Recipe says to use an 8 inch round tin but you only have square tins- what size should you use?
We have all been faced with this dilemma and as the size of tin is an important factor when cooking a cake it is useful to know the approximate equivalent when using a different shape tin.
In view of this I am often being asked for conversion tables for baking utensils so here is a chart showing a few of the most common.
TIP for baking tin
The thing to bear in mind is that the capacity of a
round tin is roughly equal to a square tin which is 2.5 cms or 1″ smaller (although
this formula does not appear to apply to the smaller sizes).
CAPACITY | ROUND TINS | SQUARE TINS | ||
Metric (Imperial) | Metric (Imperial) | Metric (Imperial) | ||
| 800 ml (1.1/2pint basin) | =
| 140 mm (5 1/2″) | =
| |
| 1.1 litres (2 pints) | = | 180 mm (7 in) | = | 125 mm (5 in) |
| 1.2 litre (2 pint basin) | = | 150 mm (6 in deep) | = | 125 mm (5in deep) |
| 1.7 litres (3 pints) | = | 200 mm (8 in) | = | 180 mm (7 in) |
| 2.3 litres (4 pints) | = | 230 mm (9 in) | = | 200 mm (8 in) |
| 3.4 litres (6 pints) | = | 250 mm (10 in) | = | 230 mm (9 in) |
| 4.5 litres (8 pints) | = | 280 mm (11 in) | = | 250 mm (10 in) |
| 5.7 litres (10 pints) | = | 300 mm (12 in) | = | 280 mm (11 in) |
| 1 kg. (2lb) loaf tin | = | = | 180 mm (7 in) shallow tin | |
| or | 130 mm x 230 mm (9 in) swiss roll tin |
When using recipes online you
can be faced with unfamiliar tin sizes used in other parts of the world so,
hopefully, the following chart which shows the
equivalent American metric tins to various Imperial baking tins and
casseroles will prove useful.
Imperial | American metric |
| 8 x 1.1/2 inch round baking tin | 20cm x 4cm cake tin |
| 9 x 1.1/2 inch round baking tin | 23cm x 3.5cm cake tin |
| 11 x 7 x1.1/2 inch baking tin | 28cm x 18cm x 4cm baking tin |
| 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking tin | 230cm x 20cm x 3cm baking tin |
| 2 quart rectangular baking dish | 30cm x 20cm x 3cm baking tin |
| 15 x 10 x 2 inch baking tin | 30cm x 25cm x 2cm baking tin |
| 9 inch pie plate | 22cm x 4cm or 23cm x 4cm pie plate |
| 7 or 8 inch springform tin | 18cm or 20cm springform of loose bottom cake tin |
| 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf tin | 23cm x 13cm x 7cm or 2lb. (pound) narrow loaf tin or pate tin |
| 1.1/2 quart casserole | 1.5 litre casserole |
| 2 quart casserole | 2 litre casserole |