Cake Baking Times By Pan Size - The Spruce Eats

Most homemade batters for two-layer cakes will fit in the pans listed below. To ensure even baking, be sure to fill the pans only halfway. Any more than that, and you risk having the batter overflow.

For any leftover cake batter, either refrigerate it and use it within 2 days or make cupcakes with the excess batter. If you choose to make cupcakes, be sure to fill the empty cupcake holders halfway with water when you bake the batter.

For baking in a 350 F oven:

Cake Making Tips

These helpful tips will ensure a tasty treat every time you bake:

• Be sure to read the recipe thoroughly before preheating your oven. The baking powder you thought you had may have "magically" turned into baking soda or visa versa. Properly understanding the recipe before you begin will go a long way toward ensuring baking success.
• Measure your ingredients carefully. Baking a good cake depends on the right chemical reactions. It's not like a stir-fry; you can't just throw in any dry ingredient or add too much liquid unless you're looking for a cake disaster.
• Nothing ruins a pretty cake more than having half of it stick to the pan. Be sure to grease and flourthe pan according to the recipe directions. If your cake does stick, don't fret; if it's only messed up in a few places, you can use frosting to cover up any mistakes. Otherwise, you can turn it into a trifle!
• Shiny metal pans and dark metal pans cook differently. Dark pans cook the outsides of the cake faster than the shiny ones do. Know your pans and adjust accordingly: turn the oven down 25 F when using a dark metal pan.
• Don't allow the baking pans to touch each other or the walls of the oven, as those parts of the pan might cook faster due to extra heat. For the best results, ensure you have enough space in your oven to bake the cakes without any part touching.
• Cooling the cake completely makes it easier to frost. The longer the cake is allowed to sit, the less likely it will crumble while you frost it. A cold cake holds together even better, so feel free to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes before frosting.
• If you want to torte the cake (slice the cake horizontally), use toothpicks to mark the middle of the cake. Use a long serrated knife to slice through the center. Another way to divide the cake into two layers is to take a very long piece of dental floss and pull it through. Refrigerate the cake layer first to make it a bit stiff before you cut.
• Store the cake according to the recipe directions. Cakes made with whipped cream or frosting with butter should be refrigerated. Refrigerated cakes tend to dry out, so eat them within a few days. The prettiest way to store a cake is in a glass cake container that sits on the kitchen counter.
• Cake layers freeze beautifully. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap. Next, place the cake layer or layers in resealable freezer bags. The un-frosted layers will maintain their flavor for at least 3 months.
• If you decide to freeze an already frosted cake, place it in the freezer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze it for at least 8 hours or overnight. Once it's frozen hard, wrap it in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped cake into a freezer bag or a container.