Baking & Roasting Temperatures Chart: Cakes, Bread, Roasts

Typical temperatures. Your recipe comes first.
Food	°C	Fan	°F	Gas
Meringues Dry slowly. They should barely colour.	110–120°C	90–100°C	225–250°F	¼–½
Pavlova Often started hotter, then turned down. Cool in the oven.	120–150°C	100–130°C	250–300°F	½–2
Rich fruit cake Bakes for hours. Wrap the tin to protect the edges.	140–150°C	120–130°C	275–300°F	1–2
Slow-roast pork shoulder Low and slow until very tender.	140–160°C	120–140°C	275–325°F	1–3
Casseroles and stews Covered dish, gentle heat.	150–160°C	130–140°C	300–325°F	2–3
Shortbread A low heat keeps it pale and crumbly.	150–160°C	130–140°C	300–325°F	2–3
Baked cheesecake Gentle heat helps prevent cracks.	150–160°C	130–140°C	300–325°F	2–3
Sponge cakes (Victoria sponge) Done when the centre springs back.	180°C	160°C	350°F	4
Cupcakes and fairy cakes Fill cases about two-thirds full.	180°C	160°C	350°F	4
Brownies Slightly underbake for a fudgy middle.	180°C	160°C	350°F	4
Biscuits and cookies They firm up as they cool.	180–190°C	160–170°C	350–375°F	4–5
Lasagne and pasta bakes Cover first if the top browns early.	180–200°C	160–180°C	350–400°F	4–6
Muffins A hot start helps them rise.	190–200°C	170–180°C	375–400°F	5–6
Roast chicken Check the thickest part with a thermometer.	190–200°C	170–180°C	375–400°F	5–6
Bread loaves Hollow sound when tapped underneath.	200–230°C	180–210°C	400–450°F	6–8
Roast vegetables Spread out in one layer so they brown.	200–220°C	180–200°C	400–425°F	6–7
Roast potatoes Hot fat and a hot oven for crisp edges.	200–220°C	180–200°C	400–425°F	6–7
Puff pastry Needs a hot oven to puff.	200–220°C	180–200°C	400–425°F	6–7
Scones Hot and fast, about 10–15 minutes.	220°C	200°C	425°F	7
Yorkshire puddings Very hot fat, and don’t open the door early.	220–230°C	200–210°C	425–450°F	7–8
Pizza As hot as your oven goes. Preheat the tray or stone.	240–260°C	220–240°C	475–500°F	9–above 9

Typical temperatures. Your recipe comes first.

Food

°C

Fan

°F

Gas

Meringues
Dry slowly. They should barely colour.

110–120°C

90–100°C

225–250°F

¼–½

Pavlova
Often started hotter, then turned down. Cool in the oven.

120–150°C

100–130°C

250–300°F

½–2

Rich fruit cake
Bakes for hours. Wrap the tin to protect the edges.

140–150°C

120–130°C

275–300°F

1–2

Slow-roast pork shoulder
Low and slow until very tender.

140–160°C

120–140°C

275–325°F

1–3

Casseroles and stews
Covered dish, gentle heat.

150–160°C

130–140°C

300–325°F

2–3

Shortbread
A low heat keeps it pale and crumbly.

150–160°C

130–140°C

300–325°F

2–3

Baked cheesecake
Gentle heat helps prevent cracks.

150–160°C

130–140°C

300–325°F

2–3

Sponge cakes (Victoria sponge)
Done when the centre springs back.

180°C

160°C

350°F

Cupcakes and fairy cakes
Fill cases about two-thirds full.

180°C

160°C

350°F

Brownies
Slightly underbake for a fudgy middle.

180°C

160°C

350°F

Biscuits and cookies
They firm up as they cool.

180–190°C

160–170°C

350–375°F

4–5

Lasagne and pasta bakes
Cover first if the top browns early.

180–200°C

160–180°C

350–400°F

4–6

Muffins
A hot start helps them rise.

190–200°C

170–180°C

375–400°F

5–6

Roast chicken
Check the thickest part with a thermometer.

190–200°C

170–180°C

375–400°F

5–6

Bread loaves
Hollow sound when tapped underneath.

200–230°C

180–210°C

400–450°F

6–8

Roast vegetables
Spread out in one layer so they brown.

200–220°C

180–200°C

400–425°F

6–7

Roast potatoes
Hot fat and a hot oven for crisp edges.

200–220°C

180–200°C

400–425°F

6–7

Puff pastry
Needs a hot oven to puff.

200–220°C

180–200°C

400–425°F

6–7

Scones
Hot and fast, about 10–15 minutes.

220°C

200°C

425°F

Yorkshire puddings
Very hot fat, and don’t open the door early.

220–230°C

200–210°C

425–450°F

7–8

Pizza
As hot as your oven goes. Preheat the tray or stone.

240–260°C

220–240°C

475–500°F

9–above 9

Is it cooked? Safe internal temperatures

Oven temperature tells you how hot the oven is, not the food. For meat and poultry, a probe thermometer in the thickest part is the reliable test.

US Department of Agriculture safe minimum internal temperatures
Food	°F	°C
Poultry (whole, pieces, minced)	165°F	74°C
Minced beef, pork, lamb	160°F	71°C
Beef, pork, lamb steaks, chops and roasts (then rest 3 minutes)	145°F	63°C
Fish	145°F	63°C

UK Food Standards Agency advice is to cook poultry, pork, burgers and sausages until they’re steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat and juices that run clear. The core should reach 70°C for 2 minutes, or an equivalent time and temperature.

Getting consistent results

Preheat fully. Most ovens need 15–20 minutes. The preheat light can go off early.
Fan oven? Use the fan column, or the fan converter.
Dark or glass tins absorb more heat, and some bakers lower the oven by about 10–15°C (25°F) when using them.
Results always off? Check your oven’s real temperature.

Baking bread or pizza from scratch?

Our sister site FlourMath has a baker’s percentage calculator, a sourdough calculator and a cake tin size converter.

Common questions

What temperature should I bake a cake at?

Most everyday cakes bake at 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F, Gas Mark 4). Rich fruit cakes bake much lower, around 140–150°C, for several hours.

What temperature should I roast vegetables at?

Around 200–220°C (180–200°C fan, 400–425°F) in a single layer, so they brown rather than steam.

Why do recipes give such different temperatures for the same thing?

Tin size, depth, ingredients and personal preference all play a part. Lower and longer gives more even cooking, and hotter and faster gives more browning. Use the ranges here as a guide and follow your recipe.