Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi Paul, I have just moved onto a widebeam boat, our oven is butane gas, so temperatures are not as hot, do you have any idea what temperature I need to set my oven to bake cakes, I’m really struggling to find any info at all
Please HELP,
Andrea Reece

Hi Andrea

I had similar problems when we first started caravaning using propane. I got to know my oven by experimenting with the temperatures for different types of cooking and baking. It’s tedious, but it is the best way of understanding something new.

Try increasing temperature by 10% at first for baking. Bear in mind that the oven will be hotter at the back where the gas element burns so you will need to turn your baking mid-way, or when you think the centre of the cake is set. Don’t open the oven door too wide as this will cause a big drop in temperature and close gently so as not to cause a draught inside the chamber. Be very careful with things like parchment paper which can catch and make a fire inside the oven (personal experience!!).

Roasting meat and vegetables may require a higher temperature.

My best recommendation is to join a canal boating forum where you’ll get appropriate advice not only for oven temperatures but, also for adjusting to life on a boat. Please see the following link:

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/103034-range-cookers-on-narrowboats/

Talk to other boat owners too, they’re a friendly bunch and should be able to give you some neighbourly advice. Another source of expert information will be the boat sellers and also the information pack which you may have been given on purchasing the boat.

I lived on a boat for three years but because it was permanently moored up, it was plumbed in for mains electric for cooking and heating. Not quite the same as a wide beam/narrowboat experience.

Good luck! 🙂