Coffee Cake Tip: Two Loaf Pans = One Baking Dish (2024)

FAQs

Can I use 2 loaf pans instead of 9x13? ›

A 9×13 baking dish. The batter that fills two loaf pans is perfect for one baking dish. We didn't even need to adjust the cooking time that much; since the baking dish is more shallow, it bakes in about the same time as a loaf pan, even though it's bigger. We kept an eye on it and may have added 5 or 10 minutes max.

The number of loaves you'll be able to bake at once largely depends on the size of your oven. If you only have a small oven, you might only be able to bake 2 loaves at once. A larger oven may mean you can bake 4 or even 8 loaves at once.

The cakes need to be on different racks to enhance the air flow and heat distribution in the oven. Put them off center but not too close to the sides. One of the cake on the middle rack and the second cake on the bottom rack of the oven. You can actually bake up to 4 or even 6 cakes at the same time in the oven.

Use a Cake Pan

Break out your favorite cake pans. Round cake pans are perfect for rolls or breads that may otherwise call for a skillet (just make sure the sizes are roughly the same). You can even use your favorite fluted tube pan to make recipes like monkey bread.

An 8” square pan and 9” round pan can be used interchangeably for cake and bar recipes. A recipe written for a 9” x 13” pan can also be made in two 9” round pans; one 9” round and one 8” round, or two 8” round pans. Baking times may vary due to slightly different depths of batter in the various pan combinations.

One 9x5 loaf pan will be very full and will bake for 50 minutes +. You can use two 8x4-inch pans and start checking for doneness at around 35 minutes. Use a toothpick test for doneness. Here are a few recipes to use as guides: Honey-Walnut Pound Cakes, Lemon Pound Cake, and Piña Colada Pound Cakes.

TLDR is that there is a range of temps that work well. My loaf pan breads are usually baked between 375F and 425F.

Cooking tip: stagger dishes when multi-rack cooking

This will allow more consistent airflow and ensure each dish is surrounded by heat at every level. If you often cook multiple dishes at once or have a large family, consider a double oven to take care of all your baking needs.

The exact impact on cooking times varies from dish to dish, but generally cooking multiple dishes at once can lead to longer cooking times. No matter how many dishes you plan to cook, be sure to leave at least 3 inches of space between each dish and the walls of the oven, or other dishes, to allow for proper airflow.

How to stop cake from doming? ›

Use Cake Strips to Prevent your Cake from Doming

One of our favourite tips to avoid cake doming is using cake strips. These magical bands wrap around your cake tin, cooling the edges so the cake bakes evenly. Simply soak them in water, squeeze out the excess, and wrap them around the outside of your tin.

6×2 inch round pan holds 4 cups of batter, the same as an 8×4 inch loaf pan.

If you're preparing a casserole or pasta bake for 1 or 2 people, skip the huge baking dish and reach for a loaf pan. With a volume under 2 quarts, the capacity and size of loaf pans make them ideal for one-dish meals. It is deep enough for layered, bubbling casseroles, like lasagna, pot pie and pasta bakes.

You can place 2 loaves into an 8 x 8” pan. You could put 3 into a 9 x 13” pan.

If you do not want to use a skillet, baking sheet, or loaf pan, you can always turn to the trusty casserole dish that you have lying in your kitchen somewhere. Simply grease the bottom and sides of the dish and then place the dough inside.