How to Choose the Right Oven Rack Position for Baking

Question

Is there a way to know when the oven rack should be in the lowest position and when it needs to be moved up in the oven? I've had several people suggest that baking should never happen om the lowest level. Is this accurate?

April Dodd · Accepted Answer

Good question, Teresa. In our recipes, we generally indicate the recommended rack position; for most things, the middle rack is the safest bet to account for the idiosyncrasies of different ovens. There's no hard and fast rule for which rack is best for baking, so unfortunately the answer here is that you should do what works best in your oven. If your baked goods are consistently getting scorched on top, try moving them down; if the tops are pale and jiggly but the bottom edges are crusty, try moving the rack up. Though we don't write our baking recipes for convection, using that setting can also be a good way to normalize the temperature in the oven, though you should decrease the temperature by 25°F and start checking the doneness about 80% of the way through the recommended bake time. - April D.

How to Choose the Right Oven Rack Position for Baking

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