Cake Tin Size Conversion: How to Scale Recipes for Different Pans
Cake tin conversion is one of the most common scaling challenges in home baking. You have a recipe for an 8-inch round cake but only own a 9-inch pan. Or you want to double a recipe and use a 9x13 instead of two 8-inch rounds. Doing this incorrectly produces overflow, raw centres, or thin, overbaked cakes.
Pan Capacity Reference
| Pan | Capacity (cups) | Capacity (ml) |
|---|---|---|
| 8-inch round (5cm deep) | ~4 cups | ~950ml |
| 9-inch round (5cm deep) | ~6 cups | ~1,420ml |
| 9x13 inch rectangle | ~14 cups | ~3,300ml |
| 8x8 inch square | ~6 cups | ~1,420ml |
| 9x5 inch loaf pan | ~8 cups | ~1,900ml |
| 12-cup Bundt pan | ~12 cups | ~2,840ml |
Scaling Multipliers
- 8-inch round → 9-inch round: multiply all ingredients by 1.27
- 8-inch round → 9x13: multiply by 3.5 (or make the recipe twice + extra 50%)
- Two 8-inch rounds → one 9x13: same total batter volume, no adjustment needed
- 9-inch round → 8-inch round: multiply by 0.79
Baking Time Adjustment
Larger pans spread batter thinner, which bakes faster. Smaller, deeper pans bake slower. As a rule: check for doneness 10 minutes before the original recipe's stated time when using a larger pan, and add 10–15 minutes when using a smaller, deeper pan. Always rely on a toothpick test rather than time alone.
Internal Links
Use our baking guides for more scaling tips, or our flour converter when scaling ingredient amounts.
FAQ
What is the volume formula for calculating pan capacity?
Round pan: pi x r^2 x height. So an 8-inch round (4-inch radius) at 5cm depth = 3.14 x 16 x 5 = 251 cubic cm = 251ml per cm depth. A 9-inch round = 3.14 x 20.25 x 5 = 318ml per cm depth. Rectangle: Length x Width x Height. Always fill pans half to 2/3 full maximum.