In the first pandemic spring, U.S. flour sales spiked more than 150% year-over-year, Nielsen reported. That surge wasn’t only sourdough. It rekindled a simple question in home kitchens that hasn’t faded: Can you turn a cupcake recipe into a cake without wrecking the crumb?
Here’s the thing: the trend behind that question is bigger than a cute bake. Searches for “sheet cake” and “snacking cake” have climbed while “cupcake” queries have softened, according to Google Trends. Consumers want fewer batches, less fuss, and bakes that travel well to offices and potlucks. That touches everyone in the baking economy—home cooks looking to stretch budgets, retailers selling mixes and pans, and brands like King Arthur Baking and Betty Crocker steering trust at scale. Investors watch the baking aisle for steady, inflation‑era comfort buys. Employees in test kitchens see conversions as a customer service moat. And consumers, as always, want a sure‑thing method that won’t collapse in the middle.
The Data:
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According to Google Trends, U.S. searches for “sheet cake” have more than doubled since 2019, while “cupcake” interest has drifted lower. That signals a shift from individual portions to one‑pan practicality.
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Nielsen reported flour sales rose over 150% year-over-year in late March 2020; while volumes normalized later, at-home baking stayed structurally higher than 2019 levels into 2024, per Circana category snapshots.
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Circana retail scanner data shows cake and cupcake mixes posted low single‑digit dollar growth in 2024, with flat or slightly down unit volumes—classic “do more with what you have” behavior as shoppers look to reduce waste and repurpose pans.
Quick Answer: Can I Use a Cupcake Recipe for a Cake?
Yes, with small tweaks. Most cupcake batters bake perfectly as one or two cake layers or as a 9-by‑13-inch sheet. You’ll adjust three things: pan size, baking time/temperature, and sometimes leavening. As a rule of thumb, 24 standard cupcakes convert to two 9‑inch round layers or one 9‑by‑13-inch sheet. Bake at 325–350°F and extend the time; protect the edges; and let it cool fully. Brands like King Arthur Baking note that structure and leavening, not mixing order, make or break the conversion.
Can I use a cupcake recipe for a cake (Step‑By‑Step Guide)
1. Map Your Pan Conversion and Volume
Start with volume, not vibes. A standard cupcake well holds about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter. One dozen cupcakes equals roughly one 9‑inch round layer in volume; two dozen line up with two 9‑inch rounds or a 9‑by‑13‑inch pan. In surface area terms, a 9‑inch round is about 64 square inches; two rounds are ~128; a 9‑by‑13 is 117. You’re in the same neighborhood, which is what matters.
If your cupcake recipe says it makes 12 cupcakes, plan on one 8‑ or 9‑inch round. If it makes 24, think two 8‑ or 9‑inch rounds or a 9‑by‑13. If your recipe yields “about 16 cupcakes,” that’s closer to one tall 9‑inch or a 9‑by‑9 square. When in doubt, under‑fill the pan to two‑thirds full. Keep a couple of cupcake wells lined to bake off any extra batter (no one complains about a bonus cook’s treat).
Choose lighter‑colored pans to avoid scorched edges. For very airy batters (angel food, chiffon), stick to tube pans—those recipes rely on sides for climbing. For standard cupcakes (butter, oil, reverse‑creamed), you’re fine in rounds, squares, or a sheet pan.
Record what you do. Write down the pan size and how high you filled the batter. If the cake domed too much, you’ll know to go shallower next time. If it baked flat, you probably nailed it.
2. Temper The Leavening and Structure
Cupcake formulas often push leavening a touch so the tops dome fast and look plush. In a larger pan, that same lift can over‑inflate the crumb, then collapse. The fix is small and simple: if your cupcakes are very domed, reduce total baking powder by about 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour when converting to a full cake. If your formula uses both baking powder and soda, keep the soda (it’s tied to acidity) and trim the powder.
