Lindy's Cakes Ltd

Bringing world-class sugarcraft into your kitchen

How do I change cake recipe quantities?

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I keep being asked how to adapt or scale a cake recipe quantities to bake a larger or smaller cake. It’s not difficult and instructions are given in some of my cake decorating books! Below, however, is the chart you will need if you are up for the maths! If not see my alternative approach at the bottom of the page.

How to use the cake recipe quantities chart

The chart assumes that your own basic recipe will be for a 20cm (8in) round cake that is 7.5cm (3in) deep, as this, at the time of writing, is the most common size. Therefore, if you want to make a 25.5cm (10in) round cake, for example, look at the chart and you will see that you need 1 1⁄2 times the quantity of your usual recipe.

Cake size

Multiples of your own basic recipe

(approximate quantities)

Round and

petal

Square and hexagon (measured side to side)

Ball

7.5cm (3in)

    

1/8 [not really practical to make any smaller]

10cm (4in)

7.5cm (3in)

10cm (4in)

¼

12.5cm(5in)

10cm (4in)

 

1/3

15cm (6in)

12.5cm (5in)

12.5cm (5in)

½

18cm (7in)

15cm (6in)

 

¾

20cm (8in)

18cm(7in)

15cm (6in)

1

23cm (9in)

20cm (8in)

 

1 ¼

25.5cm (10in)

23cm (9in)

 

1 ½

28cm (11in)

25.5cm (10in)

 

2

30cm(12in)

28cm (11in)

 

2 ½

33cm (13in)

30cm (12in)

 

3

35.5cm (14in)

33cm (13in)

  

3 ½

Cake recipe quantities chart developed and tested by Lindy Smith

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Further explanation of the maths

Below is a Facebook Live video that I made to help explain the chart a little further…hope it helps.

Changing recipe quantities for other shapes and sizes

If you wish to use a tin (pan) that is not mentioned above, such as a pre-formed shaped tin or oval, fill a 20cm (8in) x 7.5cm (3in) tin with water and compare it with the quantity of water that your tin holds. The basic recipe quantity can then be multiplied or divided as necessary.

Scaling down recipe quantities

If you want to make a very small cake, often I think the best solution is to forget the maths and follow your standard recipe quantities, using the leftover mixture to create cupcakes or mini cakes. Store these in your freezer for another time or share with family or friends.

Tasty cake recipes to try

Before you go…Would you like to try a new cake recipe? We have a whole blog category dedicated to tasty bakes, so why not visit  ‘Recipes to Bake‘ to see what appeals? Cake recipes include my delicious chocolate fudge cake recipe – yummy!

Sweet wishes
Lindy

‘Bringing world-class sugarcraft into your kitchen’

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About Lindy Smith

Award winning, best-selling author and sugarcraft artist, who loves to design beautiful colourful cakes, inspire, teach and supply you with gorgeous products.

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Comments

  1. Debbie Oliver says

    hi Lindy I have a friend that wants me to make a cake for her baby shower, the cake is made in a 2 litre bowl and the recepie is a 5 egg maderia mixture my problem is my friend wants the chocolate cake in your inspire and desire book but i can’t work out what cake size to use, i thought maybe the 8 inch round and the mix that was left over i’d make some cup cakes, Would that be right or way too much? thanks so much Debbie xx

  3. abbie says

    hi,
    just a quick question. If i am making in a 28cm tine do I need to alter cooking time? recipe is for an 8” round tin, and bake at 140 degrees C for 40 mins-1 hour. Obviously I am making this by 2 1/2 so do i double up on cooking time or should it be the same!
    Thanks,
    Abbie

  5. bonnie says

    thank you for being there.have just made a cake for my great

    -gran daughter christening could not have done it with out your help.

  6. Jessica Ellis says

    Hi Lindy,

    My Mum and I are going to make my wedding cake. I would like a madeira cake at the bottom, a lemon cake in the middle and a fruit cake on on top. Would a 12 inch, 9 inch and a 6 inch be big enough for 90 people? If not, what sizes would you use? Also, what quantities would you use and what temperature and for how long would you bake the cakes for?

    Thank you,

    Jessica

  7. Jane Dolder says

    Hello Jessica,
    I would suggest you look at Lindy’s Cakes to Inspire and Desire which contains recipes, portions and baking times. You can obtain this from our online shop.
    Jane

  8. lisa says

    Hi
    I’m making a plain cake in a 12″ square tin but what temperature and how long do i bake it.
    Thanks

  9. Lindys Team says

    You would need to bake a 12 inch square madeira cake for between 2 and a quarter and 2 and a half hours at 160 degrees Celcius (325 degrees Fahrenheit / Gas Mark 3).

  10. Dawn Springett says

    HI,

    If I have a wedding cake recipe for a 9″ fruit cake, how do I work out quantities for a 12″ and 6″ cake?

    Hope you can help,
    Dawn

  11. Lindys Team says

    Hello Dawn,

    We tend to use an 8″ basic recipe as our starting point when adapting recipes.
    If your start point was an 8″ fruit cake, you would need 2 1/2 times the ingredients for a 12″ cake and 1/2 the ingredients for a 6″ cake.

    I hope this helps

  12. sharon says

    hi i am going to try to make a two tier weeding cake i would like your advise on the right ingedients for a 35.5cm and a 23cm mudcake reciept i would be greatful for your help

  13. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sharon,
    There is a mud cake recipe on Lindys blog.
    Click here

    Use this recipe with the chart above to work out how much mixture you will need for each cake
    Hope this helps!

  14. lora says

    hi lindy ,

    i am wanting to make an 10″ maderia cake , as your recpie is for an 8″ , i have read your instructions for changing the measurments, but i dont fully understand, it says times the quanty to 1 1/2 but what does that mean …. like if the butter is 12 oz make it 30 oz or does it mean make it 18 oz ??? if you could get back to me asap that would be great as i am making the cake tonight for a 40th wedding anniversary party ..

    thank you

    lora

  16. Emma Roberts says

    Hi Lindy

    I am due to make a 12 inch oval madeira this week and have been unable to find any recipe quantities for oval cakes – could you give me any advice? I used all of your tips re the perfect madeira with the last cake i made (except the glycerine as i couldn’t get hold of any) and i couldn’t believe how great the cake turned out! When baking an oval cake are there any other tips you could offer as i’m concerned that the assymetrical shape may result in uneven cooking. Thanks very much, Emma.

  17. Lindy Smith says

    Hi Emma
    To work out the amount of cake batter you will need, firstly measure the volume of the oval tin. Do this by filling the tin with water and then tipping this carefully into a measuring jug. Do this for a standard 8in tin or tin you know your recipe suits and then compare the volume and work out the appropriate multiple.
    Hope that makes sense
    Good luck
    Lindy

  18. Tracy says

    I purchased one of your books a few months ago and say that the madeira cake turns out brilliantly everytime! I’m going to make a 14″ square madeira. Would you multiply the receipe by 4 for this size?

  20. lora says

    hi lindy

    for a 6in round, how would i do that , like do i half everthing or do i take 25% off .

    thanks
    lora

  22. AIleen Walsh says

    lindy thank you so much for sharing! your cakes incredible….and inspirational!

    Aileen

  23. karen says

    Hi Lindy
    I love your cake recipes, the chocolate is soooo good, and all my friends rave about the fruit cake but i would like to make it deeper, 3 1/2 ins for a 6 ins cake, how do i do that and how would i adjust the cooking time, thanks so much
    karen

  24. Jane says

    Hello Karen,
    We don’t have instructions for a 3.5″ high cake. Perhaps you could layer two cakes together to get the height.
    Jane

  25. Rhonda says

    Hi Lindy

    I have been scouring the net for moist chocolate cakes, as I have been designated to bake a wedding cake, to ice the cake (which I have never done before)and to decorate. So although I have found tons of recipes for chocolate & mudcake I need to know if your adaption chart for quantities would still be applicable to any recipe I use. Wedding in two weeks. Cake to be 3 tiers.

  27. Jackie says

    I have been asked to make an open book cake in sponge (not madeira, so have bought a large shaped wilton tin (30 serving) size. I tried adapting the recipe but there isn’t enough mix in the tin. Could you please tell me how much ingredients I should use and how long I should bake the cake. I normally use a quickmix recipe and bake at Gas Mark 3.

    I have used your method of adapting the recipe lots of times with success, but not managed it this time.

    Thank you.

