An instant-read thermometer is useful, especially for bread and custards, but temperature alone does not define perfect doneness for every baked good. Follow the tested recipe and combine temperature with its visual and texture cues.

Bread and quick breads

Insert the probe into the center without touching the pan. Many soft yeast breads finish near 190°F; crusty loaves often need a higher temperature and a fully developed crust. Quick breads vary by formula. Use the target given by the recipe, then check that the center is baked and allow proper cooling. A universal 200°F rule is too broad.

Cakes and fruit pies

For cakes, look for a set center, the recipe’s expected spring-back, and an appropriate tester result. Chocolate, fruit, and melted inclusions can complicate the test. For fruit pies, confirm that the filling bubbles in the center and the crust is baked; a 175°F reading alone does not establish that a starch-thickened filling is ready.

Custards and cheesecakes

Use a tested recipe with a suitable egg-safety method. General food-safety guidance calls for egg dishes to reach 160°F. A cheesecake does not always crack above one exact temperature; overheating, mixing, and cooling all matter. Do not use the former 150°F cheesecake instruction as a universal safe endpoint.

Yeast-water temperature is a separate question

Yeast package instructions govern liquid temperature. Active dry yeast hydrated in water and instant yeast mixed directly into flour may require different temperatures. The old 105–115°F range is not a rule for all yeast or dough methods.