Free kitchen tool · CookwareTalk
Pan Swap Calculator
Recipe calls for a pan you don't own? Compare the one in the recipe with the pan you have. See how the batter may fit, plus practical baking cautions. Results update when you change a pan or the optional fill setting.
Choose your two baking pans
Your pan swap
Area comparison: Close match
Optional batter-fill estimate
How full might your substitute pan be?
What are square inches? They measure the area of the pan’s bottom. An 8 × 8-inch square pan is 64 square inches (64 sq in). This is not how many cups of batter it holds.
*The multiplier compares bottom areas, not cooking times. It works best with similar-depth, straight-sided pans and recipes that can be scaled. Bake time is never calculated automatically; loaf cakes, bread, delicate cakes, and pans with different depths may behave differently.
Three things to remember
- Check the depth. A pan with a similar bottom area can still have shorter sides.
- Don't overfill. Many cakes need batter at approximately half to two-thirds of the pan's depth; follow your recipe.
- Watch the bake. A larger pan may produce a thinner bake that finishes sooner; smaller pans may take longer.
What this tool doesn't cover
Bundt, tube, muffin, tart, and unusually shaped pans need special consideration. Pan material, batter type, oven behavior, and recipe instructions matter too.
For more guidance, see King Arthur Baking's pan-size guide.