Cake pan converter

Why area (or volume) is what matters

A recipe does not care about the diameter of your pan, it cares about the surface the batter has to cover. A 26 cm round pan holds 69 percent more than a 20 cm one, because area grows with the square of the diameter. The converter divides the target pan area by the source pan area to get the factor, and switches to real volumes as soon as you fill in both heights. That factor is all you need: multiply every ingredient by it, then adjust the baking in the direction the tool indicates.

Worked example: from a 20 cm pan to a 26 cm pan

Your recipe was written for a 20 cm round pan and you own a 26 cm one. The factor is 1.69. So 250 g of flour become 423 g, 150 ml of milk become 254 ml and 3 eggs become 5 (5.07 rounded to the nearest half). The cake is wider, so lower the oven by 10 degrees and plan 15 to 25 percent more baking time.

Equal-area pan cheatsheet

Same batter, same height: these pans are interchangeable. The square side is the round diameter multiplied by 0.886.

It works the other way too: a 20 cm square pan needs a 23 cm round pan. When in doubt, take the size up and watch the bake.

FAQ

How do I adapt a recipe to a bigger pan?

Divide the area of the new pan by the area of the original one, then multiply every ingredient by that factor. Going from a 20 cm round pan to a 26 cm one gives a factor of 1.69: a recipe with 250 g of flour moves to about 423 g. The converter does this for every shape, in both directions.

What is the square equivalent of a round pan?

At equal area, the square side is the round diameter multiplied by 0.886. A 20 cm round pan matches an 18 cm square pan, a 24 cm round matches a 21 cm square. The other way round, a 20 cm square pan needs a 23 cm round pan.

Do I need to change the baking time when I change pans?

Yes, as soon as the factor moves away from 1. Below 0.8, reduce the time by about 10 to 15 percent and check early. Between 0.8 and 1.25, keep the time almost identical. Above 1.25, lower the oven by 10 degrees and extend the bake by 15 to 25 percent.

When should I convert by volume instead of area?

When the two pans do not have the same height. A shallow 4 cm pan and a deep 10 cm pan hold very different amounts at the same diameter. Fill in both heights and the converter switches to volume automatically.

Can I use this converter to double a recipe?

Yes. Look for a pan whose area gives a factor close to 2: going from a 20 cm round pan to a 28 cm one gives 1.96. You can also split the batter across two 20 cm pans, each at factor 1.

Keep going

• Cake servings calculator
• Cake price calculator
• Quels gâteaux se vendent le mieux (FR)

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