Cake and Baking Pan Size Conversions (2024)

FAQs

What is a 9x13 pan equivalent to? ›

An 8” square pan and 9” round pan can be used interchangeably for cake and bar recipes. A recipe written for a 9” x 13” pan can also be made in two 9” round pans; one 9” round and one 8” round, or two 8” round pans. Baking times may vary due to slightly different depths of batter in the various pan combinations.

For example; you could substitute a 8 x 8 x 1 1/2 inch square pan (6 cups) for a 8 x 2 inch round pan (6 cups) without changing the baking time or oven temperature stated in the original recipe.

If, for example, your recipe calls for an 8-inch cake pan and you only have a 9-inch, relax, no problem. Just increase the oven temp by 25 degrees F and decrease the bake time by a quarter. In this particular example, since your pan is 1 inch larger, more surface area will be exposed.

The area of a 8x8 pan on the other hand, is 64 square inches, or close to half that of a 9x13 pan. This means you can scale a recipe down from a 9x13 pan to an 8x8 pan by simply halving the recipe. Conversely, to go from a 8x8 pan to a 9x13 pan, you double the recipe.

A 9x13 inch sheet cake is a standard size that can serve a varying number of people depending on the size of the slices. Generally, a 9x13 inch sheet cake can serve around 18 to 24 people if the slices are cut to a size of about 2x2 inches or slightly larger.

"A 9-inch round cake can be baked in an 8-inch square pan," says Levy Beranbaum. And "loaf pans and tube pans are a little interchangeable," says Medrich, "because they are both deep and aren't wide and expansive, but then you have to compare how much volume they hold."

If the recipe calls for a 9-inch round and you are using an 8-inch round, the batter will be deeper and need to bake a little longer.

Cakes in larger pans will generally bake faster (about . 9 minutes per ounce of batter in a 10-inch pan), while cakes in smaller pans will often take longer (up to two minutes per ounce for a 6-inch pan). Meanwhile, cakes baked in a tube or Bundt pan may only need a minute per ounce of batter.

Recipes are written with cake pan size specifications to prevent kitchen catastrophes. "If too much batter is put in a pan, then it will overflow during the baking process and make a mess of your oven," Stewart explains.

Choose the right size of cake: Generally, a 6" cake serves about 12 people, an 8" cake serves about 24 people, a 10" cake serves about 36 people, and a 12" cake serves about 50 people.

How do pan type and pan size affect baking cakes? ›

Pan size can significantly affect the outcome of your baking. A pan too big can lead to overcooked edges and an undercooked center, while a pan too small might cause the batter to overflow, leading to a baking disaster.

If you do want to bake layer cakes in one tin then make sure that the sides of the tin are deep enough. The cake batter should not come more than 2/3rds up the side of the tin, otherwise it could overflow during baking.

The average 9x13 rectangular baking dish holds 3.5 to 4 quarts. However, the number of quarts varies based on how deep the dish is—some of our deeper recommendations hold up to 5 quarts. Recipes that cook in a 3-quart dish or Dutch oven can be cooked interchangeably in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Here are some guidelines: One 9” x 13” cake, two 9” round cake layers, or three 8” round layers all make about 24 standard cupcakes. One 8" square pan or 9" round layer makes about 12 standard cupcakes.

Or, if you prefer edge brownies and thin blondies, trade out the 9x13" for the jelly roll pan, where the batter has more room to spread out (though watch the pan closely as the batter will bake faster).