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A couple making dinner in a sea green kitchen with one of them pulling a casserole dish out of a microwave

How to bake in a microwave

Microwaves are revered for helping cut down time spent in the kitchen so families can spend more time together at the dinner table. They can quickly defrost, steam and heat up food, so you can focus on what matters most, whether it’s time for breakfast, dinner or dessert.

Depending on the recipe or available settings, your microwave may also help you bake, not just heat food, which can come in handy if you’re trying to pull together a quick sweet treat or meal. Keep reading to learn how to use a microwave oven for baking, as well as some recipes you may want to try.

Can you bake in a microwave?

Microwaves have advanced over time to accommodate a variety of features and capabilities, including convection baking in select models. A convection microwave can allow you the convenience of baking and roasting foods in your microwave just as you would in an oven.

Convection microwaves differ from traditional microwaves in that they have an extra heating component and fan that works to circulate hot air, which allows you to bake or roast food with home-cooked results. While a convection microwave may be smaller than a traditional oven, it often comes with racks to help maximize air flow and for baking multiple dishes at once.

Traditional microwaves, on the other hand, work by using electromagnetic waves at a high frequency to cook food quickly. While regular microwaves can offer a quick and no-fuss way to get your next meal on the table, they do not always heat certain foods evenly, which is why convection microwave ovens are often better suited for baking.

If you don’t have a convection microwave, there are a few simple dishes—like those mentioned later in this article—that you can create in your traditional microwave without a convection setting and achieve results similar to baked recipes.

Which settings should I use for baking in the microwave?

The setting you use can depend on the type of dish and the type of microwave you have, but using a convection setting is your best bet to microwave baked goods. To bake with select Whirlpool^® Convection Microwaves, place your convection rack on the turntable and select the Convect setting.

Select Whirlpool^® convection microwaves, like this Smart Over-the-Range Microwave, have a Manual Convection Bake setting. To use this setting, touch the Convect button until the bake setting appears, select your time and temperature, and then press Start to preheat. This setting is ideal for foods such as cookies, pies, cakes and breads.

With a convection microwave oven, place the convection rack in the microwave before setting the timer and preheating it like an oven. Once the microwave has preheated, place your dish on the rack and hit the Start button to begin baking.

A pan cake with frosting on the right half and a knife balanced on top

How to bake a cake in the microwave

While single-serving microwave mug cakes provide a quick-and-easy way to serve up cake for one, it’s still possible to bake a bigger cake for sharing without having to rely on an oven. You can even use your regular cake batter recipe.

To bake a cake in a traditional microwave, simply place your batter in a microwave-safe cake dish and heat it directly on the appliance’s revolving plate. From there, microwave your batter on medium power for 3-4 minutes. Be sure to check on your batter every 30 seconds for the first two minutes to ensure you aren’t overcooking it. Insert a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake should be done, but if not, continue to cook your cake in small increments until you see a clean toothpick.

If you are using a convection microwave for your cake, a convection rack and a preheat setting will likely be necessary.

A square pan with a baked blondie brownie recipe on the inside

How to bake brownies in the microwave

Spray a glass microwave-safe dish with cooking spray before adding your batter, then microwave for 3-5 minutes, depending on the ingredients and thickness of your recipe. Check on your recipe every 30 seconds to help ensure you aren’t overcooking them. You can also use a convection microwave.

You can also use a convection microwave. If using a convection microwave, take care to preheat the microwave with the convection rack inside before placing your dish inside.

A muffin tin with cranberry muffins in 6 of the 12 cups

How to bake muffins in the microwave

There are several ways to bake muffins in the microwave in just a few minutes. If you’re looking to speed up breakfast prep, using a microwave-safe cup for a fraction of your batter can give you a quick single muffin in a cup that you can eat with a spoon after a minute or two in the microwave, depending on your recipe.

You can also try using microwave-safe muffin cups to bake five or six muffins at once in a traditional microwave. With this method, microwave your batter on high for 1-2 minutes per muffin. You can use a toothpick to check them for doneness before letting them cool.

Microwave baking tips

Taking care of your microwave and studying your model-specific owner’s manual is the best way for you to ensure your baking recipes come out the way you want. Not all microwaves come with a convection setting, so it will be important for you to understand your microwave’s different settings, maintenance requirements and how these may impact the outcome of your recipe.

Here are a few tips for baking with your microwave:

Regularly clean your microwave. A dirty microwave and filters can impact performance and leave behind odors and food buildup. Wiping down the interior of your microwave with a cloth soaked in warm water and dish soap can help to keep your appliance at peak performance.
Cook with microwave-safe dishes. There are certain materials that do not belong in the microwave. Before baking with your traditional or convection microwave, check your model-specific owner’s manual to see what you can and cannot put in your microwave.
Pay attention to your bake time. Convection settings can help to speed up baking for certain dishes. You may need to reduce your baking time and temperature if you are baking in a convection microwave compared to a traditional microwave or standard baking setting. If following a recipe, check the directions for guidance on timing and temperature settings.

Explore Whirlpool^® Microwaves

Whirlpool brand microwaves are designed with your home in mind, helping to quickly put delicious results on the table so you can spend more time with your family. Whether you prefer a sleek stainless steel design or a model that saves space, Whirlpool^® Microwaves offer a versatile range of features to help you get tasty meals on the table every night of the week.