Pan volume chart: what every common pan holds
Round, square, loaf, slab, springform, tube — with two volume columns: the brim volume computed from geometry (πr²h or l×w×h, 1 cup = 240 ml = 14.4375 in³) and the batter you can actually put in at the standard ⅔ fill. Published capacities vary because makers measure differently, so both numbers are on the table and the difference is explained below. For one-off sums use the pan-size converter.
Key takeaways
- Direct swaps by area: 9″ round ⇄ 8″ square (64 in² both); 10″ square ⇄ 11×7″ slab (100 vs 77 in² — not equal, ~30% bigger).
- By batter (⅔ fill): 8″ round ≈ 4.6 cups · 9″ round ≈ 5.9 · 8″ square ≈ 5.9 · 9×13 ≈ 10.8 · 9×5 loaf ≈ 6.2.
- Two 8″ rounds ≈ one 9×13 minus ~15%: the slab pan wins by volume, the rounds bake taller.
- Listed ≠ brim: a “10-cup” Bundt bakes ~6 cups (King Arthur). Trust geometry plus the ⅔ rule.
Volume table (inches → cups)
| Pan | Depth used | Brim (geometry) | Batter at ⅔ | Published chart | Base area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6″ round | 2″ | 3.9 cups | 2.6 cups | 4 cups | 28 in² |
| 8″ round | 2″ | 7.0 cups | 4.6 cups | 6 cups | 50 in² |
| 9″ round | 2″ | 8.8 cups | 5.9 cups | 8 cups | 64 in² |
| 10″ round | 2″ | 10.9 cups | 7.3 cups | 10–11 cups | 79 in² |
| 8″ square | 2″ | 8.9 cups | 5.9 cups | 8 cups | 64 in² |
| 9″ square | 2″ | 11.2 cups | 7.5 cups | 10 cups | 81 in² |
| 10″ square | 2″ | 13.9 cups | 9.2 cups | 12 cups | 100 in² |
| 11″ × 7″ | 2″ | 10.7 cups | 7.1 cups | 10 cups | 77 in² |
| 9″ × 13″ | 2″ | 16.2 cups | 10.8 cups | 14 cups | 117 in² |
| 9″ springform | 2½″ | 11.0 cups | 7.3 cups | 10 cups | 64 in² |
| 9″ tube | 3″ | 13.2 cups* | 8.8 cups | 12 cups | 64 in² |
| 10″ × 15″ jelly roll | 1″ | 10.4 cups | 6.9 cups | 10 cups | 150 in² |
| 8″ × 4″ loaf | 3″ | 6.7 cups | 4.4 cups | 4 cups | 32 in² |
| 8½″ × 4½″ loaf | 3″ | 7.9 cups | 5.3 cups | 6 cups | 38 in² |
| 9″ × 5″ loaf | 3″ | 9.3 cups | 6.2 cups | 8 cups | 45 in² |
*Tube pan brim counts the whole cylinder; the centre tube displaces roughly a cup. Published column: Sally's Baking Addiction pan chart (loaf depths per her chart, ~3″). Base areas match King Arthur's pan-area guide. Last verified: 2026-11-16.
Equivalents: swap rows worth memorising
| If the recipe wants… | Same batter (⅔ fill) | Same base area | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9″ round | 8″ square | 8″ square (64 in²) — direct swap | Nothing; corners brown slightly sooner |
| 8″ round | 8½×4½ loaf | 9″ square at a stretch (81 vs 50 in²) | Loaf bakes taller — add 10–15 min, drop ~15°C |
| 9×13 slab | two 9″ rounds (10% more space) or two 8″ rounds (10% less) | — | King Arthur: rounds bake shorter layers; check early |
| 9″ square | 11×7 slab (5% smaller) | — | 8″ square = 20% smaller → thicker bars, longer bake |
| 9×5 loaf | 8½×4½ loaf (⅔ the size) | — | 9×5 needs ~1.3× the recipe or a shorter loaf |
| 9″ springform cheesecake | nothing — 3″-wall pans are special | — | King Arthur: do not substitute standard pans for springform |
Why volumes differ between charts (and from your ruler)
Three conventions are fighting inside every “capacity” number:
- Brim vs usable: geometry gives the fill-to-the-top number; most published charts quote something nearer usable fill. The clearest admission is King Arthur's Bundt guide: a pan “listed at 10 cups” bakes about 6 cups of batter.
- Depth is not standardised: “8-inch round” assumes 2″ walls in US charts, but pans ship 1.5″–3″ deep. An 8×2 round is 7 cups to the brim; the same footprint 3″ deep is 10.4.
- Shape displacement: fluted Bundts and tube pans displace volume that a plain cylinder calculation overcounts — one more reason the ⅔-fill batter figure, not the brim figure, is what a recipe must fit.
Our rule: compute brim from your measured dimensions, plan batter at ⅔ of it, and treat any single published number as one opinion. When the stakes are high — a wedding tier, a new recipe — fill the pan with water, cup by cup, and count. That is the calibration method King Arthur itself recommends.
Two standard loaf tins, one order
Recipes flip between 8½×4½ and 9×5 without warning; owning both ends the guessing. Straight-sided, heavy-gauge metal browns evenly.
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