Round cakes and funny shaped cakes are quite difficult to cut and divide up equally. And when you use a round tin, you’re just not making the most of the space inside your oven.
Moreover sometimes you end up wasting cake mixture because there’s just too much mixture there for your round tin.
But don’t worry - there’s a solution.
All you need to do is get one or more 9 x 13 inch cake pans.
That way not only do you make the most of all that room in your oven, but you also make the cake considerably easier to cut and divide equally. It’s just what you need when you have a big event to bake for.
So if that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for, you’ve certainly come to the right place. We’ve been checking out some of the best 9 x 13 inch cake pans on the market today.
And then we handpicked our favorite 6 cake pans to show you. Our reviews are coming up next.
And after that, we have a quick buying guide for you, laying out all the key things to think about when deciding which cake pan to buy.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
When we saw the customer ratings on this beauty, we could see it warranted further investigation.
There have been well over 6,500 individual customer ratings on Amazon, yet the average customer rating still comes out at a whopping 5 full stars out of 5. That’s quite rare, so we were impressed.
And the customers rated it between 4.5 and 5 stars for many important features, namely heat distribution, sturdiness, easy to remove, easy to use, easy to clean and durability.
As the name suggests, the pan is manufactured right here in the USA. And it's a really good, well-established brand too.
It’s made of commercial grade, heavy gauge aluminized steel, which makes it particularly sturdy and durable.
It has a special patented silicone nonstick coating, called Americoat. And this prevents even the stickiest of foods sticking to the pan, and instead provides very easy release of foods from the pans.
This means that you don’t have to line the pan with baking paper if you don’t want to. This also in turn makes the pan easy to clean.
Another thing that’s different about this cake pan is that it has a corrugated interior, on both the bottoms and the sides. This prevents any knife from making scratches in the pan as you cut your baked goods, as the knife simply can’t penetrate as deeply. So it stays in good condition.
This corrugated design also gives it better warp resistance for added durability.
And that’s not all, the fluted corrugated designs also means you get better air circulation to facilitate even heating.
It’s also free of nasty chemicals such as PTFE, PFOA and BPA.
You can also buy this pan in different sizes and shapes. But what’s more impressive is that it comes backed by a lifetime warranty.
Pros
Has impressive customer ratings
Has a special nonstick interior
Corrugated interior for best results
Comes with a lifetime warranty
Cons
Some customers recommend going for the brands lasagna pan rather than their cake pan
This cake pan is also a winner of the Amazon Choice award, this time for the category of “cake pan with lid”. And this award is a sign of both excellent quality and of a fair and reasonable price.
It also comes very highly recommended. After well over 1,800 individual customer ratings, the average Amazon customer rating still comes out at a whopping full 5 stars out of 5.
Customers have rated it highly for a number of features, including ease of use, easy to clean, sturdiness, durability, and easy release.
It comes from top brand Farberware, a brand that has now been around for over 120 words.
It has a heavy-duty construction, being made of carbon steel.
This means that not only does it resist warping, but it also conducts heat very evenly, so you‘re less likely to get hot or cold spots. The pan is able to take temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
It has a non-stick coating all over, meaning that not only will your bakes not stick to the bottom of the pan, but they won’t stick to the edges either.
And this makes for very easy cleaning. But, unfortunately, it’s not dishwasher safe, and you will have to wash it by hand.
It has very large handles on the shorter sides of the pan, so it’s easy to remove from the oven without getting food on your oven gloves.
And of course, there’s also a lid. This means that you can remove your dishes from the oven and take them on the road to any event you may be baking or cooking for.
All without having to get another container dirty.
The lid is plastic, so it can’t be used in the oven, as it will melt.
Now, this is a pan that has won the Amazon’s Choice award for the category of 9 x 13 cake pans.
Such an award is only given to products that offer excellent quality, but are also available at a good price. And it really is a good price too.
It comes from a long established brand. And more than 80% of those who bought it through Amazon scored it at a full 5 stars out of 5. They also rated it very highly for versatility and how easy it is to clean.
It has a reinforced nonstick coating, so there’s less preparation of the pan required before you can put your ingredients in. And you get a nice, easy release of your food, together with quick and easy clean up.
Better yet the pan is entirely dishwasher safe, though swilling with warm water first is recommended.
What we love about this pan is that it comes with a lid.
This means that when you want to take your bakes to an event, you don’t need to move your goods to another container, you can simply pop on the lid and you’re good to go.
We also love that there’s wide handles on the shorter sides of the pan. It means that you don’t get any food on your oven gloves when it comes time to remove the pan from the oven.
And that’s not all - it’s also backed by a limited lifetime manufacturer warranty.
Pros
Excellent affordable price
Comes with a plastic lid
Features large side handles
Easy-clean nonstick coating
Limited lifetime warranty
Cons
The lid is not oven safe, because it is plastic and would melt.
