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The Best 8-Inch Square Baking Pans

For cakes and brownies, you need a square baking pan.

Editor&aposs Note:Update, February 2022

After receiving some complaints about our winning 8-inch square cake pan, the Fat Daddio's ProSeries Square Cake Pan, we decided to retest it. We also tested two pans that have come on the market. After retesting, we demoted our previous winner because it didn’t release baked goods as easily as others and because it was harder to clean. We have a new overall winner, the All-Clad Pro-Release NonStick Bakeware 8 Inch Square Cake Pan, and a Best Buy, the Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Square Cake Pan. If you’d like a pan with straight sides—best for making layer cakes—our favorite is the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Square Cake Pan.

What You Need to Know

Square baking pans are handy for making cakes and brownies, but that’s not all. We also use them for recipes such as Chocolate Fudge, Honey Cornbread, and Nanaimo Bars. Because we call for them in so many of our recipes, we decided to find out which of the many pans on the market was the best. We chose several models, made of various materials. To test them, we made yellow cake and brownies in each, sliced the cooled baked goods in the pans with a knife, and then washed the pans repeatedly to evaluate durability.

What did we discover? Most pans baked food well. The pans produced slightly different-looking cakes, one model couldn’t hide a glaring durability issue, and cleaning these pans was not always an easy task. Happily, though, we found several models that excelled. 

our winning 8-inch baking pan by all-clad and wilton

Nonstick Pans Release Easily

The materials of the pans in our lineup varied. We tested models made from metal, glass, silicone, and stoneware. Six of the metal pans had nonstick coatings; none of the other models did.

The first thing we noted was the slight differences in baking times. Because metal is generally a better conductor of heat than glass or stoneware is, the nonmetal models required more time in the oven to finish baking—5 to 8 minutes longer for yellow cake and about 5 minutes longer for brownies. Even with these differences, the baking times in all the pans fell within acceptable ranges.

Our recipes called for either greasing or greasing plus flouring the pans, which was sufficient to prevent sticking in almost every pan. We preferred models with a nonstick coating, which ensured that cakes and brownies released effortlessly. Models that lacked this coating sometimes had cakes or brownies stick to their interiors, making for less pretty results and more scrubbing during cleanup.

Regardless of material, all the pans produced appetizing brownies and cakes with golden-brown tops. Two of the cakes had slightly darker exteriors than the others, likely because they baked in darker-colored pans, but they were still perfectly acceptable. 

Straight Sides versus Tapered Sides

We also evaluated how the cakes looked. Some of the cakes had rounded corners and edges that tapered outward. Some of the cakes were noticeably squarer, with straight sides. While these straight-sided cakes are important if you're making a layer cake—they make uniform, easy-to-frost tiers—for single-layer applications, home bakers will be just as happy with the cakes that have tapered sides. 

Cakes pans with straight sides make cakes that are ideal for layering (top). But for most other applications, cakes with tapered sides (bottom) are just fine.

Functional Handles Were Very Helpful

We also noted whether a pan had defined handles. Four models in our lineup featured rolled edges with narrow lips that were sometimes tricky to hold securely, especially when removing the pans from a hot oven or greasing and flouring them. When greasing and flouring the pans, we’d find ourselves gripping the edges of the pans with our thumbs and using our fingers to support the pan bottoms, with our thumbs often smearing the grease-and-flour coatings.

The rest of the models featured defined handles. One had a roughly ½-inch flattened edge that functioned as a handle; another had wider, flat handles; and two more had looped handles. The pans with handles were easier to flour and grease and maneuver into and out of the oven.

The silicone model wasn't durable enough to withstand a paring knife.

Silicone Was Not Durable

To test the durability of the pans, we used a sharp paring knife to repeatedly slice cake and brownies in each pan, checking to see if any scratched easily. All five metal pans showed faint nicks, but nothing that would affect their performance.

One pan, however, was a total letdown. While slicing brownies in the silicone pan, we inadvertently sliced right through the side, leaving a ¾-inch gash and rendering the pan unusable.

Molded metal pans (left) are seamless and much easier to clean. Folded pans (right) trapped crumbs, requiring extra attention during cleaning.

Pans With Seams Were Harder To Clean

To see how easy the pans were to clean, we washed each pan five times according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Most of the pans we tested were dishwasher-safe, but a few weren’t, so we washed those by hand. We didn’t have a strong preference for one method, but some of the pans were harder to clean than others.

