Is there any reason why a cake recipe (for a square, round, or bundt shape) can't be adapted for a loaf cake pan?

The only possible drawback I could think of was perhaps that loaf pan slices are thinner, and a more crumbly cake wouldn't hold up as well in loaf slice form - ? If anyone has experience w/ this, I'd appreciate your advice. I like to bring treats to work, and because I commute on public transportation, schlepping a larger cake size is not really possible (although I can easily tuck a loaf pan into my bag!). Thanks in advance for your input.

KK
  • Posted by: KK
  • July 3, 2019
  • 2301 views
  • 3 Comments

3 Comments

Miss_Karen
Miss_Karen July 5, 2019
I would be wary of the loaf pan producing a VERY under done/raw center....baking times/temp will certainly need to be adjusted.Go w/ Snaug's advice about using a Bundt pan recipe as a reference.
 
Smaug
Smaug July 3, 2019
A lot of cakes will be adaptable, but it can have a lot of effect on how the cake comes out. A loaf pan will actually cook similarly to a Bundt or tube pan and, so long as you adjust the amount of batter to fill the pan similarly you're probably fine. Layers and thin cakes will cook differently, however- to cook a layer pan the heat will only have to penetrate around an inch, maybe less, to reach the center of the cake and it making it deeper will result in much more "crust" for the amount of cake, or an underdone center. Also, the deeper a cake is the more weight it has to support while baking, and that can interfere with the rise. In most cases you will probably be able to turn out something edible, but it can change the character of the cake quite a bit.
 
Nancy
Nancy July 3, 2019
Good question. Some layer cakes are likely to be lighter and possibly crumbly.
But if most recipes that start as a bundt cake should be ok in a loaf as they are usually denser.
Same with pound cakes, or marble cakes (chocolate and vanilla swirls).
Last, perhaps have a look at this master recipe for a loaf cake, with about 40 or 50 flavor variations. Should keep you and your work mates fed for a few weeks, or months.
https://food52.com/recipes/70645-a-to-z-loaf-or-layer-cake
 
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