Cake pan size conversion chart
Every common pan's brim-full capacity — the water it holds filled to the rim, from Joy of Baking's pan size chart's chart of approximate volumes — with the batter it takes at a two-thirds fill and the pans that hold within 10% of it. To convert between any two, divide the new pan's cups by the old pan's.
| Pan | Holds (cups) | Batter at ⅔ | Same-capacity swaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6" round (2" deep) | 4 | 2¾ | none within 10% |
| 8" round (2" deep) | 6 | 4 | 8½×4½" loaf (deeper) |
| 9" round (2" deep) | 8 | 5¼ | 8" square, 9×5" loaf (deeper) |
| 10" round (2" deep) | 11 | 7¼ | 3"-deep 9" round, 9" square, 10×15" jelly roll (shallower) |
| 8" square (2" deep) | 8 | 5¼ | 9" round, 9×5" loaf (deeper) |
| 9" square (2" deep) | 10 | 6¾ | 10×15" jelly roll (shallower), 9" springform (deeper), 10" round |
| 9×13" rectangle (2" deep) | 14 | 9¼ | 13×18" half sheet (shallower) |
| 10×15" jelly roll (10½×15½" inside, 1" deep) | 10 | 6¾ | 9" square (deeper), 9" springform (deeper), 10" round (deeper) |
| 13×18" half sheet (1" deep) | ≈ 13 | 8¾ | 3"-deep 9" round (deeper), 9×13" rectangle (deeper), 10" Bundt (deeper) |
| 8½×4½" loaf | 6 | 4 | 8" round (shallower) |
| 9×5" loaf | 8 | 5¼ | 9" round (shallower), 8" square (shallower) |
| 10" Bundt | 12 | 8 | 3"-deep 9" round (ring pan bakes differently), 9" tube / angel food (deeper), 10" springform (ring pan bakes differently) |
| 10" tube / angel food (4" deep) | 16 | 10¾ | none within 10% |
| 9" springform (2½" deep) | 10 | 6¾ | 9" square (shallower), 10×15" jelly roll (shallower), 10" round |
| 12 standard cupcakes | 6 | 4 | 8" round (deeper), 8½×4½" loaf (deeper) |
≈ = our estimate for a size Joy of Baking doesn't list, derived from the nearest size it does (the pan's own page shows the working). "Shallower" and "deeper" swaps hold the same batter but bake noticeably faster or slower.
How to Convert a Recipe Between Cake Pan Sizes
Every baking pan holds a different amount of batter, so swapping pans without adjusting the recipe is the most common reason cakes come out flat, overflow the rim, or bake unevenly. This cake pan converter does the math for you: it compares the capacity of your recipe's pan with the pan you actually own and tells you exactly what to multiply every ingredient by — whether you're converting an 8-inch round to a 9x13, a 9x13 to two round layers, or a layer cake recipe into cupcakes.
The conversion is based on pan volume. A standard 8-inch round pan holds about 6 cups brim-full, while a 9-inch round holds 8 cups — that's why an 8-inch recipe baked in a 9-inch pan comes out noticeably thinner. Our capacities follow Joy of Baking's pan size chart for every common pan: round layers from 6 to 10 inches, square and rectangular pans including the classic 9x13, loaf pans, Bundt and tube pans, springforms, sheet pans, and standard cupcake tins.
Why batter depth matters more than pan size
Two pans can hold the same volume yet bake very differently. What actually determines bake time is how deep the batter sits. Deeper batter needs a lower temperature and a longer bake so the center sets before the edges dry out; shallower batter bakes faster and is done sooner. That's why this tool calculates the batter depth in both pans and adjusts its time-and-temperature guidance accordingly — something a simple conversion chart can't do.
Tips for a successful pan swap
Fill the new pan between one-half and two-thirds full — never more, or the rising cake will overflow. When the multiplier lands on an awkward egg count, round to the nearest whole egg and hold back a tablespoon of liquid if the batter looks loose. Dark or glass pans brown faster than light aluminum, so drop the oven temperature by 25°F for those. And whatever the math says, trust the toothpick: every oven and every batter behaves a little differently, so start testing for doneness a few minutes before the adjusted time. Working with an odd or custom-sized pan that isn't in the list? Choose Custom size… in either menu above and enter its dimensions — the converter estimates the capacity from the geometry. For the raw volume of a single pan, the pan volume calculator shows it in cups, millilitres and litres — and if the cake is for an event, the cake serving calculator tells you how many people each size feeds.
The conversions bakers ask for most
- 9x13 to 8x8: an 8x8 holds 8 cups against the 9x13's 14 — multiply the recipe by about 0.57 (a little over half) for one 8x8, or by about 1.14 to fill two.
- 8-inch round to 9-inch round: the 9-inch holds 8 cups against 6 — about 33% more — so multiply by 1⅓ to keep the height, or bake the recipe as written and start checking earlier.
- Two 9-inch rounds to a 9x13: two rounds hold 16 cups against the 9x13's 14 (88%), so a two-layer recipe fills a 9x13 nearly to the usual level — use it as written, or scale to 0.88× for an exact match, and start checking a few minutes early.
- 9x13 to a Bundt: a 10-inch Bundt holds 12 cups against 14 — scale the recipe to about 0.86× and fill the pan no more than two-thirds; the full 9x13 batch would sit too close to the rim. Expect a longer bake at the same temperature.
Don't know your pan's capacity? Measure it with water
The definitive answer for an odd or unlabeled pan takes one minute: set it in the sink and fill it with water one measured cup at a time, right to the brim, counting as you go. That brim-full number is exactly what this converter's capacity figures mean (it's the method Joy of Baking recommends for checking a pan) — compare it to the chart above and use the closest match. For a decorative Bundt this is the only reliable method, since shapes vary so much. Layer bake times and batter amounts quoted on the conversion pages come from Wilton's Cake Baking & Serving Guide, and cupcake yields from King Arthur Baking's cake-to-cupcakes guide.