cooking

[K99]

I've just taken an interest in baking and I've made biscuits and scones but when I make cakes and they are cooking in the oven they always seem to start to burn round the outside and top and the middle bit is still not cooked.  What am I doing wrong?

[alan30]

A lot depends on your oven.  I have just moved house and the new place has a built in oven.  It is taking me time to get it right!  Frustrating when you have a tried and tested recipe.  All ovens are different in terms of temperature and some seem fiercer than others even if the temp is the same - trial and error.  Sounds as though you need to reduce temp and cook longer or (if not a fan oven) change postition in oven.  If they are on top shelf then move to bottom.

[MarkyP05]

Agreeing with alan there, usually if an item of food seems burnt on the outside before the inside is cooked chances are that the oven temp is too high.

[deemartin]

Would agree with other answers re oven temp. Is your oven an electric fan oven? If so you'll need to drop the temp by 10 degrees for virtually everything. One useful tip when cooking a large cake is to cover with kitchen foil if it's starting to burn and turn the oven down.