How to Bake a Cake in a Glass Pan (7 Easy Steps and Recipe)

When you use a glass pan for baking, it should be approached a bit differently than when you are using a metal pan. This is because glass absorbs heat more quickly and more evenly than a metal baking dish.

Oven proof glass pans are great for baking cakes because they are easy to clean, heat up quickly and can even be used to store the cake after. I use my glass Pyrex dish regularly to bake cakes and they turn out great.

If you find yourself needing to use a glass pan to bake a cake, there are a few tricks that you should know about first, and these are detailed throughout this article. Keep reading if you want some tips for getting your cake to turn out perfectly in its glass pan, as well as a delicious cake and buttercream recipe, which can be found at the end of the article.

If you follow the seven steps provided below, your cake is sure to turn out amazing.

Step 1: Preheat your oven

The first step for properly using your glass pan to bake a cake is to preheat your oven by setting it to a temperature that is 25 degrees Fahrenheit lower than what your specific recipe calls for. This will both help keep your glass pan from getting damaged and get your cake to turn out perfectly.

Step 2: Mix your cake batter

At this point, you can mix up your cake batter. Combine all of the cake’s ingredients and prepare the mixture for pouring into the glass pan.

Step 3: Grease or line your pan

Prior to pouring your batter into the glass pan, you need to make sure you get the pan adequately greased. Rather than using butter to carry out this step, which can result in your cake actually sticking to the pan even worse, you should utilize either melted shortening or vegetable oil for greasing.

Make sure that you get the sides coated, too, along with the bottom of your pan.

You can also use baking paper to line your glass pan. Lightly spray the glass pan with oil to help the paper to stick and be held in place as you pour your batter.

Step 4: Pour cake batter into the glass pan

It is now time to get the combined cake batter into your greased glass pan. Carefully pour it into your pan, using a spatula or spoon to help guide it.

Step 5: Place in the oven

Next, once your oven has sufficiently preheated, which typically takes between 10 and 15 minutes, place the glass pan into your oven in the center. You can also place it near the top like mine and you can get a crispier top quicker.

Step 6: Bake for the appropriate time

Let your cake bake at the adjusted temperature for the amount of time indicated on the recipe you are using. Keep in mind that your cake might cook 10 additional minutes quicker than those in a metal pan.

Insert a toothpick into the cake to check if it has finished baking. When it comes out clean, you know the cake is ready to remove from the oven.

Step 7: Remove the cake from the glass pan

The final step for baking a cake in a glass pan is to remove it from the oven before placing it onto a cooling rack, cutting board, or dry cloth.

You do not want to transfer the hot pan to a surface that varies greatly in temperature, such as a cold, wet cloth, as you risk cracking the glass.

Greaseproof paper makes it easy to lift the cake out without it sticking.

Glass Pyrex containers are great for baking cakes because you can place the lid on after you have let it cooled for an easy way to store.

Cake and Buttercream Recipe

The cake recipe included below can be baked in a glass or a metal pan. However, this specific recipe has temperature instructions based on using glass pans, so you will need to adjust this temperature up 25 degrees Fahrenheit if you are using a metal pan.

Check out the delicious vanilla sheet cake recipe provided for you. The buttercream recipe can be found after the cake recipe.

Vanilla Sheet Cake

You just can’t go wrong with this light vanilla sheet cake. It is super simple to whip up the batter, and your glass pan will help the cake bake perfectly evenly.

Here are the ingredients you will need for the cake batter:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

The first step is to preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit so it can heat up while you combine the ingredients to make the cake batter.

Next, combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and put it to the side. In another bowl, whisk your eggs, then add the sugar, which should be whisked into the eggs, prior to whisking in both the vanilla extract and vegetable oil.

After this, slowly add in the dry ingredients from the separate bowl while alternating with the buttermilk, and get the batter into your pan. Bake your cake for at least 35 minutes, but test it after this time with a skewer to see if it is baked all the way through.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Once your cake has cooled completely, you can top it with some homemade vanilla buttercream frosting. Here are the ingredients you will need:

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The first step in making your buttercream is to blend the powdered sugar and unsalted butter together using a mixer, getting the mixture to a point where it is fluffy.

Next, blend in the vanilla extract and milk, using only two tablespoons at first and adding more if the mixture requires additional moisture. After the frosting is smooth and spreadable, you can carefully slather it onto your cooled vanilla sheet cake.

As a side note, if you want to make a chocolate buttercream frosting rather than vanilla, you can simply add about three-fourths of a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to mix after you combine the powdered sugar and butter. Just keep in mind that with this extra dry ingredient, you may need a bit more milk to get your frosting to the desired consistency.

How to Bake a Cake in a Glass Pan: Summary

The two main points you should take away from this article are that you need to adjust the baking temperature, lowering it by 25 degrees Fahrenheit, to accommodate baking a cake in a glass pan, and you might also need to bake your cake for 10 minutes less because the glass conducts the heat so well.

Happy baking.