baking bread in a cake pan when recipe says a loaf pan
i baked a cake in a cake pan instead of a loaf pan as the recipe called for. i think i knew the yield would b close, so i merely made a special effort to check on the timing and i was fine.
a bread might b different. i have like 3 bread pans. maybe one is the right size or close. but i'm just wondering if as a general rule, it's best for breads to b baked in loaf pans and not the wider spaces of a cake pan. Of course, i can try it in a cake pan, and see what happens. Tx
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5 Comments
If you're going to use or serve the bread for sandwiches, definitely use a loaf pan.
For various other presentations (braided loaf, rolls, pull-apart loaf) you can use oval, rectangle or round low pans like cast iron skillet, 9x13" (lasagna or roast pan), round cake pan, sheet pan.
Your choice.
The main point of using a loaf pan is the higher sides. When the dough rises, the mass moves up. If you use a lower, flatter cake pan, the dough will move toward the sides.
If the cake pan sides are insufficiently high, the dough may spill over sort of like a muffin top but messier. This may result in an inconsistent bake: over baked along the edges and/or under baked in the center.
You could easily experiment by making a 2 loaf recipe and putting one in a loaf pan and another in a cake pan, baking both, and comparing the two.
For sure there are some cultural expectations for traditional breads: focaccia and ciabatta are lower, squatter loaves, brioche and Japanese milk bread are taller loaves. It's really up to you if you want to buck tradition.
If you like the end result, go for it regardless.
Best of luck.
it was served for breakfast by a B&B and spread w butter. i'm thinking that whole wheat flour would b a better choice for a more bread-like result worthy of butter.