The recipe you’re baking calls for that cake pan size for a reason.
The good news is that cake pan sizes can always be adjusted using a bit of math.
Each oven is different and could easily bake your cake faster than what the recipe tells you.
Credit:Courtney West
All these pans are typically one and a half to two inches tall.
Stewart adds that cupcake pans typically come in standard, miniature, and jumbo.
No matter the dessert, inSouthern Livingrecipes we always specify when a certain size pan is required.
Credit:Dotdash Meredith
Stewart says its “absolutely” possible to convert cake pan sizes and achieve desired results.
An 8- x 2-inch round cake pan has an approximate volume of 100 cubic inches.
To convert, you divide the required size by the existing size.
Credit:Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
So, you would divide 100 cubic inches by 128 cubic inches.
This gives you a conversion factor of 0.80.
Dotdash Meredith
Cake Pan Materials
Shopping for cake pans can become overwhelming.
Cake pans come in a variety of materials, shapes and styles, and each variation provides different results.
This size variation could depend on packaging, customer preference, and possible requirements of a wholesale account.
“Round pans range in size from 4 inches to 16 inches.
Professional bakeries also tend to use taller pans, such as 3 inches or 4 inches in height.
“Most home cake pans are much shorter so the somewhat-tricky horizontal slicing of the cake is not required.
Each layer is baked individually, then stacked with filling or icing to create a traditionallayered cake.
What Determines the Size of the Cake Pan Used?
Stewart says the desired end result determines the size of the cake pan you should use.
Stewart recommends coating the inside of the pan with a solid fat like unsalted butter or shortening.
“Additional flour is not always needed but can provide an extra layer of protection.”
The batter can go directly on parchment paper and no additional pan spray or fat is required.
“Turn the pan upside down onto a plate or cooling rack and it should slide right out.
Peel the parchment paper off the bottom before icing the cake.”