  28. julie says

    im not sure if im putting this in the correct section so sorry if im wrong,
    just a quick question does anyone know why my cakes seem
    to rise in the middle with a crack??
    if tried changing oven temp lower?
    ive done the indent in the middle even to the point where
    i sat worrying in will be lower in the middle but no its still the same?
    i know familt dont mind this but i would like to move on
    and decorate the tops with icing etc but want the top to look even?
    thank you for any advice on this

  29. Jane says

    Hello Jackie,
    If you count a serving as a 2″x 1″ piece of cake, an 8″ square tin recipe would make 29 servings and a 9″ square tin recipe would make 35 servings.
    Hope this is of help.
    Jane

  31. lauren says

    hello lindy on your chat for changing recipes for a larger tin, where it tells you ‘Multiples of your own basic recipe
    then it gives you ither 1/4 or 1/3
    do you weigh out the ingredients first, then weigh out ither
    a 1/4 or 1/3 of the recipe and add it to the other mix?
    can you give me an example or explain it for me in a simpler way thank you xx

  32. lauren says

    hi lindy i love your website, its the only plce were ive been able to find out how to properly convert recipes for lareger tins,
    my question is does the method for the ounces and pounds work for teeaspoon and table spoons? please reply asap as i am making the cake tomorrow
    many thanks, your great, laurenxx

  33. Jane says

    Hello Lauren,
    For example, to change an 8″ round recipe to a 10″ round recipe you would need to increase the ingredients to 1 1/2 times, e.g. an 8″ recipe calls for 350g of butter. You would times 350 by 1 1/2. Weight the total amount of each ingredient needed, it just saves time.
    Good luck
    Jane

  34. Jane says

    Hello Lauren,
    Yes, the measurements work for teaspoons and tablespoons – be sure to use a measuring spoon so you can get an accurate measure.
    Jane

  35. Natasha says

    Hello Lindy

    I am going to be attempting to make my daughter a Dora birthday cake for her party next weekend. Last year I made a Victoria Sponge Peppa Pig which turned out great but am going to attempt a Madeira this year so I can make it in advance. After doing a practice madeira yesterday which was a disaster I came across your blog and it sounds great. I have a template and need to do it in two parts so an 8″ round for the head and 9″ round for the body. I am therefore after the quantities for a 9″ round cake. I understand the table above and have worked out the new quantities needed but, and sorry if it’s a bit of a silly question, as an 8″ is 6 eggs, a 9″ would be 7.5 eggs. How would I split the egg or do you round it up or down? Also how would I adjust the cooking time? I have an electric oven which can be used as fan or conventional.

    Many thanks
    Natasha

  36. Jane says

    Hi Natasha,
    I would use 8 medium eggs (all Lindy’s recipes use large eggs) and cook as for an 8″ and monitor the cake after the timer has gone off, e.g. add 10 mins and check, add a few more minutes each time you check.
    Good luck
    Jane

  37. Lynda Parkinson says

    Thanks for the info on adjusting cake mixtures to various sizes of tins. Could you let me know how to work out the appropriate cooking time adjustments as well please?
    Many thanks

  38. stephanie says

    just realised i do have 2 0f your cake decorating books but could you still give me some advice on my maderia receipe i have been using thank you

  39. Maree H says

    I understand the cake quantity chart, but does the cooking time differ to a normal 20in cook time as i just made a 23in cake & it didn’t cook right through.

  41. Jane says

    Hello Maree,
    You would need to adjust the cooking times when increasing the recipe. Sometimes its just a case of adding an extra 15/20 mins and checking, and then adding more minutes and checking again.
    Good Luck
    Jane

  42. Jane says

    Hello Lynda,
    The best way is to find the nearest size recipe, use these cooking times and then add a little at the end, say 15/20mins, before checking. Then if the cake is not cooked add 5/10 mins at a time, checking each time to see if the cake is cooked.
    Good Luck
    Jane

  43. Ollie says

    Hi, I have an 8″ round tin thats 3″ deep. I would like to make enough mixture to make a cake big enough to rise to the top so that I can just cut it in half when it’s cooked rather than make 2 sepreate cakes. Is this possible? Or am I better off making 2 sepreate cakes? If so how much mixture would I need and would it need a long time in the oven?

    Ollie

  45. Samantha says

    Hi Lindy
    I have been asked to make a retirement cake for a friend. I have the measurements for a 6″ round cake but a 6″ square cake is required. Please can you tell me how to convert from a round to a square cake? This is quite urgent so your earliest reply would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks kindly
    Samantha

  46. Ollie says

    Hi Jane, thank you for your reply!

    I have recently bought some of Lindy’s Books, I still haven’t attempted it just yet. However I am going to bake my son a birthday cake in a couple of weeks and I am using a 12×10″ cake tin. I can’t seem to figure out what mixture I need to use for this tin could you possibly help? I have thought of maybe just using the 12″ square tin recipe or would this be too much?

    Cheers Ollie

  47. Tahira says

    Hi Lindy, I’ll be making a 3 or 4 tier heart shaped wedding cake, however I can’t seem to find any recipes for heart shaped tins. Also there will be 120 guests at the wedding so would I need to do a 4 tier to make sure there is enough to go round? Finally what should the size of bottom tier be if it should be a 4 tier wedding cake? Can you help please?

  48. sue says

    Hi, i want to make a castle cake for my daughter, i have heard that you can use empty food cans to make the turrets. Do i need to line them and how full with mixture should i fill them? thanks.

  49. Lindys Team says

    Hi Tahira,

    Inside Lindy’s book: http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/CakestoInspireandDesire.htm there is information on cake sizes and quantities.
    If you wanted an 8″ heart shape, then you would need to use the quantities for an 8″ round tin.
    Each tier should be 2-3 inches different in size to the other and Lindy recommend starting from the top tier.
    Investing in Cake dummies may help you see the size of tiers you like: http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/OnlineShop-Dummies.htm#miniDummies, as you can play around with the different sizes.
    For the amount of guests you are catering for, Lindy would make a spare cutting cake using the coloured icing of the main cake and keep this in the kitchen. She would use this to give to the guests and they wouldn’t know it wasn’t from the main cake. This way you do not need a huge main cake and the bride and groom could also keep a tier this way if they wish.
    We hope you enjoy making the wedding cake.

    Marina

  50. Lindys Team says

    Hi Ollie,
    Thank you for buying some of Lindy’s books. For the 12×10″ cake tin, treat it as if its an 11″ square tin. Then your quantities will be correct.

    Marina

  52. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sue,
    The castle cake sounds wonderful!
    Empty food cans are good for making the turrets and yes you need to line them.
    How high you fill them depends on what mixture you are using and how tall you would like them.
    A fruit cake doesn’t rise very much whereas a Madeira rises quite a lot.
    Experiment with a few before making the end product.
    Good luck and have fun!

    Marina

  53. caela says

    Ok so we need to go back to basics- I have never baked a large cake (cupcakes are my limit!) let alone decorated one yet I am about to make a christening cake for my god-daughter for sunday!! Can somebody please please give me the basic recipe to make a 10 inch square madeira(?) type cake. I am a complete novice- any advice would be greatly received. need to get over the baking hurdle before I think about decorating!!Many thanks, Caela

  54. Lindys Team says

    Hi Caela,
    Here is the link for the Madeira Recipe.
    By the looks of Lindy’s chart you will need to do 2 times the quantities.
    http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/Blog/2009/12/17/baking-the-perfect-madeira-cake/

    Have a practice first!

    Lindy’s classes are wonderful and teach beginners through to professionals the skills needed to create true works of art:
    http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/sugarcraftworkshopstaughtbylindysmith-uk2011.htm

    Why not come along, and prepare yourself ready for your god-daughters birthday cake, you may get asked to make!

    Marina

  55. Sam says

    Help!
    please can someone let me know asap I have a reciepe for a 10×12 inch cake but my tin is 13.5×9.5 inch will this work

    Many Thanks

  56. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sam,
    The recipe for the 10×12 inch cake (120 square inches) falls just short of the 13.5 x 9.5 (128.25 square inches), so you could choose to have a slightly shallower cake or make slightly more.

    Marina

  57. Helen Gray says

    Please could you advise the quantity I will need for my 9 x 14 inch tin or how best to scale up an oblong tin. Thank you

  58. Lindys Team says

    Hi Helen,

    The quantity needed for your shape tin of 9 x 14 inch is equivalent to a 12 inch round recipe.
    We multiplied the 9 x 14 to make 126 square inches. This is equivalent to a 12 inch round.
    Hope this helps and happy baking!

    Marina

  59. Doreen says

    Hi

    I have my favorite cake recipe of 9 inch tin and i need to make a cake for 11 inch tin . can you help me pls
    Your reply would be greatly appreciated

  60. Liz says

    Can you tell how I scale up from an 8″ round madeira to a 10″ square? all the recipes seem to be for round cakes and I can’t figure out the quanties…help!

  61. Lindys Team says

    Hi Liz,

    The chart on this page assumes that your own basic recipe will be for a 20cm (8in) round cake, as this is the most common size.
    Looking at this chart it says you need to multiply the recipe x 2 for a 10″ square cake.

    Hope this helps.

