Cooking Time

• Breads and baked goods made with whole-wheat flour generally bake in about the same time as those using regular all-purpose flour. A loaf of bread made with whole-wheat flour, for example, bakes in about 50 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The loaf may look slightly darker simply because of the wheat flour, but it may still be doughy inside. Set your timer for five minutes before the time indicated in the recipe. Tap a loaf of bread to check it for doneness. It should sound slightly hollow when done. A thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf should read 190 F. To test muffins and quick breads, insert a toothpick in the center of the muffin or loaf. It should come out clean with just a few moist crumbs.

Golden Brown

• Whole-wheat flour gives a golden-brown crust to bread, and the loaf may become too dark as it bakes. Reducing baking time generally doesn't work because the inside of the loaf may not be done. To prevent this problem, set the loaves in the center of the oven -- not too close to the heating element. Tent a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the loaf 30 minutes into the baking time if it seems to be browning too quickly. You can also reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees F, although you may need to increase the baking time if you do this.

The Oven's the Problem

• If your whole-wheat baked goods consistently turn out dry or overdone, the problem might be your oven. Convection ovens work more efficiently than regular ovens. To bake with a convection oven, reduce the temperature and baking time by 25 percent. Heat a traditional oven to 350 or 375 F for whole-wheat bread; heat the oven to 375 or 400 F for muffins and quick breads. Be sure your oven is accurate by testing it with an oven thermometer. Oven temperatures may be off by 50 to 100 degrees, a sure disaster when baking.

Mix It Up

• The actual baking of whole-wheat breads is the least of your problems. Mixing a light dough that rises well is usually the more formidable challenge. The bran in whole-wheat flour can cut and tear gluten fibers, reducing their ability to hold carbon dioxide bubbles. Whole-wheat flour also doesn't hold water as well as white flour. To minimize these problems, use a bit more water than you normally would, especially during dry weather. Combine the water, yeast and sugar with about half the flour to make a sponge. Let the sponge rest for an hour or more. This resting period softens the bran so it's less likely to tear the gluten strands. Allow the dough to rise until it doubles, but don't overdo it, or it will collapse and the dough will have a strong yeasty or alcohol flavor.