Are your breads falling flat? You may have the wrong pan! Here's the skinny on loaf pan sizes.
Here’s Why Different Loaf Pan Sizes Can Make Your Bread Fall Flat
Updated on Nov. 08, 2022
If your quick breads are short and squat instead of rising high, your pan may be to blame. While loaf pan sizes may seem insignificant, the pan volume can make all the difference.
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Common Loaf Pan Sizes
Loaf pans can come in all sorts of sizes, from large pain de mie pans to mini sizes that make perfect food gifts. Here are a few of the most common sizes:
If you need to modify your recipe to fit in a pan you have at home, use our handy chart to help cut down your recipe.
Use the Right Size for Best Results
The two most popular bread pan sizes are 9×5 and 8½x4½ inches. Both sizes are typically 2½ inches tall. While the difference in sizes seems small, it actually equals a 15% difference in capacity. That can really affect the outcome of your bake—especially in quick breads and those that use less than three cups of flour.
If your recipe calls for a 8½x4½-inch pan and you use a 9×5, your bread could fall flat instead of properly rising. On the other hand, if your recipe calls for a 9×5 and you use a 8½x4½, your batter may overflow and burn in the oven!
If you don’t have the right size pan for your recipe, here’s how to adapt baking recipes so you can use the pans you already have in your kitchen.
What If Your Recipe Doesn’t Specify?
You should always follow the directions on which size pan to use, but what should you do if it doesn’t say? Because the limit of any loaf pan is about two-thirds full, we recommend you choose the 8½x4½. Fill the pan until it’s two-thirds full, and if there is any remaining batter, fill up a muffin tin. This ensures you get a beautifully risen loaf instead of a potentially flat loaf in a 9×5.
Now that you know the importance of pan sizes, it’s time to make a loaf of the Best-Ever Banana Bread!
Quick Breads to Make in a Loaf Pan
Pina Colada Zucchini BreadPina colada zucchini bread is a fun new take on the usual quick bread loaf. This recipe is filled with tons of summery flavors, from tropical pineapple and coconut to heady rum and vanilla.
Ever wondered what is quick bread? Our guide will tell you.
Blueberry BreadThis blueberry bread recipe is a simple quick bread you'll look forward to making when fresh blueberries are in season.
Key Lime BreadThis easy Key lime bread is a sweet and tangy twist on classic quick bread. The glazed loaf is perfect for breakfast, dessert or a midday snack.
Parmesan Zucchini BreadThis loaf has a rugged, textured look that adds to its old-fashioned appeal. The mild Parmesan flavor nicely complements the zucchini, which adds bits of green color to every tender slice. —Christine Wilson, Sellersville, Pennsylvania
Chocolate Chai Mini LoavesThis bread is irresistible! A friend gets mad when I make it because I give her a loaf and she can't help but eat the whole thing! —Lisa Christensen, Poplar Grove, Illinois
Learn how to convert a quick bread recipe into mini loaves.
Louisiana Pecan Bacon BreadOne Christmas, the babysitter brought gifts for my daughter and a basket of goodies, including pecan bread. When I make this bread, I remember that kind soul. This bread won a blue ribbon at the Los Angeles County Fair in 1988, and I still bake it for family and friends. —Marina Castle-Kelley, Canyon Country, California
Cranberry Walnut BreadSome quick bread recipes have just a sprinkling of fillings, but this cranberry walnut bread is loaded with fruit in every slice. It's a lovely autumnal treat for breakfast or dessert.
Bacon Walnut Bread with Honey ButterMy savory walnut bread filled with bacon bits and blue cheese dressing is complemented by the sweetness of honey-flavored butter. Cut yourself a thick slice, slather on the butter and enjoy!—Pam Ivbuls, Omaha, Nebraska
Strawberry BreadMy husband and I are strawberry lovers, so each spring we pick about 30 quarts. This strawberry bread recipe makes two delicious loaves. One we eat right away; the other we freeze and pull out when family comes to visit.
Herb Quick BreadThis simple bread is especially good with soups and stews, but slices are also tasty alongside fresh green salads. The herbs make it a flavorful treat any time of the year. —Donna Roberts, Manhattan, Kansas
Lemon-Thyme Tea BreadI received this recipe as part of a gift, along with a lemon thyme plant and a fresh loaf of this pound cake-like bread. Everyone who tries it asks for the recipe. —Jeannette Mango, Parkesburg, Pennsylvania
Pumpkin Banana BreadThis easy pumpkin banana bread recipe is a delicious way to welcome in fall.