    Marina

  62. Lindys Team says

    Hi Doreen,
    We would work on it being 2 x your usual recipe and this will leave you with enough left over to make a few cupcakes!
    Have fun!
    Marina

  63. lorraine says

    Hi

    A friend has asked me to make her wedding cake and she would like a 3 tier sponge of various flavours covered in white cigarillos. My problem is that I’ve tried to bake a victoria sponge cake in one 8in deep tin but it was very heavy and sank in the middle. I need a chocolate, vanilla sponge and carrot cake recipe suitable to bake in a 12, 9 and 6 inch tin respective. I would appreciate any advise.
    Thanks
    Lorraine

  64. Kerry says

    Hi, please help I have a recipe for an 8″ Square Fruit cake but need to scale it up to a 14″ square fruit cake for my friends wedding cake. Please can you tell me how much I need to scale up the ingredients by? thank you, Kerry

  65. Hayley says

    Hi there,

    Im attempting to make my own wedding cake. Its going to be a 4 tier Victoria sponge 12″ 10″ 8″ and 6″. Ive already done a trial and turned out ok but need exact measurments for each tier and cooking times. Im planning on as i cook each tier putting all the ingredients in the same tin at once and then cutting the cake into 3 layers then having 2 layers of jam and buttercream. The tins are 5 inches deep. i will be decorating with summer berries and a dusting of icing sugar. Any advice very welcome

  66. Lindys Team says

    Hi Hayley,

    We recommend our recipes on this blog as they are tried an tested by Lindy and her team and therefore we cannot comment on a victoria sponge I’m afraid.
    Can anyone else advise on this?
    Wishing you the best.

    Marina

  67. Lindy Smith says

    Hi Kerry
    You need to think about volume. Assuming the 8in square recipe gives a 3in deep cake your volume would be 8x8x3 = 192 sq inches to bake a 14in cake you will need a volume of 14x14x3 = 588 sq inches. 588/192 = 3.06 so you will need approximately 3 times the recipe.
    Does that make it clearer?
    Good luck and happy baking
    Lindy

  68. Gemma Fell says

    Hi Lindy
    i bought a cake tin today but thinking it must be odd measurements because i cant find it listed above in your quantities. Its says its exterior size is 9 1/2″ x 3″ and interior is 8 3/4″ x 2 3/4″. So now im not sure which measurements to follow and the quantities now. What would be your advice?
    Thanks Gemma

  69. Lindy Smith says

    Gemma
    It’s the internal measurements that are the ones you need to measure. Regards cake recipes I suggest you use 23cm (9in) ones for this tin.
    Happy Baking
    Lindy

  71. Adele Woods says

    Hi Lindy

    I am adapting my usual receipe for an 8 inch cake in accordance with your chart above for a 13 by 9 rectangular cake. Normally I use 8oz each of butter, sugar and flour and 4 medium eggs. Using your chart I would need 14 eggs and 28oz each of butter, sugar and flour. Does this sound right to you? it just seems such a lot.

    Many thanks
    Adele

  72. Jackie says

    I hope you can help me. I have been asked to make a 50th birthday cake in fruit in the shaped numeral tins. I don’t know what quantities to use for a shaped fruit cake or how long the cakes would need to be baked. Is it possible to do this and is a normal rich fruit recipe the best recipe to follow?

  73. Lindys Team says

    Hi Jackie,
    To work out the sizes, first fill the numerical tins with water to work out the volume and then find a normal round or square tin that holds the same amount. Then use the recipe for that normal size tin for your numerical ones.
    Take care,

    Marina

  74. Jackie says

    Thank you so much for replying to me. I wasn’t sure if it would work the same for a fruit cake, but I will do that.

  75. Lindys Team says

    Hi Adele,
    The quantities that you have quoted for the 13×9″ rectangular cake sound correct. Before making it, just check the quantities again just to make sure.
    Best wishes
    Marina

  76. Sam says

    Hi

    I am baking a batman wings cake for my boyfriends sons 5th birthday and I am using a 14″ square cake tin (it is approx 3 ” deep), could you tell me how much extra I need to add on to the quantities. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks in advance
    Sam

  77. Danielle says

    For a rectangle tin 11″by 15″by 3″ how many times would I need to modify the ingredients list??

  78. Karen Duxbury says

    Hi,
    Thanks for this really useful chart, one question I have though is how do cooking times change.
    I will be baking a 10in square cake. The 8in round recipe says to bake for 1.5 – 1.75 hrs at 170C, 325F Mark 3. Do you know how I would adapt this?
    Thanks

  79. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sam,

    We recommend you could fill the tin with water and transfer this to a regular cake tin. By doing this you will see how much mixture you will need and can tweak your recipe accordingly.

    Sounds like a fun cake!

    Sara

  80. Lindys Team says

    Hi Karen,
    It really is trial and error, we would recommend baking for another 10 minutes and keep checking until your knife comes out clean.
    Best wishes

    Marina

  81. Lindys Team says

    Hi Danielle,

    If you wish to use a tin (pan) that is not mentioned in the chart, such as a pre-formed shaped tin or oval, fill a 20cm (8in) tin with water and compare it with the quantity of water that your tin holds. The basic recipe quantity can then be multiplied or divided as necessary.

    Take it easy

    Sara

  82. karen says

    hi is it possable to use the chocolate fudge cake in the 2.5 multi cake tin many thanks karen

  85. Rachel Emmerson says

    Hello Linda,

    i need help to convert my 8″ inch round by 2 1/2 inch deep xmas cake recipe for use in a 12″ Square by 4″ inch deep multisize pan . I wish to make 9, 4″ inch square cakes. Can i just triple my favourite recipe?

  86. Sheri says

    Hi,

    I am making a rectangular Madeira cake the tin is 14inches by 10inches.

    I am a bit unsure as to what quantities to use?

    Thank you

  87. Lindys Team says

    Hi Rachel, Sarah, Sheri
    We have amended our blog post to show the depth of the tin we are using as an example.
    You should now find all the relevant information regarding tin sizes and quantities on this post.
    Happy baking!
    Marina

  88. kellie mcmahon says

    I am making a 10″ square sponge cake. I have seen your chart on how to adjust the recipe quantities but do I need to adjust the cooking time and temperature as well?

  89. Karen says

    Hi

    I am wanting to make a 12 inch cake that is 5 inches deep. I was going to make a maderia but was not sure on the recipe to use.

    Do you have any advice?

    Many Thanks

    Karen

  90. Sophie Robertson says

    Hi, many thanks for the conversion chart! I have searched high and low for information on how to change quantities over the last couple of years when making my kids birthday cakes and always end up decorating a victoria sandwich!!

    Anyway, I would like to make and decorate a rectangular shaped cake and was thinking of using a victoria sponge recipe (would this be ok??)

    I have found various rectangular baking trays to buy (I only have small round sandwich tins) which measure 9x13in (depths vary from 4cm to 5cm).

    What quantities would you suggest I use? Is the depth of these trays enough?

    Many thanks

    Sophie

  91. Jane says

    Hello Kellie,
    For our Madeira recipe you would just need to adjust the cooking time. The larger the cake, the longer the cooking time.
    Jane

  92. Jane says

    Hello Karen,
    You would need to increase the ingredients for a 5″ deep cake. You could fill the cake tin with water to find the volume and then pour the water into another 3″ cake tin and find the size.
    Hope this makes sense.
    Jane

  93. Jane says

    Hello Sophie,
    We always recommend using a dense cake for decorating with sugarpaste, i.e. a Madeira. We have an excellent post on our blog for baking the perfect Madeira. The cake should be at least 7.5cm deep. We have a multi-sized tin on our website if you would like to take a look.
    Jane

  94. Ann says

    Hello Jane

    Please help?
    I am baking a 10″ round cake 3″ deep. I have used the basic recipe as on Lindy’s instructions and then increased everything by 1 1/2 times as on the table (18oz of unsalted butter, castor sugar, self raising flour, 9 oz of plain flour, 9 eggs and 9 qtr teaspoons glycerin, lemon juice of two lemons). The cake was in the oven for 3hrs 10 minutes, when tried with a skewer it came out clean. The cake in the middle appears wet and heavy but the remainder of the cake is very tasty. Can you please advise what it is that I am doing wrong.

    Many thanks i

    Ann

  95. Natalie says

    Hi,

    I’m making a 14″ numerical birthday cake, with a Fruitcake no. 4 and a sponge no. 0 and wonder how long I would have to cook the fruit cake for as my usual recipe states 4 hours cooking time., and also how long should I cook the sponge receipe. Also,I note that you state you should measure the amount of water your normal container holds and adjust the recipe accordingly and wondered if this still applies to shaped tins.

    Many Thanks

    Natalie.

  96. Lindys Team says

    Hi Natalie,
    Yes Lindy’s cake quantity chart applies to shaped tins too.
    With regards to the shaped cakes, bake them as usual and keep an eye on them. They may bake sooner as the shape is thinner than a normal round tin.
    Wishing you the best.
    Marina

  97. Lindys Team says

    Hi Ann,
    If you have followed the recipe exactly and the quantity chart, I wonder if your oven may need turning down by 20 degress and the cake baking for a little longer.
    I would give this a try and see how it turns out.
    Sugar and sweet.
    Marina

  98. elaine says

    hi, i made the fruit cake recipe for the 9 inch cake-however, it took nearly 7 hours to cook! i have moved house so could be the cooker. I made an 8 inch one previously which also took longer to cook. I cooked that one on normal oven and the 9 inch on fan oven. The knife was not completely clean-but that could have been the cherries or fruit in the cake. Would this be normal??Also-what do you advise regarding putting a barrier between the fruit cake and cake board as i’ve heard that this can cause some kind of reaction wit the fruit.Sorry this is a long post!!

