How To Adjust A Loaf Pan Recipe - Baking and Cake Art Academy (2024)

HOW TO ADJUST A LOAF PAN RECIPE

(When the pan you have is different from the one in a recipe.)

How many cake pans do you have?

I have a ZILLION, but not loaf pans that measure 9×5 inches.

You say- “What!?” …. A baker without

that “standard size.?”

When I had my wholesale baking business,

the loaf pan size that was preferred

by my customers measured 7.5 inches x 3.5 inches.

Let us call that the Trader Joe’s size or market size.

So, I have many of these and I like the size-it is friendly!

I digress!

Recently, I found myself with a sack of California blood oranges;

And found in one of my current magazines,

a recipe for Blood Orange Loaf Cake (Featured in

“Bake from Scratch;” (February 2019 issue).

HOWEVER, the recipe called for that larger 9×5 inch loaf pan!

REMEMBER-I DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THAT SIZED PAN!!!

You have several choicesIF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE SAME SITUATION:

1. Use the recipe as is and hope that the batter will not overflow-not an option!
2. Divide the batter evenly with smaller loaves in mind—how will this affect appearance.?
3. Reduce the recipe-but how much?
4. Figure out and compare the cubic inches of the differing pans
   and then adjust the recipe.

You may have other options than these listed; I chose number four!

Math is a reliable kitchen/bakery helper!

What I did was decide on

1. How many loaf cakes that I wanted-which was two;

and then,

2. Figure the cubic inches of the 9 x 5- inch pan versus the cubic inches of my pan.

With the cubic inches of each pan size figured,

I THEN COULD FIGURE OUT A MATHEMATICAL NUMBER

CALLED A FACTORAND THEN

FIGURE THE NEW AMOUNTS FOR EACH INGREDIENT

to obtain

TWOperfectly sized loaf cakes using my smaller pans!

Here’s how I got the (baker’s) factor that I needed to bake two loaf cakes:

1. Measure the height, width, and depth of your pan.
   
2. Measure the height, width and depth of the pan used in the original recipe. (In this case, page 37, February issue,2019, “Bake from Scratch” magazine.
3. Multiply the length x width x height to get cubic inches of your pan.
4. Multiply the length x width x height to get cubic inches of the recipe pan.
5. Divide your pan’s cubic inches by the cubic inches of the original recipe pan’s cubic inches.
6. Multiply each of the original recipe’s ingredients by the answer from number 5 (the factor) to obtain the new recipe amounts.
7. Add the new weights to reveal total new batter weight.
8. In this case, divide by two in order to know how much batter to fill each of
   my two loaf pans.

Let me take you through the cubic inches’ math

And show you the factor that I used…

1. My pan: 7.5 inches long x 3.5 inches wide =26.25 inches x 3 inches
height=78.75 cubic inches.
2. Recipe pan: 9 inches long x 5 inches wide =45 inches x 3 inches height = 135 cubic inches.
3. Figure FACTOR TO MAKE ENOUGH BATTER FOR TWO OF MY PANS:
78.75 cubic inches for one of my pans plus
78.75cubic inches for the second of my pans (in order to make two loaves)
=
157.50 cubic inches for two loaves

4.Divide the needed cubic inches by the original recipe’s cubic inches:
157.50(needed amount)
135 cubic inches (original recipe) = 1.166=factor =1.2

5. This is the number used to increase each ingredient’s amount to yield enough batter for two of my pans.
6. (I always round up because you lose a little batter/dough here and there on the mixer paddle, and so on.)

BLOOD ORANGE LOAF CAKES

©Susan Holtz M.S.

Now, let’s say I wanted to make three loaves using my pans,
I merely multiply by the factor of 1.5!
If I wanted four loaves, I multiply by two, and so on!

(BLOOD ORANGE GLAZE RECIPE CHART HERE)BLOOD ORANGE GLAZE

(not modified original recipe)

©Susan Holtz M.S.

(I DID NOT CHANGE THE MEASUREMENTS FOR THE BLOOD ORANGE GLAZE

BECAUSE THE AMOUNT WAS SUFFICIENT FOR THE SMALLER CAKE SURFACES.)

Blood Orange Loaf Cake Recipe Procedure:

Adapted from “Bake from Scratch,” page 37, January/February 2019).

Oranges ready for juicing.

1. Preheat calibrated oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (See Chef Susan’s
   directions as to how to do this in her blog.
2. Oil the loaf pan(s) and line the pan with parchment paper in all directions
   enabling the paper to extend over the pan.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using a whisk attachment, beat the sugar, sour
   cream, eggs, and orange zest and juice at medium speed until combined,4
   minutes, stopping to scrape bowl sides once or twice.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
   With mixer on low speed, gradually add four mixture to sugar mixture beating
   just to combine. Add oil in a slow steady stream, beating until combined.
5. Scale batter into your pans evenly. (about 600 grams per pan as figured on
   chart)
6. Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out
   clean; about 35-43 minutes.
7. Let cool in pans 5 minutes and then lift out using extensions of parchment paper.

Cooling in pan five minutes.

Cool completely on rack

8. Glaze with Blood orange Glaze.
9. Keep room temperature, covered, for up to four days.
10. Freeze for longer storage.

Procedure for Blood Orange Simple Syrup:

1. Make Blood Orange Simple Syrup by placing ingredients on chart above in a small saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Boil for 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain and press mixture through a fine-
   mesh sieve,
   and discard solids.
5. Cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Procedure for Blood Orange Glaze:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together until smooth Blood Orange Simple Syrup
   with the powdered sugar (listed in chart above.) (You will have extra to
   refrigerate or use on pancakes.)

Any questions that you may have,

Email me: susan@bakingandcakeart.com

Happy Baking makes the world a better place!
Chef Susan