The Best Loaf Pans: Glass, Ceramic, Steel and Cast Iron Compared
A loaf pan seems like the simplest thing in the kitchen until you go to buy one and find yourself comparing glass, ceramic, steel and cast iron, wondering why one costs five times more than another, and whether any of it matters for your weekend Gâteau Invisible aux Pommes.
It does matter though, and once you know why, choosing one becomes a lot easier. Each material heats up in its own way, and that changes how well your cake rises, how golden the crust gets and how long it needs in the oven.
So in this guide I’ll walk you through the five types of loaf pan you’re most likely to come across, starting with the aluminised steel pan I use for most of my loaf recipes. And at the end, I’ll tell you which pan I’d pick for each of my own loaf recipes, from the lemon yogurt cake to the brioche.
Table of Contents
My quick picks
If you’re in a hurry, here’s where I’d start:
- For almost everything: the KitchenAid Nonstick Aluminized Steel Loaf Pan, which is light, bakes evenly and lets cakes slide out without a fight. It’s the one I reach for most.
- On a small budget: a Pyrex glass loaf dish, which costs very little and lets you see the bottom of your cake browning.
- To bring to the table: the Le Creuset stoneware loaf pan, which bakes gently and looks lovely on a lunch table.
- For a darker crust: the Le Creuset carbon steel nonstick loaf pan, which browns more and releases beautifully.
- If you bake a lot of bread: a Staub or Le Creuset cast iron loaf pan, heavy and expensive, but built to last a lifetime.
- For little loaves and gifts: the Cuisinart mini loaf pans, a set of four that’s perfect for a household of two or a batch of cakes to give away.
How to choose a loaf pan
The material
The material is what makes the biggest difference. Metal heats up quickly, which helps your loaf rise. Glass and ceramic take their time to warm up and then hold on to that heat, so they bake more gently, and cast iron is slow to heat but then stays wonderfully steady for the whole bake.
The colour
Colour matters more than most people realise. A light, silvery metal pan gives you a golden, tender crust, while a dark pan absorbs more heat, so your loaf bakes faster and browns darker, which can be too much for a sugary cake. That’s why test kitchens like King Arthur Baking develop their recipes in light-coloured metal pans.
The size
All my loaf recipes use a 23cm (9 x 5 inch) pan, which is the standard size in the US and close to what’s sold in the UK as a 2lb loaf tin. Here in France, you’ll often see longer “moules à cake” of 26 to 30cm. If your pan is a different size, your cake will still work, but it will need a little more or less time in the oven, so start checking a few minutes early.
The shape
Metal pans usually have straight sides and sharp corners, which give you neat, square slices. Glass and ceramic pans tend to have rounded corners and slightly sloping sides, so the loaf comes out a little softer and lower. And with the heavier pans, good handles make a real difference when you’re lifting them out of a hot oven with oven gloves on.
Loaf pan materials at a glance
| Material | How it heats | Crust | Lovely for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light metal (aluminised steel) | Quickly and evenly | Golden | Loaf cakes, brioche, everyday baking | Use wooden or silicone tools to protect the coating |
| Glass | Slowly, then holds the heat | Even, with firmer edges | Quick breads, moist apple cakes | Lower the oven a little and allow more time |
| Ceramic (stoneware) | Slowly, then holds the heat | Gentle and even | Savoury cakes, fruit cakes, serving at the table | Heavy, with rounded corners |
| Dark carbon steel | Quickly | Dark golden brown | A deeper crust and easy release | Keep an eye on sugary cakes |
| Enamelled cast iron | Slowly, then very steadily | Deep and even | Very heavy and expensive |
The loaf pans in detail
KitchenAid Nonstick Aluminized Steel Loaf Pan
Light metal
This is the loaf pan I use for most of my recipes, and it’s the one I’d suggest to anyone buying their first.
How it bakes: aluminised steel is steel with a thin coating of aluminium, so it heats quickly and evenly and resists rust better than plain steel. Because metal warms up faster than glass or ceramic, your loaf gets a good rise, which makes a real difference with yeasted doughs like brioche. The silver version is light in colour, so loaf cakes come out golden rather than dark.
The details: it’s a standard 9 x 5 inch (23cm) pan with a nonstick coating and extended handles that are easy to hold with oven gloves. It’s dishwasher safe, and KitchenAid gives it a limited lifetime warranty.
What it’s lovely for: loaf cakes, yogurt cakes, brioche, savoury cakes and pretty much everything in between.
My honest take: it won’t win any beauty contests, but it’s light, reliable and easy to clean, and cakes come out of it cleanly every time. I’d still use wooden or silicone tools with it, and wash it by hand if you want the coating to last as long as possible.
Glass
Glass is what a lot of us start with, and it’s easy to see why. It’s affordable, it lasts for years, and you can check how the bottom of your cake is browning just by peeking through the oven door.
How it bakes: glass doesn’t conduct heat very well, so it warms up slowly, then holds on to that heat and keeps radiating it. That gives you gentle, even baking, but the edges can firm up while the centre takes longer to set. Professionals suggests lowering the oven temperature by about 15°C (25°F) and allowing up to 10 extra minutes when you bake a metal-pan recipe in glass.