Structure is the other half. Larger cakes hold heat longer and need a crumb that can carry the load. Mix to medium development—creamed butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, eggs one at a time until emulsified, dry ingredients in on low just until combined. Don’t whip extra air at the end. Overaerated batter rises fast, then sinks. If your cupcake recipe uses reverse creaming (mixing fat into flour first), you’re already ahead; that method builds a fine, sturdy crumb that scales well.
For high‑sugar cupcakes (think 1:1 sugar to flour by weight or more), consider shaving a tablespoon or two of sugar per cup of flour for the cake version to curb over‑browning. Or keep the sugar as is, but bake at 325°F instead of 350°F. Either path buys you a more even bake and less risk of a gummy streak.
3. Dial In Oven Temperature And Time
Heat management is the conversion’s make‑or‑break. Cupcakes bake hot and quick—often at 350°F for 18–22 minutes. A cake in a bigger pan needs a calmer climb. Try 325–340°F to start, then adjust.
General timing guide:
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One 8‑ or 9‑inch round: 25–35 minutes at 325–350°F
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Two 8‑inch rounds: 22–28 minutes at 325–350°F
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9‑by‑13‑inch sheet: 28–38 minutes at 325–350°F
Start checking at the earliest time. Rotate the pan once, halfway through, if your oven runs hot on one side. Use physical doneness cues, not just a timer: the center springs back; a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; the cake pulls slightly from the edges. If the top browns before the center sets, tent loosely with foil and drop the oven temperature by 10–15 degrees. If the center domes and the edges lag, your oven is high—lower the temp and bake a touch longer next time.
A small water pan on a lower rack can stabilize dry ovens. For layer cakes, cake strips (or a fold of damp towel around the pan) keep edges from setting too fast, which evens the top. These little tricks turn a “good enough” conversion into one that looks bakery‑clean.
4. Prep The Pan and Manage The Batter
Pan prep is boring until it ruins your day. Butter or spray the pan, line the bottom with parchment, then butter/spray again. Dust with flour and tap out the extra for butter cakes; for cocoa‑heavy batters, dust with cocoa to avoid a white ring. Parchment is non‑negotiable in rounds and squares if you want a clean release.
Scrape the batter into the pan and level it with an offset spatula. Bang the pan once on the counter to pop large air pockets. If the batter sat while you prepared pans, give it a brief fold to recombine, especially if it’s oil‑based and has separated a bit. Don’t whip; you’ll add unwanted air.
Fill to no more than two‑thirds full. That gives the cake headroom to rise without spilling. For two layers, weigh the pans to divide batter evenly—most home scales make this easy. Even layers bake at the same rate, which makes stacking painless.
One more small hedge: if your cupcake crumb tended to tunnel (those long air pockets inside), ditch the high‑speed final mix. Fold the last streaks of flour in by hand. Gentle mixing reduces tunneling and gives a tight, even crumb that slices clean.
5. Fine‑Tune Moisture and Crumb
Cupcakes are usually eaten the day they’re baked; they can be sweeter and softer. Cakes—especially sheets—need to hold for a day or two. That’s where moisture tweaks help.
If your cupcake recipe is very low‑hydration (less than, say, 60% liquid to flour by weight), whisk in 1–3 tablespoons of milk, buttermilk, or sour cream when you convert to a cake. That extra moisture helps a larger pan resist drying at the edges while the center finishes. If your batter is already quite fluid (oil‑based with water or buttermilk), you probably don’t need this step.
Use the old‑school baker’s trick: brush simple syrup (equal parts sugar and hot water, cooled) over the cake once it’s barely warm. You can flavor it with vanilla, citrus, coffee, or almond. It’s insurance against dryness and adds polish. For chocolate, coffee syrup is magic. Vanilla, vanilla‑bean, or lemon syrup wakes up flavor without making it wet.
If you’re baking gluten‑free, rely on a blend with a binder (xanthan or psyllium). Let batter rest 10–15 minutes before baking so starches hydrate; that reduces grittiness and improves structure in a larger pan. If dairy‑free, fat matters—use neutral oil or a high‑fat plant butter to keep tenderness. And for whole‑grain swaps, consider increasing liquid by a tablespoon or two; whole grains are thirsty.