This is another winner of the Amazon’s Choice award, this time for the category of “Aluminum cake pans”. This is a sign of both product quality and of costing a fair and reasonable price.
Being made of pure aluminum, this cake pan will never rust, so you’ll get an excellent product lifespan.
But better yet, thanks to the aluminum’s superior heat conduction, your baked goods will rise and bake perfectly evenly.
But it’s not all aluminum. The pan also features an encapsulated steel rim to prevent warping.
The pan also comes with an oven safe lid, and this really adds to the pan’s versatility, and adds to what recipes you can use the pan for, sealing in moisture for main courses.
Unfortunately it’s not nonstick, so you will have to either grease the pan beforehand, or use baking paper.
It’s a bestseller that’s made right here in the USA. About three quarters of customers rated the pan at a full 5 stars out of 5, and also rated it highly for being easy to use, easy to clean, being lightweight, giving an easy release, and so on.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular product - simply click on “Check price” to see if there’s a deal on now.
Pros
Highly rust resistant
Superior heat conduction
Comes with an oven safe lid
High customer ratings
Cons
It’s not nonstick
Not dishwasher safe, hand wash only
Metal utensils aren’t recommended for use with this pan
This is another highly recommended cake pan, having earned a full 5 stars out of 5 from customers on Amazon - even after well over 500 individual customer reviews.
But that’s not all it has in common with our number one product, the USA Pan Rectangular Cake Pan.
It’s also made of commercial grade, heavy gauge aluminized steel, and has a corrugated interior.
And not only does this make it a very sturdy and durable pan, but you also get all the other benefits you’d get from a corrugated pan, such as better air flow, better scratch resistance, and better warp resistance.
It also features a 2 layer ceramic reinforced commercial grade non-stick coating. And not only does this coating provide very easy food release, but it’s also stain, abrasion, and corrosion resistant to boot. Not bad hey?
This another super popular cake pan with a full 5 star customer rating on Amazon.
It comes from top brand T-fal, the brand that is best known for it’s non-stick cookware. We love non-stick cookware like this for our cake pans.
Not only does it mean you get easy release of your bakes from the pan, but it also means it’s a doddle to clean up afterward.
It’s made from medium weight steel, which means it’s not too heavy to work with, and it provides excellent heat retention and even heat distribution.
We also like the handles positioned on the shorter edges of the pan. It means you can grab the pan from the oven without worrying about getting food on your oven gloves.
Pros
Excellent customer ratings
Comes from a top-brand
Excellent non-stick coating
Large handles on the sides
Cons
Not corrugated
No lid included
The Best 9×13 Cake Pans Buying Guide
As promised here’s your buying guide. Here we outline what to look for in your 9 x 13 cake pan.
Sturdy Build With Square Edges
Your cake pan should be sturdy and durable.
Even Heating
One of the most important factors to consider is how evenly the cake pan can distribute the oven’s heat both along the base and the sides. With even heat distribution you can avoid any unwanted hot spots or cold spots.
It will need to be made of metal, but there are several metals that can conduct heat very well, so you have plenty of options.
A corrugated interior can help facilitate air circulation through your bakes, so that might be something you want to look out for.
Non-stick Coating & Easy Release
When it comes to plating up, the easier it is the better. That’s why we recommend going for cake pans that have a non-stick coating. With a non-stick coating your bakes, however brown, should slide out very easily from the pan even if you haven’t greased the pan first.
Warp Resistance & Scratch Resistance
In order to get a decent lifespan from your cake pan, you should ensure that you get one that is both warp resistant and scratch resistant.
Easy To Clean
The easier the pan is to clean the better. Pans with non-stick coatings are generally the easiest type to clean.
However, it’s important to note at this point that most cake pans are not dishwasher safe, and you usually have to wash them by hand. Which makes a non-stick coating even more desirable.
Do You Want One With A Lid?
If you want to take your bakes on the road to a friend or to an event, then it’s best to have a cake pan that comes with it’s own perfectly fitting lid.
This saves you all the hassle of moving your food over into another container. All you have to do is pop on the lid and you’re good to go.
However, it’s important to note at this point that a plastic lid cannot be put in the oven because the heat will cause it to melt, ruining not only the lid, but also your food.
If you want a cake pan with an oven safe lid, it will have to be a metal one.
Cost
There is some variation in the prices of this size of cake pan. They can start at just under $10 and can go up to just over $25. We would argue that the more expensive products do tend to be of slightly better quality.
Since cake pans are so affordable overall, we would advise buying according to other benefits rather than by cheap price.
Best 9×13 Cake Pans for Bakers
These options are sure to be a hit. So, gather your family and friends and enjoy. Let us know your thoughts!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
