temp range. about 30F


 


Andy M. said:


> WOW! That's a big fluctuation. I see that as a problem. My gas oven fluctuates no more than 10 degrees.


 


apple*tart said:


> Yes, I think that temperature fluctuation may be the problem. I'd be on the horn with the retailer or manufacturer in that situation, I think.


 


Scotch said:


> I agree -- that shouldn't be. I've never had any more temperature fluctuation with my gas stoves than with my electric. I suspect that's a function of the sensitivity of the thermostat and of how well the oven seals in the heat. The source of the heat, however, shouldn't account for much difference -- with either gas or electric, it's either on or off, and the gas flame begins heating much more quickly than the electric heating element.


 
I'm not sure we are interpreting this correctly. Are you saying that you have measured at different places and times in the oven and found a 30 degree difference? Or, are you saying that you have a greater variety of temperature settings on your gas oven? 
ie. 0 to 500 on electric vs 0 to 530 on gas.


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## Andy M. (Aug 26, 2009)

bigdaddy3k said:


> I'm not sure we are interpreting this correctly. Are you saying that you have measured at different places and times in the oven and found a 30 degree difference? Or, are you saying that you have a greater variety of temperature settings on your gas oven?
> ie. 0 to 500 on electric vs 0 to 530 on gas.



What I understood is that if the temp is set to 350 F it cycles off and on to maintain that temp.  As a result of the cycling, the temp fluctuates over and under 350 F by 30 F.  Say 325 F - 355 F.


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## Scotch (Aug 26, 2009)

Andy M. said:


> What I understood is that if the temp is set to 350 F it cycles off and on to maintain that temp.  As a result of the cycling, the temp fluctuates over and under 350 F by 30 F.  Say 325 F - 355 F.


That's what I assumed he meant, too.

Forgive me for asking two very obvious and probably very stupid questions:

1. Are you allowing the oven to preheat sufficiently? It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for an oven, either gas or electric, to heat up to the selected temperature, which, for most baking recipes, is essential before putting the item in the oven.

2. Is one of the ovens by any chance convection? That does make a big difference in both temperature setting and baking time.


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## bigdaddy3k (Aug 26, 2009)

Andy M. said:


> What I understood is that if the temp is set to 350 F it cycles off and on to maintain that temp. As a result of the cycling, the temp fluctuates over and under 350 F by 30 F. Say 325 F - 355 F.


 
At first I reached the same conclusion but then I thought we should ask to clarify.

bobbohner?


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