If you find yourself stuck without the cake pan called for in that recipe you’ve decided to try, this handy guide to cake pan sizes & conversions will come to the rescue! There are numerous types of cake pans that range in shapes, sizes, and capacities. Unfortunately, substituting one for another isn’t as simple as just changing the pan – you must also adjust the baking volume, time, and temperature.
This in-depth guide with a cake pan sizes chart dives into how to make the appropriate conversions and substitutions so that you get the perfect results every time!
Jump to:
- How to measure the pan size
- Common baking pan measurements
- Pan conversion chart
- Substituting Cake Pans - 1. Determine the volume of the pans
- Substituting Cake Pans - 2. Compare the volume of the pan in the recipe to the volume of the pan you wish to use
- Cake Baking Equipment
- Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions FAQ
How to measure the pan size
When measuring the size of your baking pans and dishes, you want to consider their dimensions (length, width, and depth) and the volume it holds. However, it is important to leave the pan’s thickness out of your measurements.
To measure the length and width of the pan, measure from the inside rim of one side to the inside rim of the opposite side.
To calculate the depth, place a ruler or measuring tape on the bottom of the pan and measure the distance between that point and the top of the rim. Make sure that the ruler or measuring tape is not slanted, or you will end up with inaccurate measurements.
To measure the total volume of batter fill it with water by cup until it reaches the rim. Remember that cake pans are usually only filled halfway to ⅔ full to give room for rising unless otherwise noted in the recipe.
Once you have the dimensions and volume, you can accurately determine how to adjust the cake baking times by pan size and which substitutes are most acceptable.
Common baking pan measurements
There are many different size pans and shapes: Round, square, rectangle, jelly roll, bundt, tube, springform, and loaf pans. However, when baking, you will notice that some pans and sizes are more common than others depending on the dish or dessert:
A 9 or 10 inch round pan or 9 inch springform pan with a 2 inch depth is standard for round cakes, layer cakes, and pies in the States.
An 8x8 or 9x9 inch square pan with a 2 inch depth is standard for brownies and bars in the United States.
For rectangular cakes and dishes, a 9x13 inch cake pan with a 2 inch depth tends to be the standard size.
A 9x5 or an 8x4 inch loaf pan with a 2 inch depth is standard for loaf cakes and bread.
While many sizes are available to customize your cake, most home ovens only accommodate pans up to 17x14 inches.
Pan conversion chart
Sometimes the standard-size pan isn’t suitable for your needs. Perhaps you don’t have the exact pan listed in the recipe, or maybe you want to bake a cake in a different shape than what the instructions provide.
Thankfully, there are formulas that make converting sizes simple so that you know the best pans you can use based on dimensions and volume:
Conversions for measuring dimensions and volume:
Inches to centimeters: 1 inch = 2.54 cm
Cups to milliliters: 1 cup = 237 ml
Pan conversion formula for using a different pan size:
Volume of the pan size you have ÷ Volume of the pan size in the original recipe = Ratio in which to multiply the original ingredients
For example, if you have a 9" pan that holds 8 cups, but the original recipe calls for a 6" pan that holds 4 cups, you will want to double the amount of each of the ingredients in the recipe (8 cups/4 cups = 2x recipe).
You can also use the convenient cake pan sizes chart below to find the pan volumes and find the most suitable substitute:
Round Pans (2” / 5cm depth):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 10” Pan (25cm) | 10-11 cups (2.4-2.6 liters) | 9” square pan 11×7” rectangular pan 10×15” jelly roll pan 10x3” Bundt pan 9” springform pan |
| 9” Pan (23cm) | 8 cups (1.9 liters) | 8×8” square pan 9×5” loaf pan |
| 8” Pan (20cm) | 6 cups (1.4 liters) | |
| 6” Pan (15cm) | 4 cups (960 ml) | 8×4” loaf pan |
Square Pans (2” / 5cm depth):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 10x10” Pan (25x25cm) | 12 cups (2.8 liters) | 12×17” jelly roll pan 10×3” Bundt pan 10” springform pan 9x3” tube pan |
| 9x9” Pan (23x23cm) | 10 cups (2.4 liters) | 10” round pan 11×7” rectangular pan 9” springform pan 10×3” Bundt pan 10×15” jelly roll pan |
| 8x8” Pan (20x20cm) | 8 cups (1.9 liters) | 9” round pan 9×5” loaf pan |
Rectangular Pans (2” / 5 cm depth):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 13x9” Pan (33x23cm) | 14 cups (3.3 liters) | 2 - 9” round pans |
| 11x7” Pan (28x18cm) | 10 cups (2.4 liters) | 10” round pan 9” square pan 9” springform pan 10×3” Bundt pan 10×15” jelly roll pan |
Loaf Pans (3” / 8cm depth):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 9x5” Pan (23x13cm) | 8 cups (1.9 liters) | 9” round pan 8” square pan |
| 8x4” Pan (20x10cm) | 4 cups (960 ml) | 6” round pan |
Springform Pans (2.5” / 6cm depth):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 10” Pan (25x6cm) | 12 cups (2.8 liters) | 10” square pan 12×17” jelly roll pan 9×3” tube pan |
| 9” Pan (23x6cm) | 10 cups (2.4 liters) | 10” round pan 9” square pan 11×7” rectangular pan 10×15” jelly roll pan |
Bundt Pans (volume can vary based on design):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 10x3” Pan (25x8cm) | 10-12 cups (2.4-2.8 liters) | 10” round pan 9” square pan 10” square pan 11×7” rectangular pan 10×15” jelly roll pan 12×17” jelly roll pan 9” springform pan 10” springform pan 9” tube pan |
Tube Pans (volume can vary based on design):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 9x3” Pan (23x8cm) | 12 cups (2.8 liters) | 9” tube pan 10” square pan 12×17” jelly roll pan 10” springform pan |
Jelly Roll Pans (1” / 2.5cm depth):
| Size | Volume of Pan | Pan Substitutes |
|---|---|---|
| 12x17” Pan (32x44cm) | 12 cups (2.8 liters) | 10” square pan 10x3” Bundt pan 10” springform pan 9” tube pan |
| 10x15” Pan (27x39cm) | 10 cups (2.4 liters) | 10” round pan 9” square pan 11×7” rectangular pan 9” springform pan 10” Bundt pan |
Substituting Cake Pans - 1. Determine the volume of the pans
While it would be nice to switch the pan and think nothing more of it, even pans with the same volume capacity require adjustments to the baking time. Larger pans tend to be more shallow, requiring less time to bake, and smaller pans tend to be deeper, requiring more time to bake. With all pan volumes, remember that you can only fill the pan halfway to two-thirds of the way to allow space for the cake to rise.
