Scale a cake recipe to fit a different round pan by comparing the volumes of the original and new pans.
How it works
Each round pan’s volume is π × radius² × height; the scale factor is the new pan’s volume divided by the original’s. An 8-inch pan (2 inches deep) scaled up to a 10-inch pan (also 2 inches deep) needs 1.5625× the batter.
What this does not include
This covers round pans only — scaling to or from a square or rectangular pan uses a different volume formula not calculated here, since it compares length × width × height rather than a circle’s area.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your original pan’s diameter and height.
- Enter your new pan’s diameter and height.
- Multiply your recipe’s ingredient amounts by the scale factor shown.
Why does pan diameter matter so much more than height?
Volume scales with the square of the radius but only linearly with height, so a small increase in diameter changes batter volume far more than the same increase in pan depth.
What if my two pans have different heights?
Enter each pan’s actual height — the calculator accounts for both diameter and height differences when computing the volume ratio.
Does this also adjust baking time?
No — a larger, shallower pan generally bakes faster and a smaller, deeper one takes longer, but this calculator only scales the batter volume, not the baking time, which should be checked with a toothpick test regardless.
