Bread Pans
I made a really dumb mistake earlier. A recipe I was making called for using a 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan. I grabbed my 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. I only realized my error when I was waiting for it to rise and it was nowhere near the top of the pan.
Oh.
It doesn’t sound like much — a half an inch in each direction — but I figured it must mean something, so I decided to do the math. All those math classes in high school must be needed for something, right?
| Length | Width | Height | Total Volume |
| 9″ | 5″ | 3″ | 135 in³ |
| 8.5″ | 4.5″ | 3″ | 115 in³ |
| 8″ | 4″ | 3″ | 96 in³ |
So while it doesn’t seem like much, the 9×5 is 18% larger than the 8.5×4.5. And the 8.5 is 20% larger than the 8×4. And the 9×5 is 40% larger than the 8×4.
So no wonder it didn’t rise right.
But it’s a nice brick.
In short: use the right pan.
Sizes
A lot of recipes call out pan sizes by “weight” of the final loaf, not the dimensions. Since I can never keep this straight, assuming others have the same issue.
| Size By Weight | Capacity | Dimensions | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4 pound loaf | 4 cups | 8″ x 4″ | For small loaves, 2 cups / 240 grams of flour. |
| 1 pound loaf | 6 cups | 8.5″ x 4.5″ | Generally, if the recipe calls for ~3 cups / 360 grams of flour or less, this is the way to go. |
| 1-1/4 pound loaf | 8 cups | 9″ x 5″ | If the recipe calls for more than 3 cups / 360 grams of flour, this is probably what you’re looking for. |
| 1-1/2 pound loaf | 10 cups | 10″ x 5″ or 12.25″ x 4.5″ | Huge. |
Note: When measuring the pan, measure the bottom dimensions, not the top. Since the top is generally wider than the bottom, measuring the top will be off a bit.
I’ve got a couple of pans that have the dimensions marked right on the pan which is very handy. Not sure why more manufacturers don’t do that.