Bakery cakes are alright, but making a cake at home tastes so much better. Sadly, once the weather starts to warm up, no one wants to use the oven. Baking goes out the window in the summertime because it makes the whole house too hot to bear, even for cake. However, there’s a simple way to have our cake, eat it too and still not overheat the house. Get a convection oven. I’ve been using mine for baking in the hotter seasons since I was a teenager. They use less power and heat a lot less space. So you can enjoy dessert and save the environment at the same time.
Why You Need a Convection Oven for Cakes
Whether you plan to use a full wall unit convection oven or a portable model, you need to try baking a cake in one of these wonderful ovens. Because you can bake your cakes faster, you get a delightful light and fluffy texture.
Better yet, if you plan to make carrot cake or anything with fruit or veggies inside, quicker cooking means retaining more vitamins. Not only will you cook at a twenty-five-degree lower temperature, but also for less time. Typically you can save five to twenty-five minutes.
As though all of that wasn’t enough incentive, you can bake multiple cakes at once in a large enough convection oven. Since the airflow and heat are constant around the oven, you don’t have hot and cold spots. Use lower sided pans in lighter colors for the best results.
Some of the best fluffy cakes I’ve ever made came from my convection oven. Something about the even heat tends to cause them to rise beautifully. Make sure you use a little less batter in your pans than usual, so they don’t overflow. Fortunately, some types of convection ovens have no heating element on the bottom, so they’re easy to clean if you have a spill.
How to Bake Cake in Convection Ovens
Although some bakers will tell you they don’t recommend baking cakes in a convection oven, I think it’s terrific. If you want a crisp top, then leave it uncovered. Otherwise, you may want to experiment with using foil over the top of your cakes. Other than that, you simply follow the recipe with a few modifications.
Preheat normally, but before you place your cake inside, reduce the temperature by twenty-five degrees. Also, keep in mind that while you can bake multiples, you need to leave enough space for air to flow around every dish inside your convection oven. I suggest leaving about three inches on each side of your pans to promote airflow.
Once you have mixed your ingredients and poured your batter into the pan, simply place it on the rack. It doesn’t matter which way your container faces. Moreover, you can completely ignore any directions about which rack to use. Your convection oven is evenly heating all the time. It moves air around and removes excess moisture while cooking at the same temp three-hundred-sixty-degrees around the pan.
A smaller cake will usually bake faster. However, a covered or larger cake may take more time than the recipe says. Hence, you should check on your cake more often. Check it fifteen minutes before the cake would be done in a standard oven.
Luckily, unlike a regular oven, opening and closing the door doesn’t affect cooking so much. The circulation helps the oven reach and maintain it’s temperature whenever the door is closed. Naturally, you shouldn’t just leave it gaping longer than necessary, but you will want to keep an eye on the cooking time.
Top Five Best Convection Ovens for Baking Cakes at Home
Skip all the fuss and wasted effort reading a million reviews. I’ve taken the guesswork out by rounding up the top five best convection ovens to use at home for baking cakes. You’ll be able to smell the chocolate, vanilla, or whatever flavor you prefer in just a few minutes using a high-quality convection oven off this list. If you’re using a premade box cake, you’ll be serving up slices in no time with any of the following convection ovens.
1. Oyama TRO-110C Turbo Convection Oven
I love the Oyama TRO-110C convection oven. The sturdy, thick tempered glass bowl lets you see everything inside, so you never have to guess how cooked your food is. Similarly, the wire cooking racks are super convenient and let air flow around cake pans and other dishes.
One of the best features of a giant glass bowl style convection oven is the handle. To remove the lid, you have to lift up the handle, which automatically turns off the cooker. It presents you from accidentally blasting yourself with burning heat.
The downside to this type of convection oven is that you need to keep it safely away from pets and children. Unfortunately, heat from the sides, plus delicious-looking food, can be a dangerous temptation. Yet with a little common sense, you can use this style trouble-free.
Click here to find out more on Amazon about this fantastic small convection.
2. NutriChef Infrared Convection Oven
A NutriChef Infrared Convection oven like this one is very similar to my first pick on the outside. However, this model also comes with an air fryer function. So, in addition to your cakes and other baked goods, you can make roasted chicken or french fries.
I love the healthier cooking options, and this one makes perfect baked chicken as well. I’ve used this exact model for a while, and I love it for cakes and super moist meats with crispy skin. Plus, it can automatically switch off the heating element, so it never burns your food.
My only complaint with the NutriChef has nothing to do with cakes. I have a hard time getting baked potatoes to work in this convection oven. They cook but tend to be a little overly crisp on top. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to bake a potato, so it doesn’t matter.
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3. Oster Toaster Oven Digital Convection Oven
Convection ovens come in so many styles. The Oster Toaster Oven Digital Convection Oven is another of my favorites for baking. The familiar style and ease of use make this machine an excellent choice for beginners or teaching young people how to bake. Naturally, a seasoned pro can do a lot more with it, but baking a cake is a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen.
The interior on this convection oven is big enough to fit a twelve-inch pizza. So you know you can fit most baking dishes inside easily as well. Better still, it has several automatic pre-sets that make baking cakes or anything else a snap.
Since the baking pan and crumb tray are included, my biggest complaint about this option is that I can’t find anything for my ‘cons’ list at all. Frankly, Oster makes outstanding products, and this is another one on a long list of superb appliances from my favorite kitchenware company.
Check out the amazing reviews on Amazon.
4. Cuisinart TOB-135N 157 Deluxe Convection Oven
Like the Oster, this Cuisinart Convection Oven is styled after a toaster. However, you shouldn’t let its looks fool you. Sure, you can make toast in this model, and it will come out beautiful on both sides. However, you’d be missing out on cakes, pastries, and lots of baked dishes if that’s all you used it for.
My favorite part of the TOB-135N 157 is the easy-clean interior. Some folks are lucky enough to make a mess rarely, but for those of us who are less graceful, this is a vital feature. Nonstick materials are always a bonus when it comes to any form of cooking.
The downside to this model is the writing on the buttons. Sometimes the indicators can wear off, which is mildly annoying. Fortunately, it also comes with a three-year limited warranty, so it’s easy to contact Cuisinart customer service if you have an issue.
5. Oster French Convection Countertop & Toaster Oven
When you’re ready for the big time, and you want to bake two pans of cake at a time on the countertop, I recommend the Oster French Convection Countertop & Toaster Oven. The single-hand door pull is extremely useful, especially if you plan to multitask in your convection oven. Baking a two-layer cake is a breeze in this fantastic machine.
Please, don’t stop at making a cake. This convection oven is so versatile it even works as a dehydrator. Use it to defrost food or slow cook on low temperatures for up to six hours. Furthermore, this model comes with an interior light so you can check your cooking progress without opening the oven.
The only con to this incredible convection oven is not finding it sooner. Between easy access to take things out and all the pre-sets, plus internal space, there’s no reason anyone wouldn’t want this high-quality convection oven in their life.
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Final Thoughts
Making cakes in your convection oven is a great way to save space and plan a meal. In cold months you can use your regular oven to prepare a meal while dessert is cooking on the countertop. Alternately, in summer, you can bake without making the whole house sweat.
Whether it’s a special occasion like a party or just a Tuesday night, you can whip up a fast sweet treat. Learning the tips and tricks to use your convection oven for baking is so easy. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it years ago.
