Cake Pan Sizes and Volumes, with a Substitution Chart

Cake pan size chart

Bakeware is labeled by inside dimensions across the top. Volumes below are brim capacity calculated from those dimensions. Real pans with sloped sides and rounded corners hold a little less, typically 5 to 15%, so for an exact figure fill your pan with water from a measuring cup.

Loaf pans have strongly sloped sides, so their figures are the practical capacity rather than the box volume (a 9 × 5 × 3 in box would hold 9.4 cups).

Round cake pans: 6, 8, 9 and 10 inch

Layer cakes are baked in round pans 2 in (5 cm) deep. Older and cheaper pans are often only 1.5 in deep; a recipe written for 2-inch pans can overflow them, so check the depth before you pour.

10-inch 10 in9-inch 9 in8-inch 8 in6-inch 6 in

• 8 in vs 9 in: the 9-inch pan has 27% more area. Recipes written for 9-inch rounds bake fine in 8-inch pans but come out taller and need 5 to 10 minutes longer; fill no more than two thirds.
• 6 in: a quarter of the area of a 12-inch round and 56% of an 8-inch. Half of a two-layer 8-inch recipe fills two 6-inch pans.
• Tiered cakes: stacks are built from rounds 2 to 4 in apart, such as 6-8-10 or 6-9-12 in. Each tier is usually two 2-inch layers, about 4 in tall once filled.

How many people a round layer cake serves

Bakers count servings for a tall (about 4 in) layer cake using two standard slice sizes: a 1 × 2 in wedding slice and a larger 1.5 × 2 in party slice. Dividing the top area of the cake by the slice area gives these approximate counts.

Square and rectangular pans: 8 × 8, 9 × 9, 9 × 13

Square pans handle brownies, cornbread and snack cakes; the 9 × 13 in pan (sometimes listed as 13 × 9) is the standard for sheet cakes, bars and casseroles. Metal pans have nearly square corners; glass and ceramic dishes of the same nominal size have rounded corners and often hold a cup or two less.

A 9 × 13 in pan has the same footprint as a quarter sheet pan but twice the depth. For thin bars, roasting and anything that needs a 1-inch rim, see the baking sheet size guide, which also covers half sheet cakes.

Loaf, Bundt, tube and springform pans

• Loaf pans: the US standard is 9 × 5 in, about 2.75 to 3 in deep, for quick breads and most sandwich loaves. The smaller 8.5 × 4.5 in pan gives a taller loaf from the same yeast dough. Mini loaf pans are about 5.75 × 3 in and take roughly 1 cup of batter each.
• Bundt pans: most are 10 in (25 cm) across and hold 10 to 12 cups. A 12-cup Bundt takes a recipe written for a 9 × 13 in pan or two 9-inch layers. Half-size 6-cup Bundt pans take half of such a recipe.
• Tube (angel food) pans: 10 in across and 4 in tall, about 16 cups. The tall straight sides and center tube are what let an egg-white foam climb, so a Bundt is not a good substitute.
• Springform pans: the 9-inch, 2.5 to 3 in deep pan is the cheesecake standard. 10-inch pans hold 23% more. European recipes often use 26 cm (10.2 in), the most common German springform.
• Muffin pans: a standard cup is about 2.75 in (7 cm) across the top and holds a little under ½ cup. Mini cups are about 1.75 to 2 in and take 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter; jumbo cups are about 3.5 in and hold about 1 cup.

Cake tin sizes in cm

UK, European and Australian recipes give tins in centimeters. The common sizes match US inch pans closely enough to swap freely, with one caution: British "sandwich tins" for Victoria sponge are often only 3.5 to 4 cm deep.

Substituting one pan for another

Match the area if you want the same thickness and baking time. Match the volume if the recipe has a fixed amount of batter and you only need it not to overflow. Either way, fill cake pans no more than two thirds full.

1. Batter thicker than the original? Lower the oven by 25°F (about 15°C) and bake longer so the center sets before the edges dry out.
2. Batter thinner? Keep the temperature and start checking at two thirds of the original time.
3. Glass or dark pan? Both brown faster than light aluminum. Lower the temperature by 25°F.
4. Test the center. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, or an instant-read thermometer should show about 200 to 210°F (93 to 99°C) for most butter cakes.

How to measure a cake pan

Measure across the top from inside edge to inside edge, not across the outside rim, and measure the depth inside from the bottom to the top edge. A pan stamped "9 in" on the bottom can measure 8.5 in across the base because the sides slope. If the label is gone, pour in water one cup at a time to find the volume, then use the tables above. Bowls to make the batter in are covered in the mixing bowl size guide, and stovetop pots and pans in the cookware size chart.

Frequently asked questions