The interiors of the glass, stoneware, and silicone pans were all smooth and seamless and therefore easy to clean. Most of the metal models, though, had seams as a result of the way they were constructed. Three of the metal pans were molded, meaning that a hot sheet of metal was pressed into a mold. The other metal pans were folded—made by folding a metal sheet into the shape of a pan, creating seams. The folded pans’ seams sometimes trapped food and required extra attention to clean. It wasn’t a deal breaker, but it wasn’t ideal either.

The Winners: All-Clad Pro-Release Nonstick Square Baking Pan and Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Square Cake Pan

Three pans surpassed the others. The All-Clad Pro-Release Nonstick Square Baking Pan had a molded interior with a slick nonstick coating that made for easy release and quick cleanup. It had wide handles that were comfortable to hold while maneuvering the hot pan around the oven. Best of all, it baked brownies and cake evenly. At nearly half the price, our Best Buy, the Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Square Cake Pan, shared many of the same traits as our winner. Both these pans had slightly rounded corners and tapered edges. The Wilton just got a little more scratched and produced baked goods that weren't quite as evenly browned as those produced in the All-Clad.

If you’re looking for a pan that will produce baked goods with straight edges, check out the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Square Cake Pan. It made beautiful brownies and cake and released both easily. It doesn’t have handles, so it’s a bit challenging to maneuver in and out of the oven. And its folded construction means small crumbs might get stuck in the corners. Still, no matter which of these pans you choose, we know they’ll produce well-baked, delicious desserts. 

  • Make brownies using Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix, our winning boxed brownie mix, and then cut the cooled brownies in the pans into 16 squares and repeat the cutting motion four additional times
  • Make yellow cake using our Make-Ahead Yellow Cake Mix, and then cut the cooled cakes in the pans into 16 squares and repeat the cutting motion four additional times
  • Line the winning pan with an aluminum foil sling and make Basic Brownies
  • Wash the pans five times according to manufacturers’ instructions

  • Produced evenly browned baked goods
  • Had dedicated handles that made the pan easy to hold and maneuver
  • Had a smooth, seamless interior that was easy to clean
  • Resistant to damage

Everything We Tested

Good 3 Stars out of 3.
Fair 2 Stars out of 3.
Poor 1 Star out of 3.

Highly Recommended

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Overall WinnerAll-Clad Pro-Release NonStick Bakeware 8 inch Square Cake Pan

Our winning pan produced beautiful brownies and evenly browned cake. With a nonstick coating, it released baked goods easily. It has a molded, not folded, construction, so cleanup was a breeze. Distinct, wide handles made it easy for us to maneuver the pan in and out of the oven. The pan retained only minor scratches that were less noticeable than in the other pans in our lineup. Keep in mind that this pan has tapered edges, so we don’t recommend using it to bake layer cakes.

Model Number: 2100110921

Materials: Aluminized steel

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Hand washing recommended

Price at Time of Testing: $31.64

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Our winning pan produced beautiful brownies and evenly browned cake. With a nonstick coating, it released baked goods easily. It has a molded, not folded, construction, so cleanup was a breeze. Distinct, wide handles made it easy for us to maneuver the pan in and out of the oven. The pan retained only minor scratches that were less noticeable than in the other pans in our lineup. Keep in mind that this pan has tapered edges, so we don’t recommend using it to bake layer cakes.

Model Number: 2100110921

Materials: Aluminized steel

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Hand washing recommended

Price at Time of Testing: $31.64

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Best BuyWilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Square Cake Pan

This pan was just as easy to use as our winner. Its wide rims on either side gave us ample room to grip, even with bulky oven mitts on. The nonstick coating made easy work of releasing both brownies and cake. It incurred minor scratching from cutting in the pan, but not so deeply that it would affect future baking. Its lower price point makes it a great alternative to our winner.

Model Number: 2105-6061

Materials: Alloy steel

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Hand washing recommended

Price at Time of Testing: $13.11

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

This pan was just as easy to use as our winner. Its wide rims on either side gave us ample room to grip, even with bulky oven mitts on. The nonstick coating made easy work of releasing both brownies and cake. It incurred minor scratching from cutting in the pan, but not so deeply that it would affect future baking. Its lower price point makes it a great alternative to our winner.

