Cake Pan Capacity

[mumu]

Is this correct ....2 ...9 round cake pans holds 12 cups and a 13x9x2 pan that holds 14 cups is ok to use instead? Seems like the depth in the 13x9 would be less bec. Of only using 12 cups of batter?

 

[Andy M.]

Is this correct ....2 ...9 round cake pans holds 12 cups and a 13x9x2 pan that holds 14 cups is ok to use instead? Seems like the depth in the 13x9 would be less bec. Of only using 12 cups of batter?

You are correct. There is a two cup difference in volume. The 13x9 is the closest substitution.

 

[Katie H]

Simply speaking, the round pans are nothing more than shallow cylinders, so I used the formula for calculating the volume of a cylinder to determine the volume of each pan.

That is:

Pi (3.14) times the radius (half the diameter) of the pan, squared, then multiplied by the height of the pan. 3.14 x 4.5 (squared), multiplied by 2. The volume of the each pan is 127.17.

Now...the volume of the rectangular pan is the length times the width, times the height, which is 234.

Now, that's just cubic inches, not cups, but it illustrates the volume differences in the pans. The combined volume of the two 9-inch pans would be 254.34, which is a bit more than the 9x13 pan at 234 cubic inches.

Okay, that's me. I'm very mathematically minded and solve many of my cooking/baking challenges this way.

An alternate method is to fill one of the round pans with water to about 1/4 inch from the top and measure how much water it contains, then do the same thing with the 9x13 pan. Simpler, but I somehow always reach for my pencil and paper.

 

[Andy M.]

Katie's right if the 9" round pan is 2" high. The table I use gives volumes for 9"x1.5" and 9"x2". Two of the former = 12 cups and 2 of the latter = 16 cups. A 13"x9"x2" pan is right in the middle at 14 cups.

All this said, the 13"x9" rectangular pan is a standard substitution for 2x9" round pans. The differences are considered insignificant. After all, you don't fill any of these pans to the brim.

 

[mumu]

Little confused... If my cake box yields only say 6 cups of cake batter, how much of a overhead do I need to be looking at. I could use a 8x8x2 which is. 8 cups,would that be ok to? How much is to much to use ....I feel 13x9 is 14 cups and seems for a 6 cup batter, that's way to much. I do understand this cup is volume pan holds and you never fill to the brim. Buy what is the best place to be for overhead. I hope I said this right.

 

[Janet H]

Here is a conversion chart: Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums - Janet H's Album: Cake | Plain and Fancy - Picture

 

[mumu]

Thank you. But still I need to know how much clearance do I need if say have 6 cups and13x9 has 14 cups it still seems like a lot for just a 6 cup batter. Why do I need a 14 cup pan ? How do you pick ...couldn't I also use something higher? I know not to go to low bec. Of cake rising. But how high is to much. Again I hope that makes sense. Also 8x8x2 holds 8 cups would that be. Wrong?

 

[Janet H]

In general you want to fill cake pans to the half way mark. This gives room to rise and the right surface to center ratio for good texture.

 

[GotGarlic]

Thank you. But still I need to know how much clearance do I need if say have 6 cups and13x9 has 14 cups it still seems like a lot for just a 6 cup batter. Why do I need a 14 cup pan ? How do you pick ...couldn't I also use something higher? I know not to go to low bec. Of cake rising. But how high is to much. Again I hope that makes sense. Also 8x8x2 holds 8 cups would that be. Wrong?

Your initial question was

Is this correct ....2 ...9 round cake pans holds 12 cups and a 13x9x2 pan that holds 14 cups is ok to use instead? Seems like the depth in the 13x9 would be less bec. Of only using 12 cups of batter?

Now you're changing the subject to using a cake mix that has 6 cups of batter. It's pretty obvious that the 8x8 inch pan should be used for 6 cups of batter. So I don't understand what it is that you don't understand about this.

 

[mumu]

Yes I just measured my cake mix and it gave me 6 cups. But been told to only half fill a pan so the 8x8x2 would only take 4 cups for it to be half full left with 2 cups

 

[GotGarlic]

Yes I just measured my cake mix and it gave me 6 cups. But been told to only half fill a pan so the 8x8x2 would only take 4 cups for it to be half full left with 2 cups

It won't be a problem. Use the 8x8 pan.

 

[mumu]

Any suggestions on what is left ...2 cups. Or I shouldn't have 2 cups left?

 

[GotGarlic]

Just put it all in the pan. Since it's not a layer cake, it won't be the end of the world if it rises above the pan some while baking.

 

[mumu]

What a mess! Next time I am not going to fill it that full......1/2 would of been better. The left over batter I will make cupcakes out of.

 

[mumu]

Just curious how much cake batter does one fill a pan with? Rule of thumb would be? 1/2 to 3/4 .

 

[Andy M.]

Just curious how much cake batter does one fill a pan with? Rule of thumb would be? 1/2 to 3/4 .

That seems about right.

 

[bakechef]

I definitely would only fill a pan half way, especially with cake mixes. Cake mixes use a lot of leavening to create volume and fluffiness usually achieved by creaming or foam methods with scratch cakes. Scratch cakes don't gain as much volume in the oven because you've created much of it in the mixing procedure. With cake mixes, since they are mix and bake need to get all of the jump from chemical leaveners.

This seems to be even more so now that cake mix companies have reduced the size of their mix but the volume of cake stayed the same, they are fluffier than ever, with lots of holes.

 

[Oldvine]

This has been an interesting read. In decades of baking/cooking it has never occurred to me to measure a batch of batter after mixing but before pouring into a baking container. If the directions tell me to use two 8" pans, I use two 8" pans. two 9" pans, ditto, and I follow the same directions if instructed to use a 9" x 13". If I got the recipe from my sister and have no instructions for pan size, I would fill the pan 1/2 full or less and do something else with any left overs. I've always assumed, rightly or wrongly, that recipes are formulated to fit into standard baking containers rather than to be recalculated mathematically by the baker each time the recipe is used.

 

[Kayelle]

This has been an interesting read. In decades of baking/cooking it has never occurred to me to measure a batch of batter after mixing but before pouring into a baking container. If the directions tell me to use two 8" pans, I use two 8" pans. two 9" pans, ditto, and I follow the same directions if instructed to use a 9" x 13". If I got the recipe from my sister and have no instructions for pan size, I would fill the pan 1/2 full or less and do something else with any left overs. I've always assumed, rightly or wrongly, that recipes are formulated to fit into standard baking containers rather than to be recalculated mathematically by the baker each time the recipe is used.

Thank you Oldvine!! Once again, logical wins.
I'll never understand why some people over think everything.

 

[bakechef]

If I use a recipe that specifies pans, I use what is called for, but I scale them out so each layer is exactly the same and they bake for the same time.

Things get tricky when you use shaped pans or pans other than the standard 9x13, 8" or 9" pans;Wedding cakes and multi-tier cakes for instance.