Loaf pan

A loaf pan is a deep, narrow, rectangular pan with straight or slightly sloped sides. It holds a dough or batter so it rises up instead of out, which gives the tall, even shape of sandwich bread, banana bread, pound cake and meatloaf. In the UK it is called a loaf tin, and sizes are often given by weight, such as a 900 g (2 lb) tin.

How to use it

Common sizes:

Size	Volume
23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 in)	about 2 liters (8 cups)
21 x 11 cm (8.5 x 4.5 in)	about 1.5 liters (6 cups)

Exact volumes vary between brands, so check yours by filling it with water.

1. Grease the pan, then line the bottom and the two long sides with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the edges. The overhang works as handles.
2. Fill it no more than two-thirds to three-quarters full with batter.
3. For bread, let the dough proof until it rises just above the rim.
4. Bake on the middle rack. Test cakes and quick breads with a skewer, the toothpick test.
5. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then lift out and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Substitutes

A recipe for a 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 in) pan makes about 12 muffins or fills a 20 cm (8 in) square pan. Both bake faster, so start checking much earlier. A loaf baked in the smaller 21 x 11 cm pan rises taller and takes a little longer.

Common mistakes

• Using a larger pan than the recipe says. The loaf comes out flat and dry.
• Using a smaller pan. It overflows and the middle stays raw.
• Dark metal pans brown faster. Some bakers lower the oven by about 15°C (25°F) for them. Glass pans heat slowly and can also over-brown the edges.
• Cutting quick bread while hot. It crumbles and turns gummy.

In recipes

"Loaf pan" with no size usually means 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 in) in US recipes. A terrine mold is similar but often has a lid.