Method for controlling an oven, comprising - an oven muffle, - a muffle heating, - an electromechanical temperature regulation (26, 27, 28) for the muffle heating with a temperature setting, with a mechanical temperature sensor, with a switching contact, with a power control device and with an additional switch, wherein the electromechanical temperature regulation is configured to set an oven temperature which was set mechanically on the temperature setting, in the oven muffle, by means of controlling the muffle heating by timing the muffle heating, the method comprising the steps: - initiating from a cold oven, the switching contact is closed and, after turning on the muffle heating, the latter starts the heating operation for the duration of a preheating phase, - the preheating phase is terminated when the mechanical temperature sensor responds for the first time and opens the switching contact, since a temperature at the mechanical temperature sensor has exceeded a switching temperature corresponding to the set oven temperature, - in a subsequent temperature holding phase, the temperature in the oven muffle is controlled to the set oven temperature by means of switching the switching contact by the temperature regulation, - a duration of the temperature holding phase is stored in the power control device in the form of the number of switching operations of the switching contact, - after performing the stored number of switching operations, a power control phase starts with a constant ratio of on-time to clock period, - with said predetermined ratio ED, the additional switch connected additionally in the control of the muffle heating is controlled for turning on and for turning off the muffle heating, - wherein the ratio ED is selected such that a temperature arising in the steady-state condition of the oven during the power control phase is below the desired temperature so that the switching contact of the electromechanical temperature regulation (26, 27, 28) remains closed during the time of the power control phase so that only the additional switch is switching the muffle heating and no longer the switching contact, characterized in that the number of switching operations is a function of a duration of the preheating phase which is detected, wherein with a long duration up to the first switching of the switching contact of the electromechanical temperature regulation the number of switching operations in the temperature holding phase is greater and with a short duration up to the first switching of the switching contact of the electromechanical temperature regulation the number of switching operations in the temperature holding phase is smaller. - an oven muffle, - a muffle heating, - an electromechanical temperature regulation (26, 27, 28) for the muffle heating with a temperature setting, with a mechanical temperature sensor, with a switching contact, with a power control device and with an additional switch, - initiating from a cold oven, the switching contact is closed and, after turning on the muffle heating, the latter starts the heating operation for the duration of a preheating phase, - the preheating phase is terminated when the mechanical temperature sensor responds for the first time and opens the switching contact, since a temperature at the mechanical temperature sensor has exceeded a switching temperature corresponding to the set oven temperature, - in a subsequent temperature holding phase, the temperature in the oven muffle is controlled to the set oven temperature by means of switching the switching contact by the temperature regulation, - a duration of the temperature holding phase is stored in the power control device in the form of the number of switching operations of the switching contact, - after performing the stored number of switching operations, a power control phase starts with a constant ratio of on-time to clock period, - with said predetermined ratio ED, the additional switch connected additionally in the control of the muffle heating is controlled for turning on and for turning off the muffle heating, - wherein the ratio ED is selected such that a temperature arising in the steady-state condition of the oven during the power control phase is below the desired temperature so that the switching contact of the electromechanical temperature regulation (26, 27, 28) remains closed during the time of the power control phase so that only the additional switch is switching the muffle heating and no longer the switching contact, characterized in that the number of switching operations is a function of a duration of the preheating phase which is detected, wherein with a long duration up to the first switching of the switching contact of the electromechanical temperature regulation the number of switching operations in the temperature holding phase is greater and with a short duration up to the first switching of the switching contact of the electromechanical temperature regulation the number of switching operations in the temperature holding phase is smaller.