If you don’t have my convenient pan conversion chart available (but if you are reading this you have it above) and need to make a cake pan substitute, you can easily do so with a bit of math:
For square and rectangular pans, multiply the length by the width to determine the number of square inches. As an example, an 8x8 inch pan would have a volume of 8x8=64 square inches then you multiply this number by the depth eg. 3 inches so that would be 192 cubic inches.
For circular pans, multiply the radius squared (half of the diameter times itself) by π (also known as “pi” = 3.14) to determine the area. So, for 8 inch round pans, the area would be 4x4=16, multiplied by 3.14 = 50.24 square inches then you multiply this number by the depth eg. 3 inches so that will be 151 cubic inches.
Substituting Cake Pans - 2. Compare the volume of the pan in the recipe to the volume of the pan you wish to use
Let´s say you have an 8x8 inches square pan and the recipe you are using calls for a 8-inch round pan. To determine your cake batter need, you will have to do the math the following way: 192/151= 1.3 so you will need to use 30% more of all of the ingredients. It is very important to scale up or down all the ingredients including dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar, etc.) and wet ingredients (egg, milk, butter, etc.).
And, that´s when using a digital scale is super handy and cup measurement simply cannot do the job. Digital scale is a must-have for accurate and consistent ingredient measurements especially if you want to scale up or down a recipe by eg. 30% or 40%.
Cake Baking Equipment
To make conversions a breeze and achieve the most professional results, you will want to have these essential cake baking items in the kitchen:
Cake Pans
Round cake pans - These are commonly used for layer cakes, such as my chocolate sponge cake. I recommend two standard 9 or 10 inch round cake pans as a minimum, though I often use 6 inch cake pans in my layer cake recipes.
Square cake pan - Although most commonly used for brownies, you can also use them for square cakes and bars.
Rectangle sheet cake pan - A standard 13x9” half-sheet pan is handy when making sheet cakes.
Muffin pan - A must-have for making cupcakes, such as my delicious Nutella or strawberry crunch cupcakes.
Jelly roll pan - Great to have on hand for baking cookies and other shallow cakes and desserts.
Bundt pan - For making moist and delicious bundt cakes, like my butterscotch pumpkin bundt cake. I recommend a silicone pan mold, which makes removing the cake much easier.
Tube pan - For making angel food cakes and sponge cakes.
Springform pan - For the more delicate cakes, such as my mango mouse cake and pistachio cheesecake.
Loaf pans - Great to have on hand for pound cakes and banana bread. I recommend a heavy, ceramic loaf pan or similar for the best results.
Other Essential Cake Baking Equipment
Digital scale - A must-have for accurate and consistent ingredient measurements as well as for scaling up or down a recipe.
Digital oven thermometer - Helpful for making sure the oven stays at the right temperature, as some oven models can vary by a degree or two.
Measuring Cups and Spoons - You don´t really need these if once you purchase a digital scale:)
Rubber Spatula - Useful for folding the batter ingredients together.
Offset spatula - For applying and spreading frosting.
Pastry Brush - A handy tool for applying on glazes.
Whisk - Another must-have kitchen essential for blending ingredients.
Rolling Pin - Essential for recipes where you need to roll out the dough, like my mini pie crust.
Cooling rack - Essential for helping cakes cool more quickly without continuing to brown in the original pan.
Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions FAQ
Although the “best” baking sheet depends on the shape of the cake you are going for and the number of people you are baking for, the most common and useful pan to have is a standard 13x9” pan. With this pan, you can make all kinds of desserts and baked dishes, including cakes, brownies, rolls, and casseroles.
Use the steps mentioned above in the “Substituting Cake Pans” section to determine the area of both pans. You do not need to make adjustments if the two pans are within 10% of the same number.
On the other hand, if the area of the new pan is higher, the cake will be more shallow and require less baking time at a higher temperature. If the area of the new pan is less, the cake will be deeper and require more baking time at a lower temperature.
Regardless of the baking time, the best way to tell whether a cake is done is by using the “toothpick test”. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is finished baking.
If decreasing or increasing the amount of batter that the original recipe calls for, you will want to reduce or increase the area of the pan by the same amount otherwise your cake might turn out too flat or might overflow your tin.
Leave a Reply