  99. Jill Middleton says

    Hi,
    I have been asked to make a 40th birthday cake in madeira using the numerical tins, i am not sure of quantity to use and cannot use conversion cchart as the numerical tins do not have a bottom so would be impossible to fill with water,can you help at all and also how long would cookin time be.
    Many thanks
    Jill

  100. Lindys Team says

    Hi Elaine,
    Everyones oven is different and you do need to tweak the times accordingly. However we cannot understand why it would take 7 hours to bake a 9″ cake, is your oven working well otherwise?
    To protect the cake board we advise placing baking parchment between the board and the cake.
    Take care,

    Marina

  101. elaine says

    I tried a different recipe which baked the cake at a steady temperature of 150 c and the 8 inch took 2- 2 and a half hours. My oven seems to be fine and i must say that the cakes that took so long to cook still taste very moist!

  102. Lindys Team says

    Hi Jill,
    We think the best way to go about this is to make more mixture than you normally do and pour in until they are almost full.
    Then you will see what is left of the mixture and be able to estimate a baking time.

    Marina

  103. Emma Hillyard says

    I am making a basic victoria sponge recipe, normally 4oz and 2 eggs etc…. using a 12″ square tin , so doing 3 x the quantities, what’s the baking time in the oven??

  104. Lindys Team says

    Hi Elaine,
    Each oven can differ so much from another, the only way to get to know yours is by trial and error.
    What a shame, this may mean baking lots of delicious cakes to experiment 🙂
    Keep on the good work!
    Marina

  105. Sarah J says

    Hi,
    I am baking a heart shaped cake in a silicone mould.I have measured around the mould and divided by Pi which gives me 8.3inches. I’m going to assume I’ll be OK to make up a maderia as per the 8″ recipe.
    Do you think this will be right?
    Also, are there any extra precautions when using silicone moulds?
    Many thanks in advance of your reply.
    Sarah

  106. Amber says

    Hi,

    Most of my recipes are for 9 inch cakes therefore this would be my base. How should I adjust this? I’m sure it isn’t as easy as shifting the entire right column on the chart. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    Amber

  107. Karhen says

    Hi Lindy,

    Do I also change the oven temperatures? By how much for each conversion?

    Thank you in advance 🙂

  108. Heidi Marshall says

    Hi Lindy,

    The cake tin I have is an odd size at 24cm square (9 1/2 inches). Looking at your chart above, would I follow the 10″ square quantities and times the ingrediants by 2? Would this be the best one to follow? Also, how long should I cook it for? I am nervous about it as I am making my daughter’s birthday cake and it is the first time I have done anything like this.

  109. Jane says

    Hello Amber,

    Another way to adjust recipe amounts is to fill your 9″ tin with water and then transfer the water into another tin and use the quantites for this tin – does that make sense!!

    Jane

  110. Jane says

    Hello Heidi,

    Fill the tin with water and then pour the water into a different tin to find the volume. You can then use the recipe amounts from this sized tin.

  112. Jane says

    Hello Emma,
    The easiest way to do this would be to fill your 2 egg recipe tin with water and then pour it into the 12″ tin. How ever many times you need to do this is the amount you need to times the recipe by.
    Jane

  113. Jane says

    Hello Sarah,
    This should work, you would just need to adjust the cooking time. I don’t think they are any other precautions with silicone moulds.
    Jane

  115. Jane says

    Hello Becki,
    It all depends on your cupcake cakes and cupcake pan. Lindy has a chart in her “bake me I’m yours … cupcake celebration” book which will give you more information.
    Jane

  116. jenn says

    Hello, I am making a GF cake for my daugthers first birthday and the recipe yields a 9 inch cake. However I need to make a 10 inch and 6inch. Please tell me how to convert or substitute…. I am completely confused!

  117. Louise says

    Hello,
    Just wondered – do you have a chart similar to the cake one for quantities of cream filling and also for icing (both royal icing and ready roll icing? It would be very useful!
    Many thanks!

  118. Lindys Team says

    Hi Jenn

    Please refer to the recipe adaptation chart. I would work out the quantities based on an 8″ cake and then if you have any mixture left, make some cupcakes!

    Happy Baking!

    Zoe

  119. Kimberley Gallacher says

    Hi, Can you help me please, need to make a 12″ square madeira cake, according to your chart the ingredients should be
    1050g Unsalted Butter

    1050g Caster Sugar

    1050g Self Raising Flour

    525g Plain Flour

    18 Large Eggs

    can you tell me if this is right as it seems a lot compared to other recipes for 12″ square cakes ive seen online?

    Thanks for your help!
    Kimberley

  121. Emily says

    How would you work it out if your recipe is for a 12 inch cake? I want to make a 12 inch, 9 inch and 6 inch. Would I 1/2 for the 9 inch? And then what for the 6 inch, just under a 1/4? Thanks! Emily

  123. Ali Owens says

    Hi Lindy,

    im using your tables but am a little confused….if my original recipe is for an 8′ round tin how to i work it out for an 8′ square tin then do i use these figures to work out different sized sqaure tins

    thanks in advance
    Ali

  125. Lindys Team says

    Dear Louise

    I’m sorry we do not have a chart for quantities of cream filling/royal icing/ready roll icing.

    Have you tried searching on the internet, or can anyone else help?

    Happy Baking!

    Zoe

  126. Romaana says

    Hi, I bake a regular sponge mixture (12oz fat, flour and sugar, 6 eggs and a
    tsp of vanilla) This is enough for two cakes in a 9 inch tin, baked at 170
    degrees (fan oven) for 32-34 mins. Everytime I try making it for a 6inch tin
    or 12 inch it turns out horrible, and deflates if I check it too early. How
    much mixture, how long should I bake the cakes for and what should the oven
    temp be for these tins? Is there a special tip/system? Any help would be
    very much appreciated, Romaana xx

  127. Lindys Team says

    Dear Romaana

    It could be that your oven is too hot. Cakes are ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. I can’t comment on how much mixture, etc you’d need for your recipe. Perhaps you could try one of Lindy’s recipes?

    Happy Baking!

    Zoe

  128. ricky sanders says

    Hi.
    could you tell me.. If i want to make a wedding cake for 150 people. what size tins would i need to get 150 slices.. i cant seem to find this information.
    ricky

  129. Lindys Team says

    Hi Ricky

    You are probably going to have to make several tiers to feed this many people! I find that an 8″ round cake feeds approx 25 people.

    Regards

    Zoe

  130. Valerie says

    Hi,
    I’m trying to make a bible cake with the wilton’s bible mould which is 41cm by 29 1/2 cm and a depth where it’s depest of 6 1/2 cm. I’ve made this cake 3 times and only 1 has it come out really nice and soft. The one i just did now is really hard and dense and i need to make another one for mothers day. I was wondering if you could please kindly give me precise measurements or approximation of how much egg flour sugar and butter i’ll need. Thank you very much this will be greatly appreciated.

    Valerie

  131. Tracy says

    Hi,
    Help needed!
    I’m making a wedding cake with a 12″ pan, 4″ deep. What quantity would I need? Oh, and how long would it take to bake?
    Many, many thanks!!
    Tracy

  132. Lindys Team says

    Hi Tracy

    To upscale from an 8″ round to a 10″ round you would need 2 1/2 times your usual recipe. This is for 3″ deep cakes.

    Good luck!

    Zoe

  133. Jane says

    Hello Valerie,
    You need to fill a cake tin with water, say an 8″. Pour the water into the Bible tin. If it fills the tin you should use the 8″ recipe. If not try with a larger cake tin, etc.
    Jane

  134. sharon says

    Hi,

    Have you baked a topsy turvy cake if so how do you scale it up? and what sort of cooking time would it require?

    Also I have just baked a 10inch square madeira (needed it deep so made an 11inch mix ) and it was in the oven at least 2 1/2 hours on testing it came clean but when cutting/trimming you could see raw patches in the middle, I remade with a 10 inch mix and it was in the oven nearly 3 1/2 hours again clean on testing and only just cooked when cut, Is this normal?? I did protect the sides with newspaper and added a bowl of water, could i protect the base with newspaper too or would this slow the cooking time even more? I hope my rambling makes sense…

    Regards

    Sharon

  135. Kathy Simmons says

    Hi,

    I,m going to bake your above recipe for Chocolate Fudge Cake in a six inch cake tin, I know how to adapt the quantities as I have Lindy’s books but am unsure of the time it will take to cook, could you please help, this is a sample cake to taste for a wedding cake I’m baking for my neice, I have used all of Lindy’s recipes so far and they are great, thank Lindy.

