What is the proper oven rack height position for baking cakes and cookies?
My oven has five rack positions. When baking a cake mix, at what height should the oven rack be placed at? If it helps, I usually bake using two 9" round pans. The box of cake mix typically doesn't specify. Is there a norm?
Also, at what height should the oven rack be when baking cookies (e.g. chocolate chip)?
Best Answer
Mid height for cakes in non-convection ovens, slightly above mid height for thin cakes, top for cookies. In a convection oven it doesn't matter because the airflow distributes heat evenly throughout the oven's volume.
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Where should my oven rack be when baking a cake?
The middle oven rack is the happy place where air is circulating, the heat sources are evenly distributed, and tops and bottoms aren't in danger of burning or browning too quickly. It's the perfect place for cakes, cookies, and brownies to stay and bake.What is the best placement for oven racks?
When you are simply baking a single pan or dish, it makes the most sense to position the racks directly in the middle of your oven. As a rule, position your racks in the top third and bottom third inside the oven, which will provide the best option when you need two racks or are baking multiple pans.Oven Rack Placement for the Best Baking Results
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Answer 2
Are you putting one pan of batter in the oven, or two? If two, then they should not be on the same rack - put one second from the bottom, for example, and one two levels up from that. Put one almost all the way to one side and the other almost all the way to the other side. That way the lower one won't block airflow and create a cool "shadow" above it that would interfere with cooking the upper one.
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