Model Number: 2105-6061

Materials: Alloy steel

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Hand washing recommended

Price at Time of Testing: $13.11

Recommended

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Best Pan with Straight SidesWilliams Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Square Cake Pan, 8"

This pan gave us beautiful cake and brownies. The formula of this pan’s nonstick coating changed since the last time we tested it, but it still releases baked goods as easily as when we originally tested it. It was fairly easy to clean because of its excellent nonstick coating, but crumbs sometimes got stuck in the corners’ folds. It accumulated only light nicks after we sliced cake and brownies in it. While we noticed a few rust spots after inadvertently leaving it in the dishwasher for a couple of days, we didn’t see this problem with any of the other copies currently stocked in our kitchen.

Model Number: 1983741

Materials: Aluminized steel, Goldtouch ceramic-based coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $26.95

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

This pan gave us beautiful cake and brownies. The formula of this pan’s nonstick coating changed since the last time we tested it, but it still releases baked goods as easily as when we originally tested it. It was fairly easy to clean because of its excellent nonstick coating, but crumbs sometimes got stuck in the corners’ folds. It accumulated only light nicks after we sliced cake and brownies in it. While we noticed a few rust spots after inadvertently leaving it in the dishwasher for a couple of days, we didn’t see this problem with any of the other copies currently stocked in our kitchen.

Model Number: 1983741

Materials: Aluminized steel, Goldtouch ceramic-based coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $26.95

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

USA Pan 8 Inch Square Cake Pan

This pan featured a ridged bottom and sides, which sometimes left faint marks on the finished baked goods, but it was nothing egregious. This model's straight sides produced square yellow cakes with clean edges, and though the pan showed minor scratches after the paring knife test, the marks weren't substantial. We also found a stray crumb stuck in one seam even after washing the pan, but overall this pan was easy to clean. 

Model Number: 1120BW-6

Materials: Aluminized steel with silicone coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: No

Price at Time of Testing: $19.99

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

This pan featured a ridged bottom and sides, which sometimes left faint marks on the finished baked goods, but it was nothing egregious. This model's straight sides produced square yellow cakes with clean edges, and though the pan showed minor scratches after the paring knife test, the marks weren't substantial. We also found a stray crumb stuck in one seam even after washing the pan, but overall this pan was easy to clean. 

Model Number: 1120BW-6

Materials: Aluminized steel with silicone coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: No

Price at Time of Testing: $19.99

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

KitchenAid Professional-Grade Nonstick Square Cake Pan, 8" x 8"

Another model that turned out nicely browned baked goods, this pan had nearly 90-degree sides that made for cakes with straight sides. We did notice some faint scratching after cutting the brownies and cake in the pan. Food got caught in the pan's seams, so we had to pay close attention during cleanup.

Model Number: KB2NSO08SQWT

Materials: Aluminized steel, multilayer nonstick coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $15.00

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Another model that turned out nicely browned baked goods, this pan had nearly 90-degree sides that made for cakes with straight sides. We did notice some faint scratching after cutting the brownies and cake in the pan. Food got caught in the pan's seams, so we had to pay close attention during cleanup.

Model Number: KB2NSO08SQWT

Materials: Aluminized steel, multilayer nonstick coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $15.00

Recommended with reservations

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Staub Stoneware Square Baker, 8" x 8"

This glazed ceramic stoneware model took longer to bake brownies and cake, but the baking times of both fell within acceptable ranges. The sides of our yellow cake were tapered, giving it a less polished appearance. We loved this model's handles, which were easy to grab whether greasing and flouring a pan or removing it from a hot oven. It remained scratch-free throughout testing, and its seamless interior was easy to clean. 

Model Number: 7396010

Materials: Stoneware with glass porcelain enamel finish

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $36.00

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

This glazed ceramic stoneware model took longer to bake brownies and cake, but the baking times of both fell within acceptable ranges. The sides of our yellow cake were tapered, giving it a less polished appearance. We loved this model's handles, which were easy to grab whether greasing and flouring a pan or removing it from a hot oven. It remained scratch-free throughout testing, and its seamless interior was easy to clean. 

Model Number: 7396010

Materials: Stoneware with glass porcelain enamel finish

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $36.00

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Pyrex Easy Grab 8" Square Baking Dish

Another nonmetal model, this glass baking dish took longer to produce thoroughly baked goods, but only by a few minutes. Like the stoneware model, this pan produced cakes with tapered sides that didn't look as nice as cakes baked in straight-sided pans. Its handles weren't as comfortable as those of the stoneware model because there was less room for our fingers to wrap around. But it was highly durable, showing no signs of scratching, and it was easy to clean. 