    Kathy

  136. birdyboo says

    Hi there.

    I am hoping you can give me some advice on cooking in deep cake tins. I need to make a 10″ Victoria sponge but the last one I did came out very flat took over an hour to cook.

    Do you have any advice or recipe ideas that may help… Also how deep should I fill the cake tin x

  137. Jane says

    Hello Sharon,
    Not sure exactly what you mean by scaling up. Are you using topsy turvy tins?
    When you put a skewer into a cake it will leave a mark inside, so when you carve the cake it can look like it has a small patch of uncooked batter. This may be the problem.
    Jane

  140. sarah says

    Please can you help…. I have been asked to make 4 cakes for yr 11 leavers at my school. The cake tin in 42cm by 29cm (approx A3 size) with depth approx 5cm. How much basic cake mixture will I need? and how long will it take to cook on what temperature?

    thanks

    Sarah

  141. Jonathan says

    Hi there,

    Like Jill asked back in November last year, I too have been asked to make a 40th birthday cake using the number tins, and plan to make in Madiera cake. I get the whole quantity bit and baking bit, but am unsure on the scooping the middle bit to the side (showing the base) like you would do in a normal tin. As the size between sides is a lot smaller, I would imagine it not being as possible to do. Any tips?

    Many thanks in advance,

    Jonathan

  142. Jane says

    Hello Sarah,
    Wow! That’s a big cake. The recipes in Lindy’s books are for cakes with a depth of 7.5cm (3″) so I think you would need 2 x 10″ recipes. I’m really not sure of baking times. If it is a Madeira, I would start off with one and a half hours and test it from there.
    Jane

  143. Jane says

    Hello Jonathan,
    Yes it would be difficult to scoop the middle of the tin. Still wrap it in newspaper to protect the sides, maybe turn the oven down a little more and cook it slowly to stop it cooking too quickly around the outside.
    Jane

  144. natasha says

    hey, your site is a great help, i now know how to change the amounts but i was wondering what i should do with cooking time etc? we are making my brother wedding cake for him & the wedding is friday 🙁 our first go at the cakes last night did not turn out good…. we are doing an 8″ heart in victoria, 12″ round in chocolate & 14″ square in maderia…. i know what i am doing with the chocolate asits a friends recipe but the spong we need help with, do you have any recipe ideas & how how long we should cook them for please? need you help asap??

    many thanks
    natasha

  145. Jane says

    Hello Natasha,
    The 8″ Victoria sponge would need about 30-35mins, and the Madeira I would start with 2 1/2 hours and then keep checking it. You may already know, but just in case, the Victoria sponge would not be suitable to cover in sugarpaste as it is not dense enough to hold the weight of the paste. As to flavour, you could use any citrus, or be a little more adventurous with alcohol!
    Jane

  146. Kayleigh says

    Help!!
    Hi doing my friends wedding cake which is on monday iv got packet cake mix (500g) eacg was just wondering if anyone know how many packets it would take to fill a 10″ deep square and a 7″ deep square??

    Kayleigh

  147. Jane says

    Hello Kayleigh,
    Sorry I’m not familiar with packet mix. Does it give the size of cake it will make on the instructions? Does anyone have any advice for Kayleigh?
    Jane

  148. Aud says

    Hi i have been asked to make a 12 x 16 madeira union jack cake for the jubilee please can you give me instructions and ingredients for the cake and buttercream i.e. how much and how long !
    DESPERATE !

  150. Lucy says

    Hi,

    I’m working out the measurments for a 12″ square cake, which is x3, so is it correct i need 18 large eggs?

    Does seem quite a lot?

    Many thanks
    Lucy

  152. Linh says

    Hi Lindy,

    I am a complete novice at baking cakes but I want to make a number cake (30th). My plan is to use a rectangle cake pan 13.5” x 10” and then cut the numbers out. My dilemma is my recipe is round 9 inch cake. Obviously I can’t use your chat but I would like to use advise ‘Other shapes and sizes not mentioned: fill a 20cm (8in) x 7.5cm (3in) tin with water and compare it with the quantity of water that your tin holds. The basic recipe quantity can then be multiplied or divided as necessary. But I don’t quite understand what I have to do?

    Also, would welcome any other advices on how to make number cake or recipts

    Many Thanks

  153. Tim says

    Hi, we are making a 30 cm sponge and plan to use 567g of each of the ingredients and 10 eggs. All good so far? Cook for how long at 180?

    Your website has been very helpful so far

  154. Jackie says

    This isn’t a question about cake size but I hope you can help me. When I make a chocolate cake I use cocoa powder rather than melted dark chocolate. However, I need a chocolate cake with a very dark brown colour. Is there a recipe which will give me a darker coloured cake or could I perhaps use a small amount of dark brown colour paste to give me gthe colour I want. Hope you can help me.

  155. Lyndsey says

    Hi Lindy.
    I am attempting to make my own wedding cake and your guide to quantities is brilliant thanks, couple of quick questions –
    1. do you extend the cooking times to the same as the quantities? ie – 10″ to double the time?
    2. also i am hoping to do a 10″ and an 8″ cake, top layer sitting directly on top of the bottom layer, with no gaps, and frost the whole cake, would i still need to use dowling to place the top tier on? or will it be sturdy enough to place one cake on top of other? (if that makes sense?!)
    3. lastly, after baking the cake, if i place in the fridge in foil, how long should it last ? (how far in advance can i make it before i frost it the day before?)
    Thanks, Lyndsey

  156. Jane says

    Hello Linh,
    Your rectangular tin has a volume of 405 sq in (assuming it is 3″ deep, i.e. 13.5 x 10 x 3). If you times a 9″ square recipe by 1.75 you will get a cake that has a volume of 425 (9 x 9 x 3 x 1.75) which means you will have mixture left over but enough to fill your rectangular tin. Don’t forget to adjust your baking time too.
    Hope this helps.
    Jane

  158. Jane says

    Hello Lyndsey,
    You don’t double the baking times if you double the recipe. For a 10″ Madeira I would start with 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours then check.
    I would always recommend dowelling the cakes.
    We don’t tend to put our Madeira cakes in the fridge. A Madeira should last 2 weeks wrapped in baking parchment and foil in a cool place – we say a week to decorate and a week to eat!
    Jane

  159. Brian Lisher says

    I made a furit cake for an anniversar which went down well and have now been asked to makea sponge/maderia for abirthday (12 inch square) Having mnever madea madeitra I used Lindys recipe for an 8inch round as trial run but it came out very stodgy more like a suet pudding what did I possibly do wrong. I put newspaper around the outside as suggested and the skewer came out clean after about 2.5 -3 hours cooking.

  160. Kim Cruikshanks says

    Hi – are you able to advise me on a recipe for a victoria sponge. I have 2 x 23cm tins and what like them to be “thick when cooked (please also advise of cooking time and oven temp if you can) Many thanks Kim x

  161. Jane says

    Hello Jackie,
    You can use the Squires or Sugarflair paste colours to colour your sponges, but a really nice chocolate cake recipe which would give a deep brown colour is the Chocolate Fudge Cake. Give it a go.
    Jane

  162. Jane says

    Hello Brian,
    When you test with the skewer, try inserting in the centre and further away from the centre. I can only think that it was undercooked, or perhaps you weighed out the ingredients incorrectly.
    Jane

  163. Steph Rose says

    Hi there

    I’m making a 12″ square madeira cake if i’ve read the conversions correctly i need 18 eggs!!!!!!!!!

    Also is it absolutely necessary to add the glycerine and lemon zest and juice?

    Many thanks

    Steph

  164. Jane says

    Hello Steph,
    Yes that’s right, 18 eggs! You only need to add the lemon if you want to flavour it and there are lots of other flavourings you can use. The glycerine is to help the cake stay moist, although once you get the hang of baking a Madeira you may not need to use this.
    Jane

  165. Kathryn says

    Hi,

    I am challenging myself to making a Peppa Pig cake for my daughters 2nd birthday. I am using a victoria sponge recipe and I have converted this using your table above as I have a 12 inch square cake. Therefore using 18oz SR Flour, Butter, Caster sugar, 9 eggs, 6 tsp vanilla essence. I am not sure what temperature or how long to cook this for. PLease could you help?

    Thanks

    Kathryn

  166. Lindys Team says

    Hi Kathryn

    The original recipe should tell you what temperature the oven should be at, and also give an indication of how long to cook it for. Then it will need to be a little longer or shorter depending on what size tin the original recipe was for. Lindy always says to check on the cake using the original time, by inserting a skewer into the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is ready, if not it needs a little longer!

    Good Luck with Peppa Pig, I’m sure your daughter will be delighted!
    Fiona

  168. Glenn Pearce says

    Hi
    Realy loving the website been sooooo helpfull for us as new beginers of the baking world 🙂 been looking at this table was wondering how to work out the amount of eggs need for each size?

