My Oven is an Asshole

You may remember when I bought an oven thermometer. I, however, did not.

I learned that my oven was way off and then promptly forgot about it for the next few months, during which time I wasn’t really using my oven. But with a gift of the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, I pulled out my unsalted butter with every intention of making perfect cupcake knock-offs.

I started assembling ingredients, sifting flour, adding eggs one at a time while my oven pre-heated. When it beeped ready, I checked the thermometer- 325, not 350. I set it to 400, continued mixing dry ingredients into wet. Beeped again – 350. I set the timer for 20 of the recommended 20-25 minutes and checked at 15.

The oven thermometer read 400, and the cupcakes were definitely (over)done.

F.

No problem, plenty of batter (minus the small bowl-ful I’d eaten) for a second batch. Readjusted the oven temp – down to 375 – and left the oven door open until the thermometer read 350. Waited a few minutes to double check. Slid in batch #2, set the timer for 20 minutes again. Got too focused on work, didn’t look up until the timer dinged at 20.

Cupcakes brown and dry. Oven temp: 400.

My oven is an asshole.