It’s happened to all good cooks - you pull out a recipe for a delicious cake you’re excited to bake and then you see the dreaded words calling for a very specific size of cake pan. A cake pan that you’re not sure that you own.
Thankfully, there is an easy way to check if you have a suitable cake pan in your inventory. This is also the method to use if you are unsure whether our range of pre-cut parchment paper will fit your pans at home.
How to measure cake pans
Not all pans are made the same. Here's how to measure your cake pans so you know exactly what you're working with.
How to measure a round cake pan
When a cake pan is described as a “6 inch”, “8 inch” or “10 inch” pan (for example) this number is referring to the diameter of the inside of the pan. The easiest way to measure the diameter of a cake pan is with a ruler or a measuring tape. When measuring your pan, always measure across the pan from inside lip to inside lip across the widest point. This is important, because there is no standard thickness for the walls of a cake pan, and measuring from the outside will yield inaccurate measurements and before you know it your peach upside down cake will be ruined!
Of course, not all pans are made the same and there is no strict standard for them. Often, the diameter of the cake pan at the top will be different from the diameter at the base. For cake pans that have an angled side, it’s best to take your measurement across the base, inside the pan. This is also how you can be sure that our parchment paper rounds will fit neatly in your cake pan for when you make our easy chocolate marble cake!
Of course, not all pans are made the same and there is no strict standard for them. Often, the diameter of the cake pan at the top will be different from the diameter at the base. For cake pans that have an angled side, it’s best to take your measurement across the base, inside the pan. This is also how you can be sure that our parchment paper rounds will fit neatly in your cake pan for when you make our easy chocolate marble cake!
How to measure a square cake pan
Square cake pans - perfect for making brownies - are categorized by the length of their sides, so an 8 inch x 8 inch square pan is one that has sides 8 inches long.
However, like their round counterparts, square cake pans can differ in size from the base to the top. If you’re unsure exactly how big your square cake pan is, simply measure the length of the pan - from the inside lip on one side of the pan to the inside lip on the opposite side. Again, to be sure our Easy-Lift Parchment Paper will fit nicely, take this measurement across the base of the pan on the inside.
However, like their round counterparts, square cake pans can differ in size from the base to the top. If you’re unsure exactly how big your square cake pan is, simply measure the length of the pan - from the inside lip on one side of the pan to the inside lip on the opposite side. Again, to be sure our Easy-Lift Parchment Paper will fit nicely, take this measurement across the base of the pan on the inside.
How to measure the height of a cake pan
You can measure the height of the pan by standing a ruler or measuring tape inside the pan and measuring up to the lip. Again, if the walls of the pan are fluted, or slanted, be careful to stand the ruler directly up, to avoid getting an inaccurate measurement of the height.
How to measure the volume of a cake pan
While you could calculate the volume of the pan with some complicated maths, the easiest method is to fill the cake pan with water and then tip the water into a large measuring jug. This will tell you the overall space inside the cake pan.
If you don’t have the specific sized pan required for a recipe (for example a round 8 inch cake pan) you can still make a recipe in a different pan as long as the volume of the pan is more or less the same.
For the best results when baking a cake, never bring the batter more than halfway up the side of the pan. This will prevent the cake from overflowing, and will help it cook evenly to the middle. Remember, the deeper the cake batter is, the more time it will take for heat to reach the center of the cake to properly cook the batter. By the same logic, a cake pan without a more shallow level of batter will cook more quickly, so make sure to check it frequently.
Always test whether your cakes are cooked by inserting a clean metal skewer into the middle of the cake to see if it comes out clean. If the skewer comes out dirty the cake needs more baking time.
If you don’t have the specific sized pan required for a recipe (for example a round 8 inch cake pan) you can still make a recipe in a different pan as long as the volume of the pan is more or less the same.
For the best results when baking a cake, never bring the batter more than halfway up the side of the pan. This will prevent the cake from overflowing, and will help it cook evenly to the middle. Remember, the deeper the cake batter is, the more time it will take for heat to reach the center of the cake to properly cook the batter. By the same logic, a cake pan without a more shallow level of batter will cook more quickly, so make sure to check it frequently.
Always test whether your cakes are cooked by inserting a clean metal skewer into the middle of the cake to see if it comes out clean. If the skewer comes out dirty the cake needs more baking time.
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