Substitutions For Baking Pan Sizes - The Old Farmer's Almanac

Are you in the middle of cooking but don’t have the right size baking pan? We can help! You can often substitute one size for another, remembering that when you change the pan size, you must sometimes change the cooking time. Here is a handy Baking Pan Size Substitution chart and a Casserole Dish Substitution chart that will make it easier to modify your recipes on the go.

Differences in Cooking Time

When following a recipe, it’s important to consider the size of the pan you’re using to ensure proper cooking time. For instance, if a recipe instructs you to use an 8-inch round cake pan and bake for 25 minutes, but you substitute it with a 9-inch pan, the cake might be ready in just 20 minutes as the batter will be spread thinly across the larger pan. To check if the cake is ready (check for doneness), insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done baking.

Also, specialty pans such as tube and Bundt pans distribute heat differently; you may not get the same results if you substitute a regular cake pan for a specialty one, even if the volume is the same.Read Next

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Love to bake? See our baking articles—including everything from pies to cakes.

Baking Pan Size Substitutions

PAN SIZE	VOLUME	SUBSTITUTE
9-inch pie pan	4 cups	8-inch round cake pan
8x4x2½–inch loaf pan	6 cups	Three 5x2-inch loaf pansTwo 3x1¼–inch muffin tins12x8x2-inch cake pan
9x5x3-inch loaf pan	8 cups	8-inch square cake pan9-inch round cake pan
15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan	10 cups	9-inch square cake panTwo 8-inch round cake pans8x3-inch springform pan
10x3-inch Bundt pan	12 cups	Two 8x4x2½–inch loaf pans9x3-inch angel food cake pan9x3-inch springform pan
13x9x2-inch cake pan	14-15 cups	Two 9-inch round cake pansTwo 8-inch square cake pans

Casserole Dish Substitutions

If you are cooking a casserole and don’t have the correct size dish, here are some baking pan substitutions. Again, consider the depth of the ingredients in the dish and lengthen or shorten the baking time accordingly.

CASSEROLE SIZE	BAKING-PAN SUBSTITUTE
1½ quarts	9x5x3-inch loaf pan
2 quarts	8-inch square cake pan
2½ quarts	9-inch square cake pan
3 quarts	13x9x2-inch cake pan
4 quarts	14x10x2-inch cake pan

Do you want more tips on baking and cooking? Check out this list of common kitchen mistakes. Also, try out our solutions to common baking disasters!