Cake Pan Size Converter
Choose the pan your recipe uses and the pan you have. See how their areas and capacities compare, how much to multiply the recipe by, and get the whole ingredient list scaled for you.
Scale your ingredient list
Quantities on every line are multiplied. Temperatures, pan sizes and times (350°F, 9x13, 30 minutes) are left unchanged.
How to use the Cake Pan Size Converter
- Pick the recipe pan from the presets or choose a shape and type its size.
- Pick your pan the same way. Use the ⇄ button to swap them.
- Choose how to scale: by area for regular cake pans, or by volume for Bundt, tube and loaf pans.
- Press Calculate to see the scaling factor and the area and capacity of both pans.
- Paste your ingredients, one per line, and press Scale ingredients to get the adjusted list to copy.
Cake pan sizes, areas and capacities
| Pan | Area | Approx. capacity | Compared with a 9" round |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6" round, 2" deep | 28.3 sq in | 3.9 cups | 0.44× |
| 8" round, 2" deep | 50.3 sq in | 7.0 cups | 0.79× |
| 9" round, 2" deep | 63.6 sq in | 8.8 cups | 1× |
| 10" round, 2" deep | 78.5 sq in | 10.9 cups | 1.23× |
| 8" square, 2" deep | 64 sq in | 8.9 cups | 1.01× |
| 9" square, 2" deep | 81 sq in | 11.2 cups | 1.27× |
| 9 × 13", 2" deep | 117 sq in | 16.2 cups | 1.84× |
| 9 × 5" loaf, 3" deep | 45 sq in | 9.4 cups | 0.71× |
Capacities are measured to the brim with straight sides. Real pans with sloped sides hold a little less, and you normally fill a cake pan only half to two-thirds full.
Pan area formulas
- Round pan: area = π × (diameter ÷ 2)². A 9-inch round is 3.1416 × 4.5² = 63.6 sq in.
- Square pan: area = side × side. An 8-inch square is 64 sq in.
- Rectangular pan: area = length × width. A 9 × 13 pan is 117 sq in.
- Bundt or tube pan: area ≈ π × (outer² − tube²) ÷ 4, reduced by about 25% for the fluted, sloping sides.
- Scaling factor = new pan area ÷ recipe pan area (or capacity ÷ capacity for deep pans).
Worked example: two 8-inch rounds into a 9 × 13 pan
Two 8-inch round layers have a combined area of 2 × 50.3 = 100.5 sq in. A 9 × 13 pan has 117 sq in, so the factor is 117 ÷ 100.5 = 1.16. A recipe with 2 cups of flour would need about 2⅓ cups, and 3 eggs would become about 3½ eggs (use 3 large plus a yolk, or 4 small eggs). Because the batter depth is the same, bake at the same temperature and start checking at the original time; a sheet cake often needs a few extra minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a recipe from a round pan to a square pan?
Compare the pan areas. A round pan's area is π × radius², a square pan's is side × side. Divide the new area by the old area and multiply every ingredient by that number. For example, an 8-inch square (64 sq in) holds about 1.27 times the batter of an 8-inch round (50.3 sq in).
Can I bake a 9-inch round recipe in a 9x13 pan?
Yes, but the 9x13 pan has about 117 square inches against 63.6 for a 9-inch round, so you need about 1.84 times the batter. One recipe for two 9-inch layers (127 sq in) fits a 9x13 pan almost exactly.
Is an 8-inch pan very different from a 9-inch pan?
Yes. A 9-inch round pan has about 27% more area than an 8-inch round, so the same batter will be noticeably thinner and bake faster in the larger pan.
Should I scale by area or by volume?
Scale by area when both pans have similar sides, about 2 inches deep, so the batter stays the same depth. Scale by volume for Bundt, tube and loaf pans, where depth matters as much as width.
How do I change the baking time for a different pan?
If the batter depth stays the same, the temperature stays the same and the time is usually similar: smaller pans finish a little sooner and larger pans take 5 to 15 minutes longer. For deeper pans, lower the oven by about 25 °F and test with a skewer.
How accurate are the Bundt pan volumes?
Bundt pans have fluted, sloping walls, so the calculator treats them as a ring pan holding about 75% of a straight-walled ring of the same size. For an exact figure, fill your pan with water using a measuring cup.
What about eggs when I scale a recipe?
Round to the nearest whole egg when the result is close. For something like 1.5 eggs, beat two eggs and use about three quarters of the mixture, or weigh it: a large egg is about 50 g without the shell.