Good to know: the Pyrex sold in the US, written in lowercase as “pyrex”, is made from tempered soda-lime glass, while the European PYREX, in capitals, is borosilicate glass. Both are made for the oven, but neither likes sudden changes in temperature, so let the dish come to room temperature before it goes into a hot oven, and put it down on a dry board or a cooling rack when it comes out.
What it’s lovely for: banana bread, courgette (zucchini) cakes and moist apple cakes, where it’s a real pleasure to watch the layers turning golden through the glass.
My honest take: glass is heavier and more fragile than metal, and because glass pans are often a little wider, your loaf can come out lower and flatter. Brioche and bread rise better in metal, so I’d keep glass for cakes and quick breads.
Ceramic
Ceramic is the pretty one of the family, and it goes from the oven to the table looking as if it belongs there, which is handy when friends come over for a long weekend lunch.
How it bakes: like glass, stoneware heats up slowly and then holds its heat well, so your loaf bakes gently and evenly. It also carries on cooking for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven, so it’s worth taking your cake out as soon as the skewer comes out clean.
The details: Le Creuset’s Heritage stoneware loaf pan is about 23 x 13cm (9 x 5 inches) inside and holds about 1.5 litres. The glaze doesn’t absorb smells or stains, and the pan is oven safe up to 260°C (500°F), dishwasher safe and, according to Le Creuset, fine with metal utensils.
What it’s lovely for: savoury cakes you want to serve warm, dense fruit cakes with a long bake, where the gentle heat protects the edges, and vegetable or fish terrines.
My honest take: it’s heavier and more expensive than metal, and your loaves may need a few extra minutes. But it’s beautifully made, it will last for years, and it’s the one I’d choose for a cake that goes straight to the table.
Le Creuset carbon steel nonstick loaf pan
Carbon steel
This is the pan for a darker, golden-brown crust and cakes that slide out without any coaxing.
How it bakes: heavy-gauge carbon steel heats up quickly and evenly, and because this pan is black, it absorbs more heat than a light one, so your loaf bakes a little faster and browns more. The toughened nonstick coating covers the inside and outside, which makes it very easy to turn cakes out.
The details: it’s oven safe up to 240°C, and Le Creuset recommends washing it by hand and using silicone or wooden tools to protect the coating. It comes with a lifetime guarantee.
What it’s lovely for: sticky batters that can be tricky to unmould, savoury loaves where a darker crust is welcome, and anyone who would rather not line a pan ever again.
My honest take: it’s excellent quality and properly non-stick, but it does need a little more attention with very sugary cakes and long bakes. Start checking 5 to 10 minutes early, or lower the oven by about 10 to 15°C, and you’ll be fine.
Staub loaf pan and Le Creuset loaf pan
Cast iron
Cast iron is the heavyweight of the family, and I mean that literally, because these pans are properly heavy. But if you bake bread every weekend, the crust you get from them is something else.
How it bakes: cast iron takes its time to heat up, then holds that heat like nothing else, so the thick walls give your loaf a steady, even temperature from start to finish, an even crumb and a deep golden crust. All that stored heat means the loaf keeps cooking after you take it out, so if you’re worried about overbaking, take it out a minute or two early.
Staub or Le Creuset? Both make enamelled cast iron loaf pans with black enamel inside, but they feel a little different.
- Staub has a matte black enamel with a slightly rough texture, which is good for browning. The Staub loaf pan is about 28 x 13cm (11¼ x 5 inches), so it’s longer than a standard pan, and a 23cm recipe will come out a little lower in it.
- Le Creuset uses a smoother black satin enamel, which is slightly easier to clean. The Le Creuset loaf pan is 23cm (9 inches) long, weighs about 2kg (4.3lb), holds about 1.9 litres, and is oven safe up to 260°C (500°F) and dishwasher safe.
What it’s lovely for: brioche and enriched breads when you’d like a deep, glossy crust, bread doughs that love steady heat, and vegetable terrines.
My honest take: these pans are expensive, heavy and slow to heat up, but they’ll outlast you! If you bake bread most weekends, you’ll use one all the time, and if you bake a cake once a month, a light metal pan will do everything you need for a fraction of the price.
Mini Loaf Pans
A full-size loaf cake is lovely, but if there are only two of you at home, it can sit on the counter for days. Mini loaf pans solve that nicely, and I use them all the time as a lovely way to bake little cakes to give away to the neighbours, wrapped in baking paper and tied with string!
How they bake: these are heavy-gauge steel, so they heat quickly and evenly, and the thick rolled edges stop them from warping in the oven. Because the loaves are so much smaller, they bake much faster than a full-size cake, so start checking with a skewer at about half the time the recipe gives.
The details: you get four pans, each about 16 x 9 x 4.5cm (6¼ x 3½ x 1¾ inches), with a nonstick coating inside and out. And they’re dishwasher safe, although I would still recommend hand washing to preserve the non-stick coating.
What they’re lovely for: small loaf cakes for two, gifts for neighbours and friends, and baking one recipe in a few different flavours, with a handful of berries in one and some chopped nuts in another.
