How to adjust a recipe for a different pan size

The first question is not “how many minutes?” It is whether your new pan holds roughly the same amount of batter at a similar depth.

Compare pan area

For a rectangle, multiply width × length. For a round pan, use π × radius². If pan depths differ, include depth when comparing approximate capacity.

Scale batter if you want similar depth

If the target pan has 70% of the original capacity, making roughly 70% of the batter is a useful starting point. Similar batter depth generally keeps baking behavior closer to the original than pouring the entire batch into a smaller pan.

If you keep the whole batch, expect time to change

A deeper layer often needs more time, while a shallower layer can finish earlier. There is no universal exact conversion because batter composition, oven calibration and pan material all matter.

Start checking early

Use visual and recipe-specific doneness cues rather than relying on a converted minute count as a guarantee.