We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Delighted Cooking

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Kitchen

What Are the Different Types of Cake Pan Sizes?

By G. Wiesen
Updated May 16, 2024
Our promise to you
DelightedCooking is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At DelightedCooking, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

Cake pan sizes are typically based on its shape and a measurement of the inside of the pan, going from one inside edge to the other. Round pans are essentially a measurement of the diameter of the circle made by the pan, and square varieties are simply measured from one side to the other. Rectangular pan measurements can include both sides, since they are different, and styles such as "bundt" and "loaf" often include the depth. The term "sheet " can also be used to refer to certain rectangular cake pan sizes, often as "quarter," "half," and "full."

One of the simplest ways in which cake pan sizes can be demonstrated or shown is through a direct measurement of them. For example, some pans might be described as 8 inch (about 20 centimeters) rounds or 9inch (almost 23 centimeters) rounds, indicating their size and shape. In this description, the measurement is taken across the middle of the round, from the inner edge of one side to the inner edge of the other. Similarly, a 10 inch (over 25 centimeters) square would describe cake pan sizes that are square in shape.

Other cake pan sizes indicate both the length and width of the pan, as well as the depth of it. This is common for types of pans that are fairly deep, such as loaf or bundt pans. The importance of depth for cake pan sizes stems from the speed with which heat from an oven is able to reach the middle of the batter. Baking in a loaf pan that is 4 inches (just over 10 centimeters) by 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) with a depth of 6 inches (over 15 centimeters) is going to be quite different from baking in one the same length and width, with a depth of only 3 inches (over 7 centimeters). The cake in the shallower pan will bake faster.

Cake pan sizes can also be measured in terms of "sheet" size, which refers to a specific type of shallow pan used for baking. A full sheet cake, and the pan used to bake it, is 18 inches (almost 46 centimeters) by 26 inches (about 66 centimeters) in size. This is commonly used in commercial baking, where a large cake of this size, consisting of two or three layers, can easily feed several dozen people.

A half-sheet pan is half this size, at 13 inches (about 33 centimeters) by 18 inches (over 45 centimeters). These are also quite common in bakeries, though they are small enough to fit into many home ovens. Cake pan sizes also include the quarter-sheet pan, which is about 9 inches (over 22 centimeters) by 13 inches (just over 33 centimeters).

DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
See our Editorial Process Share Feedback

Discussion Comments

By Wisedly33 — On Jun 10, 2014

@Scrbblchick -- And I'll add that nothing should be baked in your good cake pans *but* cake or brownies. I threatened my husband with bodily harm if he made toast or pork chops or the like in my good pans! A good cake pan is worth a higher price!

Even if you have nonstick round pans, go ahead and line the bottoms with parchment paper and then butter the paper. It's a 10-cent insurance policy that will absolutely keep your layers from sticking. I never make a layer cake without doing this, and I've never had it not work. The layers come out beautifully every time.

By Scrbblchick — On Jun 09, 2014

I'd say every home cook who plans on doing much baking needs two 9-inch round pans, an 8-by-8 square pan, a 7-by-9 rectangle pan and a 9-by-13 rectangle pan, along with at least one tube pan. A bundt pan is nice, but not essential. These basic pans will get most cooks through nearly any cooking task.

I'd also recommend all these pans be nonstick. I still grease and flour pans just for safety, but a nonstick interior really helps the cook be a little more certain nothing is going to stick.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.