Cake Pan Size Converter

Choose the pan the recipe is written for and the pan you have to get one multiplier for every ingredient: a recipe for an 8-inch round baked in a 9-inch round needs ×1.26, about 1¼ times the batter.

Cake Pan Size Converter

Scale a recipe from one pan size to another

Recipe is written for:

I want to bake in:

×1.26

multiply every ingredient (≈ 1¼×)

Based on pan surface area: 8-inch round → 9-inch round

After scaling every ingredient, the batter depth stays similar. Use the recipe’s oven temperature and start checking for doneness early; pan material and size can still affect bake time.

Apply the multiplier with the recipe scaler.

Cake Pan Size Chart

Pan capacity is what matters when substituting. Surface area tells you how the batter depth changes; volume tells you how much batter fits:

Pan	Surface Area	Capacity
6-inch round	28.3 sq in	4 cups
8-inch round	50.3 sq in	6 cups
9-inch round	63.6 sq in	8 cups
10-inch round	78.5 sq in	10.5 cups
8-inch square	64 sq in	8 cups
9-inch square	81 sq in	10 cups
9 x 13 inch	117 sq in	14 cups
9 x 5 inch loaf	45 sq in	8 cups
8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf	38.25 sq in	6 cups
10-inch bundt	—	12 cups
12-cup cupcake tin	—	6 cups

Common Pan Substitutions

8" round ↔ 9" round

The 9-inch is 26% bigger. Going up: scale by 1¼ or accept a thinner, faster-baking layer. Going down: scale by ¾ or expect a taller cake that needs a few extra minutes.

Two 9" rounds → 9×13

A layer cake recipe for two 9-inch rounds fits a 9×13 sheet pan with no scaling. Bake time is usually similar or slightly longer.

8" square ↔ 9" round

Nearly identical capacity (64 vs 63.6 sq in) — swap these freely with no recipe changes.

9×5 loaf ↔ 8.5×4.5 loaf

The smaller loaf pan holds about 25% less. Quick bread batter for the big pan will overflow the small one — bake the excess as muffins instead.

Questions

Can I use a 9-inch pan instead of an 8-inch pan?

Yes, but a 9-inch round has about 26% more surface area than an 8-inch round, so the same batter sits shallower and bakes faster. Either scale the recipe up by a quarter, or start checking for doneness 5-10 minutes early.

What is the equivalent of two 9-inch round pans?

Two 9-inch rounds hold about the same batter as one 9x13-inch pan (both around 14 cups of capacity). This is the classic layer-cake-to-sheet-cake conversion.

How full should I fill a cake pan?

Fill cake pans ½ to ⅔ full. Less than half gives a flat, dense cake; more than two-thirds risks overflow as the batter rises.

How do I adjust baking time for a different pan?

Shallower batter bakes faster, deeper batter slower. As a rule of thumb: same depth = same time; deeper batter = lower the temperature 25°F and add 10-15 minutes; shallower = start checking 5-10 minutes early. Always test with a toothpick.

Can I bake a regular cake recipe in a bundt pan?

Usually, if the volumes match — a standard 10-inch bundt holds 12 cups, about the same as a 9x13 pan. Bundt cakes need a sturdy batter though; very delicate cakes may stick or break on the fluted shape.

Cake Pan Size Converter