Cake Pans and their Conversions

I have no sense of reasoning when it comes to buying cake pans. This started when I took all the wilton cake decorating courses. I paid full price and bought a lot of pans. Then I realized that I could get these for such a low price in thrift stores or sometimes garage sales that if I see a good deal, I buy it whether or not I need it. I have given it away to people whom I know or kept as spare pans when I do lot of baking during holiday season.

 Picture courtesy: Google Images

After having blogged for about a year and a half and having quite a few baking recipes, I get emails asking me what to do when they do not have the same sized pan as I used when I baked the cake as mentioned in the post. So, here are some links with the information of how to swap the cake pans. So many people have put together the list that there is no point in me typing the same old things.

Some pointers that I have learned from my baking experience:

1. You do not have to alter the baking temperature when you use a different sized or shaped pan. Most of the cakes are baked at 350 F with a few big cakes or pound cakes being baked at 325 F.

2. When you use a cake pan that is non-stick or a glass pan, always reduce the baking temperature by 25 F. You might have to bake for a little longer than what the recipe states, but check it at the lower range of the time that is specified in the recipe.

3. No matter what pan you are using, never fill the batter more than 1/2 way in the pan. Some cakes do fine when you fill it 2/3 full, but most cakes will not. Even when the batter might not overflow, it will make such a huge dome on the top that if you level it, you will waste lot of cake. Also, because of the huge hump, cake might not bake properly in the center causing not so good texture.

4. To calculate the volume of any pan, fill it with water and measure the water. You should use 1/2 of that amount as batter.

5. If the depth of the two cake pans is the same, you can compare the perimeter of them to decide if you can switch them. Example: a 9" square pan has a perimeter of 9 times 4 that is 36 ". It is the same as a 11 X 7 pan and hence you can swap a 9" square pan for a 11 X 7 pan.

Without reinventing the wheel, here are some great information about the cake pans, their conversions, baking temperature and baking times.
From all recipes - remember that most of these pans are 1 1/2" high and not 2".
From Joy of Baking - this has info both for 2" and 1 1/2" depth pans.
From ehow
From Baking 911 - Has info on cupcakes and jelly roll baking.
From about - has baking times for different cake pan sizes.
From Wilton - information on serving size, cake pan batter capacity, baking time and temperature.

Enjoy.