A Bit Nutty Boston Brown BreadHearty and dense, my homemade Boston Brown Bread features hazelnuts for a delightfully nutty taste. Thick slices pair well with just about anything, from soup and stews to pasta and meat entrees. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Apple Zucchini BreadThis quick apple zucchini bread spotlights late-summer produce. It's easy to bake and absolutely delicious.
Autumn Pear BreadPears give these little loaves delicious flavor and help keep them nice and moist. They make lovely gifts to share, too. —Mary Lynn Wilson, Linden, Texas
Date Pecan Tea BreadPacked with dates and pecans, this sweet bread is excellent on its own and even better topped with the chunky cream cheese spread. We enjoy it during the holiday season, but also for after-school and late-night snacks. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
(Get recipes for more types of sweet bread!)
Pineapple Cherry LoavesPineapple adds a fun twist to this holiday quick bread, plus it wakes each delicious bite nice and moist. My family prefers this to traditional fruitcake.
—Dolores Peltier, Warren, Michigan
Sun-Dried Tomato Provolone BreadThis savory quick bread, which was passed down from my mother, is packed with great flavors. It not only goes well will soups and chowders, but makes a delicious accompaniment to beef and chicken entrees. —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan
Praline-Topped Apple BreadApples, toasted pecans and a praline glaze make this bread perfect for a holiday celebration—or anytime. We like it better than our go-to coffee cake. —Sonja Blow, Nixa, Missouri
Rhubarb BreadRhubarb bread is the perfect recipe for springtime, when rhubarb ripens. If you're not familiar with rhubarb, it has a tart flavor that combines wonderfully with sweet treats.
Roasted Butternut Squash BreadButternut squash is so versatile, I use it to make a sweet and savory bread that’s fabulous for breakfast, snacking or even dessert. —Sarah Meuser, New Milford, Connecticut
Banana BreadOur best ever banana bread is soft, moist and filled with a caramelized banana flavor. It’s easy to see why bakers love this recipe!
Cinnamon Roll BreadAll the delicious flavors you can't resist in a cinnamon roll are packed into this way-easier-to-make cinnamon roll bread recipe. We usually make this quick bread without a glaze, but you can easily add a glazed topping to take it to the next level.
Lemon Yogurt BreadThis tender bread will remind you of pound cake. Its mild lemon flavor and cakelike texture makes it perfect for brunch or a mid-afternoon snack. —Suzy Horvath, Milwaukie, Oregon
Banana Nut BreadThis banana nut bread recipe has everything: tangy cream cheese, crunchy pecans and sweet bananas, of course, plus a rich glaze that makes it the best banana bread you've ever eaten.
Pumpkin Cranberry BreadWhat makes this pumpkin cranberry bread recipe truly special is its versatility and ease of preparation yielding two loaves that are delicious to share or to stock your freezer for future sweet treats.
Drizzled Butternut BreadMy two young children love this buttercup yellow bread. Squash makes it moist and goes so well with the cinnamon. This will be a welcome addition to a brunch or dinner table.—Misty Thompson, Gaylesville, Alabama
Sweet Potato BreadOne slice of this warm, tender sweet potato bread and you’ll see why it’s one of our favorite sweet potato fall desserts.
Eggnog BreadThis eggnog bread recipe uses eggnog right in the batter. In just a few simple steps, you can produce three moist and tender mini loaves perfect for the holidays.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese BreadTender, plush and generously fall-spiced, our pumpkin cream cheese bread is an elevated fall bake thanks to its cheesecake-like filling, fun mix-ins and sweet vanilla icing.
Pear Bread RecipeThis pear bread recipe needs to be at the forefront of your next fall baking affair. It makes two warmly spiced and pear-studded bread loaves that just taste like a crisp autumn day.
Apple Banana BreadAs if the tender apple banana bread loaf wasn’t delicious enough, we top it with a sticky, salted, coconut-caramel glaze. Every bite is pure perfection!
Cranberry Orange BreadBake up a batch of this sweet, tart cranberry orange bread that combines the flavor of cranberries and orange peel. You can add an orange glaze to sweeten it more, or top it with chopped nuts for a little crunch.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip BreadOur recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bread is a fall staple for any day, any time of the week.
Candy Cane Chocolate LoavesWhen I had a bunch of leftover candy canes after the holidays, I was inspired to use them up by adding them to a chocolate bread. Coffee and cocoa intensify the flavor. —Shelly Platten, Amherst, Wisconsin