    Thank you 🙂

  169. Jane says

    Hello Caroline,
    We suggest you “feed” the cake after baking when it has cooled down slightly. That should be enough. Fruit cakes are best matured for at least a month. Wedding cakes are traditionally stored for up to three months to let them mature and then they are easier to cut. Your cake board should be 2″ larger than your cake.
    Hope this helps.
    Jane

  170. Donna says

    Hi Linda,
    I’m fairly new to baking and I’ve been asked to make a 9 inch vanilla sponge cake. Is there a recipe that you can recommend? A lot of them I’ve found are in cup sized and I go by grams or ounces.
    Any help you could give would be great.
    xx

  172. constance says

    hie Lindy i really wanted proper explanation on the cake pan issue i need to make 6,8,10 inch deep panabout 31/2 inches fruit cakes what measurement am i supposed to use

  173. Kate says

    I have purchased Lindy’s book The Contemporary Cake Decorating Bible. Using the recipes in the book, please can you tell me how many servings the 7 inch, 8 inch and 9 inch round cakes will yield?

  174. Sarah says

    Hi, I am making a wedding cake with 2 tiers using Madeira sponge. I would like to make the smaller cake a chocolate fla our. Can this be done with Madeira and how much coco powder do I use for 8 inch cake? Many than

  175. Deni says

    I am making a chocolate mud cake for a wedding. The size tin is 33 cm (13 inches). Do I triple the recipe that I have and can you tell me how long I would need to cook it for, and at what temperature?
    Thank you!
    Deni

  176. charlene says

    HI Lindy and team, Have tried the chocolate cake from the cake decorating bible this afternoon. Made enough for an 8 inch tin however I divided this batter into two 8 inch tins. Cakes did not rise all that much. Should I double the quantities stated in the book or it the batter enough to be shared? The cake was suppose to cook in between 1 hr and 1 hr 45 mins however after checking it at 45 mins, cake was done. is this normal or have I messed it up? Thanks

  177. Jane says

    Hello Donna,
    If you intend to cover the cake in sugarpaste you would need a firm cake, a lot firmer than a Victoria sponge type cake. We have a Madeira recipe on our blog that is ideal and very tasty.
    Jane

  179. Jane says

    Hello Charlene,
    This recipe is for a 3″ deep cake, so you would need to fill one 8″ by 3″ deep tin rather than two 8″ tins. If you want to fill the cake just cut across and fill.
    Jane

  180. Caroline says

    Hi Lindy,

    Could you please tell me the quantites I would use for a giant cupcake tin, and I’m not sure if I would cook both parts of the cupcake at the same time. Also I need to colour the buttercream a quite a deep Royal Blue colour and not sure what colouring to use e.g paste or gel and what colour would acheive this and how much so and if it would impair the flavour. I would appreciate your help with this.

    Thank you

    Caroline

  181. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sarah
    Lindy does not flavour the madeira cake with chocolate, she uses a chocolate cake recipe which produces a cake similar to madeira, the recipe is on page 11 of “The Contemporary Cake Decorating Bible”.
    Good Luck!
    Fiona

  183. Caroline says

    Hi Lindy,

    Could you please tell me the quantites I would use for a giant cupcake tin, and I’m not sure if I would cook both parts of the cupcake at the same time. Also I need to colour the buttercream a quite a deep Royal Blue colour and not sure what colouring to use e.g paste or gel and what colour would acheive this and how much so and if it would impair the flavour. I would appreciate your help with this.

    Thank you

    Caroline x

  184. Lindys Team says

    Hi Caroline

    To work out the quantities I would fill an 8″ tin with water and then compare it with the quantity your tin holds. Your recipe can then be multiplied or divided as necessary. Here is a link to our blog post about quantities:- http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2009/07/27/how-to-i-change-a-cake-recipe-quanities/

    You can add paste colour to your buttercream to achieve the colour you need. We stock a range of colours on our online shop with photos that show you their exact colour. Here is a link to all the blues:- http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/shop/search.php?mode=search&page=1

    Hope this helps and good luck!

    Zoe

  185. sammie says

    hi,
    i’m making a wedding cake for my friend and i have a 9inch round by 5inches deep what quantity would i put in it?

    many thanks
    sammie

  187. Jane says

    Hello Constance,
    First, take your 8″ cake recipe. For the 6″ cake you would need to half the ingredients in the 8″ recipe. For the 8″ cake, obviously just us the amounts as per your 8″ recipe. For the 10″ cake you would need to times the 8″ recipe by 1.5.
    Hope this makes sense.
    Jane

  188. Kat says

    Hi. Have found your conversion chart very helpful. But can you help? Am making my sisters wedding cake. The bottom tier is going to be a 12 inch fruit cake. I know I need to times the 8 inch recipe by 2 and a half. But what about cooking time? Any advice would be appreciated. Kat

  189. Lindys Team says

    Hi Kat
    The cooking time is as follows; 2 1/2 hours at 150 degrees C/300 degrees F/ Gas 2 , then 5 1/2 hours at 120 degrees C/250 degrees F/ Gas 1/2 , total cooking time 8 hours.

    Hope this helps, and good luck with the cake!
    Fiona

  190. Barbara says

    Hi

    I want to make my friends some individual Christmas cakes and have 10 cm tins to use. Am happy (via your great table) with quantities required but how should I determine the cooking time? Should I stay at the same temperature as well? Your help would be very much appreciated.

    Thank you
    Barbara

  191. Amy says

    HI,

    i have got to make 2 wedding cakes…i am an amateur…both sponge
    1 has a 16″ round base and 1 is a 16″ heart shape!
    i have cooked plenty of cake and and worked outthat i need to quadruple the recipe i usually use…i think but what do i do with the cooking temp/time? lower the temp and increase the time…120 – 3-3.5 hours??
    will the outside burn and inside be raw??
    this is the sticking bit i can’t work out!

    Please help!!
    many thanks Amy

  192. Lindys Team says

    Hi Barbara

    That sounds like a lovely gift for Christmas! I would keep the temperature of the oven the same,and try cooking for 20-30 mins. Keep checking though by inserting a skewer into the cake and when it comes out clean they will be ready!

    Happy Baking!
    Fiona

  193. Lindys Team says

    Hi Amy

    It really will depend on the type of sponge recipe that you are using. Lindy uses madeira so our calculations are based on that recipe and timings, but a 16 inch cake would take about 3 to 3 1/4 hours at the same temperature. To prevent the sides becoming crusty newspaper is tied around the cake tin. For the heart shaped cake, again based on this recipe we would recommend 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. You may also need to cover the cake loosely during cooking to prevent the top from over crusting. Keep checking the cakes and when a skewer is inserted it will come out clean when the cake is ready.

    Good Luck, and let us know how you get on!
    Fiona

  194. june says

    i want to make a Madeira cake – and create a pastel layered cake , i have a 14 inch square cake tin 3 inch deep, according to the chart it would approx 4 times the amount. How long would this need to cook for and what would the temperature for a fan assisted oven be? Because i am creating layers how much mix do i use at one time.

    many thanks
    june

  195. Sarah says

    Hi,

    I wondered if you could help me? I am looking to bake a cake for my dad’s 60th and decided to do 3 tiers. However, each tier is wonky. I bought some specially made wonky tins from Lakeland (saves me cutting) which are the following sizes: 15cm, 20cm and 25cm.

    I was going to make all 3 layers Maderia, but wondered what quanties of mixture I would need for each? Can anyone help? Thanks, Sarah. 🙂

  197. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sarah

    I would fill an 8″ x 3″ tin with water and compare it to the amount your tins hold. You then multiply or divide the 8″ recipe as necessary. This is explained on Lindy’s blog page:-http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2009/07/27/how-to-i-change-a-cake-recipe-quanities/.

    Happy Baking!
    Zoe

  198. Sarah says

    Hi Zoe

    Thank you for your reply, its much appreciated! So nervous as this is the first time I am going to be icing a cake too, and the fact that I am going to do 3, well I have definetly set myself a challenge!

    Well, if it doesnt turn out right, it will give my family something to talk about for a long time to come! Fingers crossed!

    🙂 Sarah

  199. joanna says

    Hi
    I make a rich fruit cake every Xmas, its an ancient Good Housekeeping recipe for a 9 inch tin. This year I also want to make 2 smaller 5 inch. How can I judge cooking times and quantity. will the 9inch quantity make 2 5inch? I also have probs stopping the cake from over browning at the edges
    Thanks Joanna

  200. Anna says

    I am going to be making a 12″ square madeira cake using your recipe. How long will I need to cook this for? I will be baking it in a fan oven so will have the oven temp at 140 degrees as suggested.

