# Can I bake a cake in a dutch oven in a regular oven?



## Anau (Jan 11, 2008)

I have a really bad electic oven.  The heating coils never actually turn off and so it always burns things before their cooked.  I usually put a layer of foil over the food on a second rack to deflect some of the heat but even that dosen't work always.  So I thought a cast iron dutch oven might work to even out the heat transfer.  

My question is, has anyone else done this?  Should I preheat the dutch oven before putting the cake batter in and placing it in the regular oven?

Thanks a bunch!


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## StirBlue (Jan 11, 2008)

How much are you paying in electric since your oven never shuts off ???

Try baking cakes in a slow cooker pot if you have one.  They are extremely good.  

The dutch oven will hold more heat than regular pans so you must lower the cooking temperature.  For cake baking at 350F, you should bake at 315-325F.  Otherwise you will have very thick crust on the sides and bottom.  

You should get a oven thermometer to find out the actual temperature in the oven.


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## AnaCooking (Jan 11, 2008)

I think you can.


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## MexicoKaren (Jan 12, 2008)

Have you thought about steaming your cake? I made an old fashioned "carrot pudding" yesterday. The recipe was very similar to carrot cake (had grated carrots, dates, raisins, nuts, etc.) and according to the recipe, I steamed it for 3 hours in a bundt pan set in a big kettle with a rack (actually, my tamale steamer). OH, it was GOOD. Just like very moist cake. I'm going to make my next chocolate bundt cake the same way.


And a suggestion for your oven - try putting a few bricks on the bottom rack, directly beneath where your cake will sit. They will absorb some of the heat.


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## Anau (Jan 12, 2008)

StirBlue said:


> How much are you paying in electric since your oven never shuts off ???


 
  No, the coils only stay on when the oven is on, it's just they remain glowing red for the entire cooking time so it's almost like a broiler and burns everything.

I just winged it last night before anyone posted and what I did worked out good.  
I actually bumped up the temperature to 425F but lord knows what the actual temp was in that oven.  I figured if you could bury the thing in hot coals, it would work better to up the temperature.  I also preheated the dutch oven for about 20 min before pouring in the batter and left the top cracked open to let out steam.  It worked out great, crust and center were ready at about the same time.  

BTW,  it was a blueberry crumbcake with streusel topping from the Barefoot Contessa show.  The recipe needs more blueberries.


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## SmokedChef (Jan 12, 2008)

We've used our dutch over to bake bread in a campfire many times.  If you can bake in a fire with it, there shouldn't be any reason you couldn't used it in your oven.  But you might need a couple of tries to figure out how to make it work.


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## stan41 (Jan 12, 2008)

Tip:  Lots of folks who bake cake in a Dutch Oven pour their batter into a regular cake pan, then set the cake pan in the dutch oven.  Easier to clean up the cake pan than the D.O.
Stan


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## Susi (Jan 17, 2008)

*never heard of a dutch oven*

Hi to all who know what a dutch oven is,

sorry about being so stupid but I really havent heard of a dutch oven. Please discribe it....is it a fan oven....I probably know the dutch oven under another name in Europe. It is always nice to know new names for things.......!!!

Susi


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## Michael in FtW (Jan 21, 2008)

Susi, this will tell you what a Dutch Oven really is. Some people call the pots made by LeCruset in France dutch ovens because they are also cast iron - but they are thinner and enameled - and even LeCruset calls them "French Ovens". If I remember right, there was something similar in Germany ... but I can't remember the name for them.

These days - modern cookware manufactures often misuse the term to refer to any 5-6 quart pot with a lid that has sides that are 1/3 - 1/2 shorter than the diameter of the pot (generally something like 4-5 inches tall for a 10-inch diameter). 

I'm sure other "dutch oven" aficionados will also add their comments.


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## Susi (Jan 30, 2008)

*I know what it is*

Hi Michael,

thank you very much for the picture, but yes of course,now I know what a dutch oven is.  I think we have them under the name of Le Cuisine, very expensive here.  Anyway know at least I know I am not as stupid as I thought...

Susi


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 31, 2008)

Sounds like the thermostat on the stove is shot. Without that the stove doesn't know what the oven temp is so it doesn't switch the coils off when the selected temp is reached.


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