I've tried making brownies, cakes, and cookies several times but they always come out raw inside or way too dry. I think the problem is that I'm not measuring ingredients properly or I don't understand oven temperatures. Is there any trick that could help me understand how desserts actually work?
Most problems with raw or dry desserts come from two things: not letting your oven preheat properly (wait like 15-20 minutes even though it seems like overkill) and not using a scale instead of cups if you can, because dry ingredients compact weirdly when you measure them by volume. A trick that saved me was sticking a toothpick in the center of the dessert about 5 minutes before the recipe says it should be done: if it comes out with crumbs stuck to it (not wet) it's ready, if it comes out clean it needs more time.
The issue with raw-inside desserts is frustrating because you think you're following the recipe to the letter and you still mess up. What happened to me is I'd make cookies that looked done on the outside but were soft inside, and it turns out the problem wasn't just the temperature - I was taking the tray out too early. The recipe said "until golden," but I'd interpret any brownish color as a sign they were ready. Now I use a toothpick: if nothing sticky comes out when you poke through the center, it's done. With brownies specifically, the texture is deceptive because they look gooey but they're not raw; the trick is that when you stick a knife halfway into the pan, it should come out with moist crumbs, not oozing. For dry desserts, honestly the problem is almost always either too much flour (measuring with a cup instead of a scale) or baking at too high a temperature for too long.
The oven is a silent villain in this, man. I once had brownies that came out raw inside and dry on the edges, and it turned out my oven was running about 30 degrees hotter than what it showed - some ovens are just miscalibrated and nobody tells you. Try a cheap oven thermometer (they cost almost nothing) to check the actual temperature, and also invest in a digital scale because "one cup of flour" isn't the same everywhere or for everyone. If the dessert looks done on the outside but is still raw inside, lower the temperature 10-15 degrees and give it more time; that way you avoid burning the surface while the center keeps cooking.
Log into answer.