6. Cool, Release, Frost, and Hold Like a Pro
Cooling is part of baking. A hot cake is fragile and tears. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10–15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges and flip onto the rack. Peel off the parchment. Flip right‑side up and let it cool until the bottom feels room-temperature—at least 60–90 minutes for rounds and a bit longer for a 9‑by‑13. If you rush, steam gets trapped, and the crumb turns gummy.
For layer cakes, lock in moisture with a light syrup brush after the cake has cooled. Then do a crumb coat: a thin layer of frosting that catches stray crumbs. Chill 15–20 minutes to set, then finish with the final coat. If you converted from cupcakes with an extra‑soft crumb, this two‑step frosting routine hides sins.
Frosting choice matters. Buttercreams with higher butter ratios firm up and travel well; meringue buttercreams stay silky. Cream‑cheese frosting is tangy but softer—stack two layers max or chill between steps. For sheet cakes, a simple glaze or pour‑over ganache gives a modern finish without heavy sweetness.
Storage: wrap unfrosted cakes tightly and keep at room temp for a day, or freeze layers up to two months. Frosted cakes hold well under a cake dome for 24–48 hours, depending on frosting. Butter cakes taste best at room temperature; pull from the fridge 45–60 minutes before serving. Yes, patience is a secret ingredient.
The People:
“A cupcake batter isn’t a different species from a cake—it’s a serving format,” a veteran test‑kitchen director told me. “Most failures come from heat, not ingredients. People bake the big pan like it’s a tray of cupcakes and then wonder why the middle sinks.” That aligns with what King Arthur Baking’s community managers field in their forums year‑round: conversion questions spike around holidays and school events. One brand insider noted that posts about pan swaps and bake times drive outsized engagement because they remove anxiety. This smells like a classic content moat—teach the why, not just the what, and customers stick around for the next project.
Independent bakery owners say the same thing, minus the corporate gloss. “We write our vanilla cupcake so it domes. For the party sheet cake, we reduce the leavening and watch the edge browning. Same flavors, different physics,” said a pastry chef who consults for regional grocers. The subtext is clear: even in pro kitchens, the fix is small tweaks, not a new recipe.
The Fallout:
There’s a quiet economic angle. When home bakers learn conversions, they waste less. Fewer test runs to get it right. Fewer tossed cakes with gooey centers. That has two effects. First, it supports premium ingredients—if you’re confident, you’ll splurge on better flour, real vanilla, or decent cocoa because you’re not gambling. Second, it changes what sells at retail. Pan assortments with two 8‑inch rounds and one 9‑by‑13 land in more carts. Lighter‑colored pans win over dark “professional” ones because home bakers figure out the browning trade‑offs. Brands that teach these lessons earn trust and loyalty—content as a margin lever.
On the corporate side, this is a customer service strategy, not just baking help. Test‑kitchen content that tackles conversions reduces returns (yes, even for baking mixes), improves star ratings online, and deepens community. Analysts now predict that the baking aisle will keep its status as a steady, low‑beta category, even as inflation cools; small, frequent comfort purchases tend to stick in consumer habits. Mixes, flours, and frostings won’t post tech‑style growth, but they’re a hedge.
For companies like King Arthur Baking—employee‑owned, mission‑forward—educational content compounds word‑of‑mouth. For big‑box brands, it keeps them on the weeknight dessert radar.
Consumers benefit most. The ability to turn a dozen cupcakes into a birthday cake without a grocery run is a budget and time win. It also pushes more sustainable kitchens: one pan, less disposable hardware, fewer paper liners. If there’s a warning label, it’s this: marketing often frames every bake as a new product you need. You don’t. Pan math, a thermometer, and a few guardrails beat a new box on the shelf.
Closing Thought
If home bakers keep converting with confidence, will brands pivot from selling more SKUs to teaching more skills—or will the next “innovation” be a cake mix that promises to be both cupcakes and sheet cakes out of the box? Either way, whose crumb do you trust more: your own, or the label’s? And if a humble temp tweak can rescue a recipe, what else in the kitchen is waiting for a smarter nudge?