My honest take: a recipe written for a standard 23cm pan will fill about three to four of these, as long as you keep them about two-thirds full. Set them on a baking tray so they’re easy to move in and out of the oven, and keep a close eye on them the first time you bake a recipe this way.
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Loaf pan sizes and conversions
Sizes vary from one brand to another, so if a recipe gives a specific size, it’s worth measuring the inside of your pan, or filling it with water from a measuring jug to check how much it holds.
Loaf pan sizes and conversions
| What it’s called | Roughly | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| US 9 x 5 inch loaf pan | 23 x 13cm | About 1.5 to 2 litres |
| US 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan | 21 x 11cm | About 1.5 litres |
| UK 2lb loaf tin | 21 to 23cm long, 11 to 13cm wide | Similar to a US 9 x 5 inch pan |
| UK 1lb loaf tin | 16 to 18cm long, 9 to 11cm wide | About half a 2lb tin |
| French “moule à cake” | Usually 24 to 30cm long | Depends on the brand |
| Mini loaf pan | About 16 x 9cm | About a quarter of a 9 x 5 inch pan |
A few tips that make a real difference
Adjust the oven for your pan
Most recipes, mine included, are developed in light metal pans. If you’re baking in glass, lower the oven by about 15°C (25°F) and allow up to 10 minutes more. In a dark metal pan, either lower the oven by 10 to 15°C or start checking 5 to 10 minutes early. And with ceramic or cast iron, check a few minutes later than the recipe says, remembering that the pan keeps cooking for a while after it leaves the oven.
Leave room for the rise
Fill your loaf pan about two-thirds full at most, so the batter has room to rise without spilling over the sides. For brioche, the dough should fill about half the pan before its final rise. If you’ve made a little too much batter, bake the rest as a couple of muffins, which is never a hardship.
Make a baking paper sling
This is my favourite little trick for sticky cakes and dense fruit cakes. Cut a strip of baking paper (parchment paper) the width of your pan and long enough to hang over both long sides by about 5cm, butter the pan, then press the paper in. When the cake is baked, you simply lift it out by the paper “handles”, and it works with any pan.
Butter and flour, even with nonstick
A thin layer of butter and flour costs nothing and gives you extra peace of mind, even in a nonstick pan. For brioche, butter on its own is enough, and if you’re using a baking paper sling, you can skip it altogether.
Wait before you peek
Most ovens have hot spots, so turning your pan halfway through helps it brown evenly. Just wait until the cake has set, usually after the first 30 minutes or so, before you open the door, because a rush of cold air too early can make it sink.
Look after your pans
When you stack your loaf pans, slip a sheet of kitchen paper or a cloth between them to protect nonstick coatings and enamel from scratches, and make sure cast iron and steel pans are completely dry before you put them away.
FAQ
Which loaf pan is best for most home bakers?
A light-coloured metal loaf pan, such as aluminised steel with a nonstick coating, suits most home bakers. It heats quickly and evenly, gives a golden crust and a good rise, and most recipes are developed in this type of pan. Glass, ceramic and cast iron all work well too, but they need small adjustments to the oven temperature or baking time.
Is a glass loaf pan good for baking?
Yes, a glass loaf pan works well for banana bread, quick breads and moist apple or fruit cakes, and you can see the bottom browning as it bakes. Glass heats slowly and then holds its heat, so lower the oven by about 15°C (25°F) and allow up to 10 extra minutes. For brioche and bread, a metal pan gives a better rise.
Is a ceramic loaf pan better than a metal one?
They’re good at different things. A ceramic loaf pan bakes gently and evenly and looks lovely on the table, so it suits savoury cakes, dense fruit cakes and terrines. A metal loaf pan heats faster, which gives a better rise and a more golden crust, so it’s the better choice for brioche and most loaf cakes. Ceramic is also heavier and usually more expensive.
Is a cast iron loaf pan worth it?
A cast iron loaf pan is worth it if you bake bread or brioche often and love a deep, even crust. It holds heat brilliantly and will last a lifetime. It’s also heavy, expensive and slow to heat up, though, so if you mostly bake the occasional cake, a good light metal loaf pan will give you lovely results for much less.
What size loaf pan do I need?
The most common size is 23 x 13cm (9 x 5 inches), which holds about 1.5 to 2 litres. Most US recipes, including all of mine, are written for this size, and it’s close to a UK 2lb loaf tin. If your pan is smaller or larger, the baking time will change, so start checking a little early.
Can I bake a loaf cake in mini loaf pans?
Yes. A recipe for a standard 23cm (9 x 5 inch) loaf pan will fill about three to four mini loaf pans of around 16 x 9cm, filled about two-thirds full. Keep the same oven temperature, but start checking with a skewer at about half the original baking time, because small loaves bake much faster. Setting the pans on a baking tray makes them easier to handle.
Over to you
Most people who bake regularly end up with two loaf pans: a light metal one for everyday cakes and brioche, and a special one, in glass, ceramic or cast iron, for the bakes they love most. You really can’t go wrong, as long as you adjust the oven a little for the pan you’re using.
Which loaf pan do you use most, and what do you love baking in it? Tell me in the comments, I’d love to know!
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