    Many thanks

  201. Emily says

    Hi

    I’m wondering if anyone can advise. I need to cook a 30 cm cake and don’t know how long and what temperature. It’s a dense chocolate cake with *lots* of eggs and no rising agent. The original recipe (for cupcakes) has it 200 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I’m thinking 170 for 50-60 but that’s really just a stab in the dark. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    thanks

    Emily

  204. Lindys Team says

    Hi Joanna
    Lindy’s fruit cake recipe for a 5″ round cake is cooked for 30 mins at 150 and 1 hour at 120. You can also wrap newspaper round the outside of the cake tin to prevent the cake browning round the edges.
    Hope they turn out well!
    Fiona

  206. Lindys Team says

    Hi Grace
    Cakes usually sink in the middle because they are not set properly, we would suggest not taking the cake out of the oven before the time on the recipe and not opening the oven door.
    Good Luck!
    Fiona

  207. Charlotte says

    Hello,

    I am making a birthday cake in a 10inch circle tin. The original recipe (8ich tin) requires 5 eggs, so should I use 7 or 8 eggs in the new?

    Thank you!
    Charlotte

  208. Zain says

    Hi thank you for this very very useful chart I’ve saved many cake disasters 🙂
    But can anyone tell me how much would I reduce a recipe if I wanted in smaller pan eg-: 8″ cake recipe but want to cook in 6″ x 3″ deep cake pan (round)

  211. Dal says

    Hello, I am using an 11inch square tin which is 3 inches deep-making a Victoria sponge cake. I have used your chart to help me and I will be doubling the recipe and adding the half.
    I was wondering if I would have to make the cake mixture twice (due to the tin’s deepness) or just make the mixture once and then slice the cake in half after I have baked it, bearing in mind it is a birthday cake and I want to make sure the cake rises.
    I also wanted to know what degrees I would set the oven and how long I would bake I for.
    Could you please reply by tomorrow, I would really appreciate it as I am making the cake on Friday. Thank you for your help.

  212. Lindys Team says

    Hi there
    We would recommend cooking it how the recipe you are following suggests cooking it, Lindy doesn’t make Victoria Sponges but we think they are usually cooked in two tins, however if it is a Madeira it should be cooked in one tin and sliced in half once cooked. We would also recommend using the temperature of the original recipe and the cooking time, and check it regularly after this.
    Good Luck with the birthday cake!
    Fiona

  213. Tina says

    Hi I want to put more dried fruit in my cake mix than the recipe states to make it fruitier,will the batter still hold the mix?As i don’t really want to increase other ingredients! thanks

  215. Stephanie short says

    Hi,
    Sorry this might not be related to the ongoing chat but can anyone offer any advice on icing for gingerbread?
    I always find when icing gingerbread cookies etc the icing always looks dry but when put into packaging (cellophane bags)
    It smudges and always looks ‘squashed’and it really spoils the look of the biscuits, and its so annoying after spending so long on them and i make a lot of them this time of year.
    Any advice would be really appreciated, thank you

  216. Lindys Team says

    Hi Stephanie
    If you are using royal icing the key would be to let the icing dry before putting the cookies in the cellophane bags. If the icing is too dry, tiny amounts of cooled boiled water can be added to make the icing moist and give it a sheen, to give it the right consistency.
    Hope this helps and good luck with the gingerbread men!
    Fiona

  217. Amelia says

    Hi,
    I was wondering if you can help? I am cooking a 12 inch square Madeira using your recipe. Can I double check that after converting from the 8 inch round recipe this would be 18 eggs??!! Also, how long would I need to cook this for before checking on it. It’s for my grandads 90th and all the family will be there to eat it so can’t afford any disasters lol.
    Thanks x

  218. Lindy's Team says

    Hi Amelia

    It is 18 eggs for a 12 inch square madeira cake. The baking time would be approximately 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours at 160 C/325 F/Gas 3.
    Good Luck with the cake, I’m sure the family will love it!!!

    Fiona

  219. Cassie says

    Hi Thanks for this, I need to make my 8″ recipe into a 12″ but I use 5 eggs and 285g of everything else for an 8″ How would I upscale that by the 2 1/2 method to a 12″? Also how do you upscale the cooking times accordingly for the different sizes? my normal 8″ usually takes around 45 mins.
    Thanks for any help you can give me

  221. Lee says

    Hi

    I have an 8″ cake receipe that takes 1 hours 20 minutes at 160 or 140 for a fan oven.

    I want to use this receipe to make 2 6″ cakes, therefore, i just need to use the same receipe amount, although what I am not clear of, is how long I would need to bake this for.

    Can anybody help please.

  222. Lindys Team says

    Hi Lee

    Lindy’s 6″ round madeira cake recipe takes approx 1 – 1 1/4 hours to cook.

    All ovens are different so you need to keep an eye on the cake. When the cake is ready, a skewer inserted into the middle will come out clean.

    I hope this helps and good luck with your cakes.

    Zoe

  223. Rachel says

    Hi
    I am making a wedding cake in the Summer and I need to get deep tiers about 4″. I am planning to use Lindy’s madeira cake receipe but it never comes out with such deep cakes. Should I bake two cakes or double the quantity of mixture to get a deeper cake?
    Thanks
    Rachel

  225. Carolyn says

    Hi
    I am making a Rapunzal princess dress cake (2l Pyrex bowl) to sit on top of a 25cm 3in deep square chocolate cake.
    Not sure how to work out the amounts?

    Any help would be much appreciated.
    Thank you
    Carolyn

  226. Jojobinx says

    Hi can someone please help me with a recipe for a firm chocolate madeira cake please? I would like to use Lindy’s madeira recipe, but how do I make it into a chocolate madeira? I need a firm yet moist chocolate cake for a friends wedding cake. I will be doing 8″ and 10″ squares stacked directly on top of one another but have yet to find a nice enough recipe that gives the desired result (trialling many recipes is costing me a fortune!). Have the most trouble getting the cakes cooked evenly (would you therefore recommend doing 2 separate layers?). So If i can hopefully alter Lindy’s recipe to make a chocolate version, I presume I would then be able to use the scaling up chart? Sorry for so many questions, am stressed to the max!

  227. karen says

    Hi,

    I’ve been asked to bake/decorate a 2 tier Victoria sponge cake (7″ and 10″). Recipe I normally use is basically to weigh

    eggs and use equal quantities of flour, sugar & butter. I’m ok with 7″ cake but not sure of how to calculate number of

    eggs to use for 10″ tin, please can you help?

  228. Lindys Team says

    Hi Jo

    Lindy has a firm, but moist chocolate cake recipe in her books. She also has a chocolate fudge cake recipe which is delicious. Here is a link to the recipe on our blog:-http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2011/02/02/lindys-chocolate-fudge-cake-recipe/

    Hope this helps.

    Zoe

  230. Lindys Team says

    Hi Karen

    Not sure about Victoria Sponge quantities as we don’t have a recipe for that, but Lindy has a chocolate cake chart in her Contemporary Cake Decorating Bible which, for a 7″ round cake, it uses 8 large eggs. For the 10″ it uses 12 eggs. This wouldn’t be the same as a Victoria Sponge but might give you some idea how many more eggs you might need.

    You could try to Google the information you need or just try and increase your whole recipe by a quarter or half and see how much batter you get.

    On Lindy’s Blog she has some useful tips about adapting favourite cake recipes. Click on the link below and see if this helps.

    http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2009/07/27/how-to-i-change-a-cake-recipe-quanities/

    Good luck
    Susie

  231. karen says

    Hi Susie,

    Many thanks for information, much appreciated will let u know how it turns out!

    Thank U, Karen :o)

  232. Lindys Team says

    Hi Rachel
    To get a deeper cake you could try filling a larger 3″ inch deep tin with water and comparing volumes with your 4″ tin.
    Good Luck!
    Fiona

  233. suzanne sharp says

    hi,
    i am going to bake a madeira cake in a 12″ x 9″ tin and i am struggling to convert the quantities using your table please can you help me
    thank you
    suzanne

  235. Kate says

    Hi,
    I was wondering how to calculate the baking time for a cake I’ve adjusted to fit a larger pan. I have a 9″ square tin so have done 1.5 times the recipe. Do I multiply the baking time by 1.5 too? So bake for 2hrs 15mins instead of 1hr 30mins?
    Thanks!

  236. Lindys Team says

    Hi Kate

    If you just add another 15-20 minutes baking time and keep checking it regularly after this point with a skewer. It should come out clean if it is cooked.

    Good luck.
    Susie

  237. Carla says

    Hi, is the additional time the same when baking a 12″ cake? Normal baking time plus 15-20mins? X

  238. Lindys Team says

    Hi Carla

    A 12″ cake will take longer. As a guide Lindy’s 12″ round madeira cake takes approx 2 – 2 1/4 hours.

    All ovens are different so you will need to keep an eye on your cake. The cake will be cooked when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

    Regards

    Zoe

  239. maral says

    Hi,

    I am planning on making a 6 layer cake. The original recipe uses three 8″ cake pans but since I need a larger cake I was hoping I could add to the batter and make it with three 9″ round pans. So based on your chart I should multiply the amounts by 1 3/4? Also The recipe suggests baking the cake at 350 for 20 minutes, how do I change it for a 9″ round pan?

