Whether you are a home baker running your own business from your kitchen, an owner of a small bakery business, or one of the many professionals ensuring that your mass manufactured baked goods are all up to standard, one thing everyone knows is that baking is one part following the recipe and one part intuition. This intuition does not just apply to ingredient selection and mixing—it also applies to the technicalities of baking. One of the biggest challenges bakeries struggle with is inconsistent heating, and as such baking rack placement is highly important.

There is not rulebook on how to properly position baking racks. Experience is typically what teaches a baker how to do things the best way. However, if you are just starting out, you may want to know some surefire tips on how to ensure the best baking rack positioning.

In today’s blog, we share some hot tips on how to properly position baking racks.

#1. Always think about what you are baking

Typically, the middle of the oven is the perfect place to put the baking rack because it offers the best air circulation and thus, more even baking results. Placing the rack at the bottom can get your baked items burned, unless you want to achieve the effect of a browned, crunchy crust such as in the case with pies. On the other hand, when you are baking a cake, it is better to put the rack in the middle for an even result.

#2. Know where the hotspots are

Another thing to check in your oven is its hotspots. Since not all ovens are made the same, they also have different hotspots. Old age can also make an oven inconsistent. An easy test is to bake some slices of bread and place them on a cookie sheet. Pay attention to which sides start to brown fast as this indicates where the hotter and cooler parts are in your oven.

#3. Rotate if necessary

Now that you know where the ideal placements for baking racks are inside your oven, you will need to master the art of timing. You still have to watch over the products you are baking and be ready to rotate the baking racks if needed. One way is to set a timer midway through the baking process to allow you to rotate the racks at a set time. Play around with different time settings until you can automate the timing process completely.

#4. Plan before you bake

Good planning is the biggest factor behind every successful bakery business. The best bakeries have completely optimized their processes, thanks to deep knowledge of all the quirks of their equipment. Bakers are incredibly efficient, knowing by heart where to place the pans and sheets inside the oven before preheating the oven.

Knowing these tips will go a long way to help you perfect your baking skills. For more baking tips and tricks, check out our blog!