Understanding Oven Temperatures
Baking is a science, and temperature accuracy is crucial for success. In the United States, recipes are typically written in Fahrenheit (°F), while most of the rest of the world uses Celsius (°C). In the UK and some commonwealth countries, older recipes or specific ovens use Gas Marks.
A standard "moderate" oven temperature for baking cakes, cookies, and breads is 350°F, which equates to roughly 175°C to 180°C, or Gas Mark 4.
Fan vs. Conventional Ovens
Fan ovens (also called convection ovens in the US) use a fan to circulate hot air continuously. This eliminates cold spots and cooks food faster and more evenly than a conventional static oven.
Because of this efficiency, you must adjust conventional recipe temperatures down when using a fan oven. The general rule is to reduce the temperature by 20°C or 25°F. Our calculator does this automatically for you in the "Fan / Convection Equivalent" section.
What is a Gas Mark?
The Gas Mark system was introduced in the UK to standardize the temperature of gas ovens. It scales from Gas Mark 1/4 (Very Slow, 225°F) up to Gas Mark 9 (Very Hot, 475°F). Each increase of 1 Gas Mark corresponds to an increase of 25°F or approximately 14°C.