Model Number: 1090950

Material: Glass

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $9.76

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Another nonmetal model, this glass baking dish took longer to produce thoroughly baked goods, but only by a few minutes. Like the stoneware model, this pan produced cakes with tapered sides that didn't look as nice as cakes baked in straight-sided pans. Its handles weren't as comfortable as those of the stoneware model because there was less room for our fingers to wrap around. But it was highly durable, showing no signs of scratching, and it was easy to clean. 

Model Number: 1090950

Material: Glass

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $9.76

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Fat Daddio's ProSeries Square Cake Pan

The extended lip on this pan makes it easy to hold on to, and the pan’s straight sides made beautiful, perfectly square cake. However, we found the pan’s material to be problematic. When the pan was greased with butter and dusted with flour, cake released easily from it. But when the pan was greased with only butter, as called for in the recipe, brownies stuck stubbornly inside it, which made it very challenging to remove the food without damaging it. The stuck-on food left behind also made cleanup a pain.

Model Number: PSQ-882

Material: Anodized aluminum

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: No

Price at Time of Testing: $13.48

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

The extended lip on this pan makes it easy to hold on to, and the pan’s straight sides made beautiful, perfectly square cake. However, we found the pan’s material to be problematic. When the pan was greased with butter and dusted with flour, cake released easily from it. But when the pan was greased with only butter, as called for in the recipe, brownies stuck stubbornly inside it, which made it very challenging to remove the food without damaging it. The stuck-on food left behind also made cleanup a pain.

Model Number: PSQ-882

Material: Anodized aluminum

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: No

Price at Time of Testing: $13.48

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Calphalon Signature Nonstick Bakeware 8" Cake Pan

We liked this metal model's straight sides, and even though it produced slightly more browned cake than most other pans (likely as a result of its darker color), the cake was still acceptable. The pan showed a small number of scratches after the paring knife test, but we were more bothered by the crumbs stuck in one seam that wasn't as tight as the others and was harder to clean. 

Model Number: 2000607

Materials: Aluminized steel with hybrid ceramic nonstick coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $32.95

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

We liked this metal model's straight sides, and even though it produced slightly more browned cake than most other pans (likely as a result of its darker color), the cake was still acceptable. The pan showed a small number of scratches after the paring knife test, but we were more bothered by the crumbs stuck in one seam that wasn't as tight as the others and was harder to clean. 

Model Number: 2000607

Materials: Aluminized steel with hybrid ceramic nonstick coating

Construction: Folded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $32.95

Not Recommended

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Trudeau Structured Silicone Pro 8 Inch Square Cake Pan

Our least favorite model, this pan took slightly longer than others to produce thoroughly baked brownies and cake. The yellow cake was slightly darker, perhaps due to the pan's darker color. But the glaring issue was the material: This model was made of silicone, which wasn't nearly as durable as other materials we tested, as evidenced by our accidentally slicing right through the pan when cutting brownies. It left a noticeable gash in the pan's side, rendering the pan unusable.

Model Number: 09914012WS

Materials: Silicone body and handle accents with steel reinforced internal frame

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $27.95

  • Durability
  • Ease of Cleanup
  • Baked Good Appearance

Our least favorite model, this pan took slightly longer than others to produce thoroughly baked brownies and cake. The yellow cake was slightly darker, perhaps due to the pan's darker color. But the glaring issue was the material: This model was made of silicone, which wasn't nearly as durable as other materials we tested, as evidenced by our accidentally slicing right through the pan when cutting brownies. It left a noticeable gash in the pan's side, rendering the pan unusable.

Model Number: 09914012WS

Materials: Silicone body and handle accents with steel reinforced internal frame

Construction: Molded

Dishwasher-Safe: Yes

Price at Time of Testing: $27.95

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!

The Expert

Author: Carolyn Grillo

byCarolyn Grillo

Senior Editor, ATK Reviews

Carolyn is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She's a French-trained professional baker.

Carolyn Grillo is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She studied French patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked as a baker before joining the review team. Her culinary background helps her evaluate bakeware and write about ingredients. Carolyn is also responsible for writing The Well-Equipped Cook, a weekly newsletter about kitchen equipment. Hailing from the land of Taylor ham and Italian delis (New Jersey), she has strong opinions about both and isn't afraid to share them.

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