How to adjust baking time and temperature for volume?
I have a recipe for a round honey cake, I want to halve the amount and bake in a loaf pan. Or, the other way round - I have a recipe for a loaf pan, I want to double the amount and bake in a round pan.
How do I adjust baking time and temperature?
Note: this question refers to a tube pan, and thus doesn't answer my question, because the chimney in the middle makes things different. This one talks about a taller cake, where mine keeps the height more or less the same, changing width instead. And this one suggests testing internal temperature, which might be OK for someone advanced enough to bake bread at home, but me - I don't have the tools. I just want a simple honey cake for Rosh HaShannah.
Best Answer
Use the same temperature for the same recipe, even if you've changed the pan size. You'd have to do something really drastic to need to change the temperature.
Bake time is almost entirely dependent on depth of batter rather than size of pan. As long as batter depth is essentially the same, so is the bake time. For example, I have baked a cake recipe for a 9 inch round in two 6 inch rounds with the same bake time.
If you double a recipe originally for a 8x4 loaf pan and bake it in a 9 inch round, then you'll have pretty much the exact same depth of batter. (who says basic geometry isn't useful in our adult lives?) In this case, I'd recommend starting checking the cake for doneness at exactly the same bake time for the original cake. If you half a recipe originally for a 9 inch round and bake it in an 8x4 loaf pan, I might start checking it a few minutes early just to be careful.
More generally, if you are halving a recipe, find out the surface area of the recipe's pan and halve it. If you are doubling a recipe, find out the surface area of the recipe's pan and double it. How does this value compare to the surface area of the new pan you want to bake in? If it's a bit higher, you might need to add a few minutes to bake time. If it's a bit lower, you might need to subtract a few minutes from bake time. If it's wildly different, maybe consider using a different pan.
Also remember that a cake isn't done at a specific time. The time on the recipe is to get you in the ballpark to start checking for doneness, and a recipe that says 35 minutes is not going to be hurt by quickly opening the door at 25 minutes to see if the top still looks wet. If you're moving to a smaller pan or lower depth of batter, it probably makes sense to start checking things on the early side. I usually start checking any cake 5 minutes before the time on the recipe, so if I'm messing with pan sizes or something like that, I'll start checking 10 minutes early.
There are a lot of other clues about doneness than just time - for a butter cake these are usually if the top springs back when pressed, if it's pulling away from the sides of the pan, and if a toothpick inserted into the center comes back with just a few crumbs. Reports of butter type cakes falling because the oven door is opened too frequently are greatly exaggerated.
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Quick Answer about "How to adjust baking time and temperature for volume?"
Just increase the oven temp by 25 degrees F and decrease the bake time by a quarter. In this particular example, since your pan is 1 inch larger, more surface area will be exposed. The liquid in the cake batter will evaporate quicker, which means it will bake faster.Does baking time change with quantity?
Again, the bake time will not change significantly. However, if you double the amount of a lasagna recipe, but only use as lightly larger casserole, the 2nd lasagna will be much thicker. It will require more time to bake through.How do you adjust cooking time for smaller portions?
There are a couple of things to consider including cooking time and your cooking dishes. Cooking Time: If you're preparing larger or smaller portions, it may alter your cooking time. Allow for more time if making a larger portion. For smaller portion check the dish at least 10 minutes early to see if it's done.How do you scale baking time?
A good rule of thumb is to set your timer for half the amount of time called for in the original recipe. So if a 9" x 13" cake takes 50 minutes to bake and you've halved the recipe to bake in a 9" cake pan, set your timer to start checking after 25 minutes.How does baking time change with pan size?
Don't expect to change a pan size and not have to change anything else in the recipe. Depending on whether your layer of batter is shorter or taller, you may need to reduce or increase the baking time. Cupcakes and muffins might be done in as little as half the time as their larger counterparts.How To Adjust Baking Time For Different Size Pans
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