How should I adjust the baking temperature? I just baked a sponge cake, its sides are fluffy and fine but in the middle it's a bit stiff. When I stick a toothpick in the center it comes out clean and when I cut the cake up, it's not wet. So how should I adjust the baking temperature/time for this case? Thanks!
The very first thing to do is to put an oven thermometer in your oven and find out if your thermostat is accurate. It will take a little while to do this test, because the oven will first overheat then cool then overheat, etc. After 20-30 minutes, you should get a good reading as the interior heats up and the temperatures fluctuations subside. If your reading on the thermometer is different from the t-stat setting, then you will be able to compensate.If it won't hold a steady temp, you should replace the thermostat Sometimes you can recalibrate a home oven t-stat, but it might cost more than it's worth as long as you allow for the discrepancy.