    Many thanks.

  240. Lindys Team says

    Hi Maral

    Increase the recipe to 1 1/4 to add more batter to a 9″ round tin – per tin, so if you are making 3 cakes then yes it would be 1 3/4. Or if its easier to double it, then you can used the leftovers for cupcakes.

    You probably would be best to cook for 20 mins as stated and then keep checking it with a skewer to see if it is cooked.

    Good luck
    Kind regards
    Lindy’s Team

  241. Caraline says

    Hi, I’m baking a 14″ square cake, please can you advise how long I need to cook it for? Many thanks

  242. Naomi Samuels says

    Hi,
    I am trying to make a princess cake and have a basin tin, not tiffin, measuring 21cm wide and 15cm deep, please could you advise what quantity’s i should be using for a sponge cake and how long to bake for?
    Thank you
    Naomi

  243. Lindys Team says

    Hi Caraline

    It really depends on the type of cake you are baking and what the recipe says. Lindy has a chocolate cake recipe which bakes for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours at 180degc for a 14″ square. You would need to keep checking with a skewer to see if it is cooked.

    Hope this helps.
    Lindy’s team

  245. Abby cooper says

    Hi
    Just wondered how u calculate for rectangle cake tins? Eg a 10″x12″?
    Thank u
    Abby

  247. b kelly says

    Hi

    My mum has a cake recipe for a 10 X 8 X 3 inch cake…using 6 eggs, 14oz of marg, sugar and flour.

    She has been asked to scale this up to a cake for a 16 X 10 X 3 inch. I am struggling a bit with the table

    Can you help, what multiple of ingrediants should be used…and should the baking time be extended, if so to what?

    Thank you in anticipation, I am being asked for these details by the end of tomorrow 04/06/13..

  249. Melanie says

    I want to make a football cake. Your receipe says that I need one 8″ quantity mixture for a 6″ ball. I have to bake one half at a time as I only have one tin. What receipe would I use for half the tin as I will probably bake on 2 separate days and presumably the mixture will not last. Thanks

  250. Sarah says

    Hello,

    Would you be able to tell me the madeira recipe I would need for a 12 x 8 inch tin

    Thank you

  251. Kirsty Wood says

    Hia, I’m making a two tiered birthday cake and plan to use your madeira recipe and fill with buttercream and jam. My question is when scaling the recipe using the above tool – will the cakes be roughly the same height? Making the cake for Saturday so should be baking soon!

    Also, can I add flavouring (i.e. lemon) and how might that change the recipe?

    Many thanks!
    Kirsty x

  253. Lindys Team says

    Hi Kirsty.

    Yes the cakes will be about the same height (approx 3″).

    You can add lemon. Use the zest of 2 lemons for an 8″ round cake.

    Happy Baking!

    Zoe

  254. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sarah

    These are the quantities you need.

    700g butter, 700g caster sugar, 700g self-raising flour, 350g plain flour, 12 eggs – bake for 1.45 – 2 hours. I have just given you a recipe for a 10″ square which is approximately the same size as a 12×8″.

    Good luck
    Lindy’s Team

  255. Kirsty says

    Hello,
    I was wondering if you can help me please?
    I am looking to make a 10″ and an 8″ cake to tier on top of each other and was wondering if you would be able to advise me on the recipes and what quantities i will need? I have bout 3″ deep tins.
    Thanks for any help you can give me :).
    Kirsty

  257. Lisa says

    Hi

    I was wondering what your recommendation is for baking times when you use your chart above? For example if I need to make an 8 inch and a 12 inch white choc mud cake, should I cook them both for the same amount of time?

    Much appreciated.

    Kind regards, Lisa

  258. Jane says

    Hello Lisa,
    It all depends on your oven. What I do is cook the cake for the stated time on the 8″, and then check every 10 minutes. For a 12″ I would add roughly 30 minutes to the cooking time check and then if not ready check every 10 minutes.
    Hope this helps.
    Jane

  259. MJ says

    Help!!!

    How do I change a recipe for marble cake 8″ round to a 10″ round cake?
    In terms of number of eggs, flour, sugar, cocoa butter etc??

  261. sara says

    hello, i have a recipe for an 8″ round cake and i need to make a 10″ square cake. what will the upscale be?

  262. Jane says

    Hello Sara,
    You would need to increase the recipe by 1/2, i.e. if you are using 100g you would need to use 150g.
    Jane

  263. Chris knox says

    I have a cake tin that I want to make a fruit cake in order to decorate with a golf scene. The cake tin is size is 20cm by 27cm. What quanity of ingredients would l use.

    Kind regards chris knox

  264. Lucieswain says

    Hi there I am wanting to make a 20cm cake 7cm deep. have any good recipes? And oven temp and time? I’m new to this see. 🙂
    Thanks x

  265. Lindys Team says

    Hello Chris,

    You need to find the volume of the tin, so for example 20cm(8″) x 27cm(11″) x 3″ tin would have a volume of 264″. The nearest volume would be a 10″, 3″ deep tin, so you would need to do a 10″ square recipe, but would have quite a lot left over.
    Jane

  267. Claire says

    I’m looking to bake a cake but using a 10″ X 6″ X 2″ roaster tin as the shape suits, would you have any idea as to what recipe I would use and how long to bake?

  268. Lindys Team says

    Hello Claire,
    You need to find the volume of the tin, so 10 x 6 x 2 = 120. Find a tin that has the nearest volume, i.e. 7 x 7 x 3 = 147 and you would have a little left over. Cooking times depends on your oven, but I would start with 1hr 15m and take it from there!
    Jane

  269. dawnsietay79 says

    I need to scale a cake up from a square 20cmx20cm to a rectangle 31cm by 26 cm
    please help me 🙂

    thanks

  270. Debbie says

    Hi Lindy

    Thank you for sharing your recipe. I am making a 21st cake, 3 tiers 5″, 7″ and 10″ and I plan to use your Madeira recipe. I would like to make one of the layers chocolate would your chocolate fudge recipe work for a tiered cake? If so which tier would you make chocolate? I plan to dowel and sugar paste the cake

    Thank you

  271. Sarah says

    Hi
    Can you help? I have a recipe for an 8″ cake that I want to adapt to a 14″ tin. I’ve looked at the chart above & worked out my ingredients quantities but how should I deal with the cooking time?

    The 8″ cake is cooked for 4-4.5 hours at 120C in my fan oven, how much longer would a 14″ cake take?

    Any help would really be appreciated.

    Thanks
    Sarah

  272. Katrina says

    I have to do 150 cupcakes for a friends wedding. I want to use Lindys lovely madeira cake recipe because I’ve used it for cakes before but I’m not sure how many cupcakes an 8″ quantity would make. Any ideas please?

  273. Catherine says

    I would like to make a 12″ square chocolate fudge cake and can see this takes triple the recipe, but how long and at temperature would I bake the cake, as it may bee too expensive to try more than one practice cake, thank you

  274. suzi says

    HELP – NEED INFO TODDAY 🙁

    Hi guys, please can you help me! I am making a 11″ square porter (fruit) cake. Can I use the conversion chart on here for fruit cakes instead of madera? And any idea on how much longer than the normal 90 mins cooking time it will take?!!!

    Many thanks
    Suzi

  275. Lindys Team says

    Hi Suzi

    You can use this chart for any recipe. The baking time will depend on your oven as well as the cake tin and depth of the cake. Keep checking the cake and it will be done when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

  276. Lindys Team says

    Hi Dawn

    The volume of the rectangular tin is about twice the size of the square one. Therefore I would probably double the quantities. If you have too much mixture you can always make some cupcakes!

  277. Lindys Team says

    Hi Debbie

    The chocolate fudge cake works well in a tiered cake. It does not matter which layer is chocolate, however, if one layer is fruit, I would put this as the bottom layer.

    Good luck with your cake!

  278. Lindys Team says

    Hi Sarah

    It’s hard to say exactly how much longer you would need to cook it for. I would say it would take approx 1 hour longer but you will need to keep checking the cake and when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, it is ready.

    Happy Baking!

    Zoe

  279. Lindys Team says

    Hi Catherine

    Unfortunately we don’t have anyone in the office at the moment who can answer cake baking queries.

    Try logging onto this tip on Lindy’s Blog, although I couldn’t see any help with baking times.
    http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2009/07/27/how-to-i-change-a-cake-recipe-quanities/

    Usually we recommend baking it for the time stated, adding 20 minutes on and then keep checking the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.

    Lindy’s chocolate cake recipe for a 12 inch square bakes between 2.15 and 2.45 minutes.

    Hope this helps, but it is usally trial and error, constantly checking when you scale up recipes.

    Kind regards
    Lindy’s Team

  280. Lindys Team says

    Hi Katrina

    Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone in the office that can help with your question at the moment.

    You could try making one quantity of 8″ mix and see how many cupcakes it makes. It would all depend on how deep you want your cakes to be.

    Sorry we can’t help you at the moment.

    Kind regards
    Lindy’s Team