Updated: Nov. 08, 2022
The foolproof way to adjust baking recipes to fit any pan? Just use a little math you learned in middle school. Here's how to do baking pan conversions.
So you want to make the ultimate layered carrot cake…for a party of four. Or you want to morph that eight-serving coffee cake into a 13×9 potluck favorite. How do you adapt recipes for different baking pan sizes? Turns out, it isn’t as tough as you might think.
We’ve done the math on common pans for you in the chart below,so you can create desserts for two—or 20!—with confidence. If you’d like to figure out the math for yourself, read on.(Need to know how to cut down a recipe?Read our expert tips.)
If you don’t have this… | Use this instead |
9×5-in. loaf pan | Three 5-3/4 x 3-in. mini loaf pans |
8×4-in. loaf pan | Two 5-3/4 x 3-in. mini loaf pans |
9-in. round | 8-in. square |
Two 9-in. rounds | 13×9-in. pan |
24 muffin cups | 48 mini muffin; 12 jumbo |
11×7-in. pan | 10″ Cast-iron skillet |
13×9-in. pan | 12-in. skillet |
How to Convert a Recipe to Any Size Pan
For baking cakes, brownies and other batter-y foods, find the area of the pan you want to use and compare it to the pan called for in the recipe. Then you’ll have a good idea of how your pan measures up, and you can increase or trim back the recipe accordingly.
It all starts with square inches.
Use the pan’s dimensions to calculate its area, which is described in square inches. You’ll remember the simple equations below from your school days.
Rectangular and Square Pans
Find the area by multiplying the length by the width.
Taste of Home
Here are the calculations for common square and rectangular pans.
- 6-in. square pan = 36 square in.
- 8-in. square pan = 64 square in.
- 9-in. square pan = 81 square in.
- 11×7-in. pan = 77 square in.
- 13×9-in. pan = 117 square in.
- 15×10-in. jellyroll pan = 150 square in.
Editor’s tip:An 11×7-in. pan is about 2/3 the size of 13×9: (77 / 117 = 65%). Don’t want to make a big 13×9-inch pan? Make a 2/3 batch of the recipe. Alternatively, you can multiply any 11×7 recipe by 1.5 and turn it into a crowd-pleasing 13×9.
Round Pans
To find the area of a circle, you multiply π (3.14) by the radius, squared. Radius is the distance from the center of a circle to the outside.To find it, simply divide the diameter of your round pan by 2.
Taste of Home
Here are the calculations for common round pans.
- 6-in. round = 3.14 x [3 x 3] = 28 square in.
- 8-in. round = 3.14 x [4 x 4] = 50 square in.
- 9-in. round = 3.14 x [4.5 x 4.5] = 64 square in.
- 10-in. round = 3.14 x [5 x 5] = 79 square in.
- 12-in. round = 3.14 x [6 x 6] = 113 square in.
- 15-in. round = 3.14 x [7.5 x 7.5] = 177 square in.
- 18-in. round = 3.14 x [9 x 9] = 254 square in.
Editor’s tip: A pan’s dimensions are measured from inside wall to inside wall—not from its outer edges.
Next, factor in volume.
Determine the volume by multiplying the area by the height.
Cake pans are generally the same height, so you don’t have to go wild here. But, remember that pans of very different heights (such as a tall loaf pan vs. a shallow cake pan) will create different end products.
Deep, dense pan shapes, such as loaves, require a longer bake time than shallow pans, such as tart pans or jelly-roll pans. It takes heat longer to get to the middle of a loaf pan, whereas the contents of a jelly-roll pan are more spread out for quicker baking.
A sugary cake batter may overbrown on the outside by the time the inside tests done if you bake it in a loaf pan. Likewise, banana bread baked in a cake pan will likely be drier than bread baked in a loaf, which is more dense and bakes up with less surface area exposed.
Editor’s tip: Bake in a similar-shaped pan—just a different size—to get the best results. You’ve got this!
Next, find out how much food you’ll need at your next party.
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Best Rolls: Oat Dinner RollsThese soft rolls are out of this world. The addition of oat makes them a little heartier than other dinner rolls. —Patricia Rutherford, Winchester, Illinois
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Best Coffee Cake: Cranberry Crumble Coffee CakePeople are delighted to find the ruby cranberry sauce swirled inside this tempting coffee cake. With the crumble topping, moist cake and tangy filling, it won't last long! —Jeani Robinson, Weirton, West Virginia
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Best Ever Bread PuddingThe secret to incredible bread pudding with a soft middle and crisp edges starts with leftover dinner rolls. I picked up the rich brown sugar sauce recipe from my friend Kathryn Gartmann. A big drizzle of it takes this dessert over the top and really makes it the best bread pudding ever. —Maria Petrella, Taste of Home Prep Cook
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Ultimate Fudgy BrowniesCoffee granules enhance the chocolate flavor in these amazingly fudgy brownies. Add chocolate chips to the batter (and follow these brownie tips from our Test Kitchen) and you’ve got some seriously irresistible treats. —Sarah Farmer, Waukesha, Wisconsin
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Best Blondies: Skillet Chocolate Chunk Walnut BlondiesPut these beauties out at a potluck and you’ll find only crumbs on your platter when it’s time to head home. Everyone will ask who made those scrumptious blondies, so be sure to bring copies of the recipe! —Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor
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Best Cheesecake Bars: Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake BarsThese cheesecake bars layer a buttery pecan shortbread crust with a rich and creamy filling and sweet-tart strawberry rhubarb jam. For larger squares, cut into nine bars instead of 16. —Amanda Scarlati, Sandy, Utah
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Best Upside Down Cake: Strawberry-Rhubarb Upside-Down CakeI prepare this colorful dessert quite often in the late spring or summer when fresh rhubarb is abundant. I make this rhubarb cake with cake mix and take it to church potlucks. People actually line up for a piece. —Bonnie Krogman, Thompson Falls, Montana
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Best Cobbler: Macaroon-Topped Rhubarb CobblerCrumbled macaroons are a surprising addition to this cobbler’s topping. We love that you can make the sweet treat in a baking dish or a cast-iron skillet.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Best Trifle: Pumpkin Mousse TrifleYou can speed up this recipe by using a store-bought pound cake or baking and freezing one ahead of time. The sugared pecans can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container.—Becky McClaflin, Blanchard, Oklahoma
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Best No-Bake Cheesecake: Chocolate-Topped Strawberry CheesecakeCreamy and airy, this gorgeous dessert is the perfect special something for a summer dinner party. I love the mix of smooth strawberry cheesecake and crumbly chocolate crust—and how elegant it looks on the table. —Kathy Berger, Dry Ridge, Kentucky
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