Baking Pan Size Converter
Switch a recipe from the pan it calls for to the pan you actually have. Get the scale factor, the pan volumes and what to do about baking time.
Common pan sizes and volumes
Calculated from the pan's inside dimensions. Real pans have slightly sloped sides, so they hold a little less.
| Pan | Depth | Volume | US cups | Litres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-inch round | 2 in | 101 in³ | 7 | 1.65 |
| 9-inch round | 2 in | 127 in³ | 8.8 | 2.09 |
| 10-inch round | 2 in | 157 in³ | 10.9 | 2.57 |
| 8-inch square | 2 in | 128 in³ | 8.9 | 2.1 |
| 9-inch square | 2 in | 162 in³ | 11.2 | 2.65 |
| 9 × 13 inch rectangle | 2 in | 234 in³ | 16.2 | 3.83 |
| 11 × 7 inch rectangle | 2 in | 154 in³ | 10.7 | 2.52 |
| 9 × 5 inch loaf | 2.75 in | 124 in³ | 8.6 | 2.03 |
| 8½ × 4½ inch loaf | 2.5 in | 96 in³ | 6.6 | 1.57 |
| Half sheet 18 × 13 | 1 in | 234 in³ | 16.2 | 3.83 |
Pan swaps that work without changing the recipe
- A 9-inch round pan holds about the same as an 8-inch square pan.
- A 10-inch round pan holds about the same as a 9-inch square pan.
- A 9 × 13 inch pan holds about the same as two 9-inch rounds, or a bit less than two.
- A 9 × 5 inch loaf pan holds about the same as an 8-inch square pan, roughly 8 cups.
How the conversion works
Each pan's volume is the area of its base multiplied by its depth: π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth for a round pan, and length × width × depth for a square, rectangular or loaf pan. Dividing your pan's volume by the recipe pan's volume gives the scale factor. If both pans are the same depth, the factor is simply the ratio of the base areas.
For a bundt or tube pan, enter its capacity from the pan's label or base (usually 6, 10 or 12 cups) because its shape does not follow a simple formula.
Worked examples
The recipe is written for a 9-inch round pan, and you only have a 9 × 13. At 2 inches deep, the round pan holds about 127 in³ and the rectangle holds 234 in³. Divide the second by the first and you get × 1.84.
So a recipe with 2 cups of flour needs about 3⅔ cups, and 1½ cups of sugar becomes about 2¾ cups. Every ingredient gets the same multiplier. Use the recipe scaler to do the whole list in one go.
An 8 × 8 pan at 2 inches deep holds 128 in³, which is 0.55 of the 9 × 13. So you need a bit more than half the recipe. A straight half would leave your pan a little under-filled, and the cake would come out shallower than the recipe intends, so check it early.
A 9-inch round and an 8-inch square hold almost exactly the same amount (127 against 128 in³). You can swap one for the other without changing a thing.
Fill level and baking time
The scale factor tells you how much batter you need. It doesn't tell you how long to bake it. That depends on how deep the batter ends up in the pan.
- Fill the pan about half to two-thirds full. Cakes rise, and a full pan overflows or sinks in the middle.
- Shallower batter bakes faster. Check about a quarter of the time early.
- Deeper batter bakes slower. Bake longer and drop the oven by 10–15 °C (about 25 °F), so the outside doesn't brown before the middle sets.
- Same depth? Keep the temperature and the time, and start checking at the early end of the range.
Pans that don't follow the maths
- Bundt and tube pans. The tube in the middle takes up space, so the pan's shape doesn't follow a simple formula. Use the capacity marked on the pan, usually in cups.
- Springform pans. They hold what a round pan of that size holds, but they can leak thin batter. Put a tray under them.
- Loaf pans. They're tall and narrow, so the middle cooks slower than the edges. Expect a longer bake than a flat pan of the same volume.
- Muffin tins. Each cup is filled about two-thirds, which is roughly ⅓ cup of batter. As a rough guide, a recipe for two 9-inch layers usually makes around 24 cupcakes.
- Dark metal, glass and silicone. Dark metal pans brown faster and glass dishes hold heat. For both, many bakers lower the oven by about 15 °C (25 °F). Silicone doesn't brown much at all.
How to measure a pan properly
Measure across the inside of the pan, from one inner edge to the opposite one, at the top. Don't include the rim. Measure the depth from the inside base to the rim. A pan sold as "9-inch" can measure a little over or under, and older pans are often a different size from today's, so a quick measure beats trusting the label.
Most baking disasters with the wrong pan come from two things: too much batter for the pan, and a bake time that was written for a different depth. Get the amount and the depth right and the recipe behaves.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a recipe to a different size pan?
Work out the volume of the pan the recipe uses and the volume of the pan you have (area of the base multiplied by the depth). Divide your pan volume by the recipe pan volume to get the scale factor, then multiply every ingredient by it. For example, a 9 × 13 inch pan holds about 1.8 times as much as a 9-inch round pan, so you multiply the recipe by about 1.8.
What pan can I use instead of a 9-inch round cake pan?
An 8-inch square pan holds almost exactly the same amount as a 9-inch round pan, so no change is needed. A 9 × 5 inch loaf pan holds a little less, and a 9 × 13 inch pan holds about 1.8 times as much.
How do I change the baking time for a different pan?
If the batter is shallower, for example when you spread it in a wider pan, check about 25 percent earlier. If it is deeper, bake longer and lower the oven by 10 to 15 °C (about 25 °F) so the outside does not burn before the middle is set. If the depth stays about the same, keep the same temperature and time, and start checking at the earlier end of the range.
How full should I fill a cake pan?
Fill the pan about half to two-thirds full. Cakes rise as they bake, and a pan that is too full overflows or gives a sunken middle.
How do I measure a baking pan?
Measure across the inside of the pan from one inner edge to the other at the top, not the outside rim. Round pans are sized by diameter, square and rectangular pans by length and width, and the depth is measured from the inside base to the rim.