Use Post-Heating to Finish Baking

Instead of pre-heating my oven for baking I use post-heating. When baking a cake that calls for 25 minutes of bake time, I don't pre-heat the oven. I turn on the oven as I'm placing the cake in and set the timer for 20 minutes. When the time is up, I turn the oven off, set the timer for an additional 5 minutes and let the post-heat finish baking the cake. Do not open the oven door during this time as this allows the post-heat to escape. When the 5 minutes are up take a look through the window and the cake should be done. However, if it looks like it needs more "browning" then let it sit for a few more minutes. This works great during the hot summer months to minimize the amount of time the oven is on. The few minutes you are not using the oven is also a frugal way to save on your heating and cooling bills.