Are you trying to figure out how much cake you need for a party or wedding? We’ve got you covered!
Enter the number of guests below, and we’ll estimate how much cake you’ll need to feed them. Guests: Portion Size: Cake Type: Tiers:
12 inch cakes can be very generously served to 40 people with each slice measuring about 1 inch across the back. A standard fork is about one inch wide. Keep in mind that the thinner slice of a 12 inch cake is 6 inches long and 4 or 5 inches tall.
Cakes Needed: cakes Learn how we calculated this
Whether you’re planning a quiet birthday gathering or an elaborate wedding, ‘cake math’ can be a tricky task since portions vary based on cake shape, height, and width.
Depending on the occasion, tiered cakes (think wedding) and sheet cakes (think retirement party) are intended to serve more people, so efficient and accurate calculating is key.
Expert pastry chef and cake decorator Michelle Anderson explains that the standard slice of wedding cake is typically 4 inches high and 2 inches long by 1 inch wide; however, dessert portions can be larger.[1]
Avoid a ‘cake mistake’ and use this chart to determine how many servings are in standard round and square cake pans.
| Cake Size | Round Cake | Square Cake |
|---|---|---|
| 5 inch (13 cm) | 8 servings | 8 servings |
| 6 inch (15 cm) | 11 servings | 18 servings |
| 7 inch (18 cm) | 15 servings | 24 servings |
| 8 inch (20 cm) | 20 servings | 32 servings |
| 9 inch (23 cm) | 27 servings | 35 servings |
| 10 inch (25 cm) | 38 servings | 50 servings |
| 11 inch (28 cm) | 45 servings | 56 servings |
| 12 inch (30 cm) | 56 servings | 72 servings |
| 14 inch (36 cm) | 64 servings | 98 servings |
Use our recipe scale calculator to accurately scale your cake recipe up or down.
How Many People Will Your Cake Serve
Typically, a standard 9″ cake pan will yield about 27 portions, but consider your audience. Larger appetites or ‘dessert only’ events generally call for bigger portions, about 18 servings per 9″ cake.
Use the chart above to see how many portions are in the most common cake sizes. For larger portions, divide the serving count by 1.5.
Calculating for a tiered cake is easier than you think! Just find the servings for each tier and total them up. Piece of cake, right?
Round Cake Sizes And Servings
FAQ
How much cake do I need for 40 guests sheet cake?
How big of a cake do I need for 45 people?
What size cake will feed 50?
How many servings is a 4 inch cake?
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Pan Size & Shape
|
Party Servings (slices 1-1/2″ x 2″ or larger)
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Wedding Servings (slices 1-1/2″ x 2″ or smaller)
|
|
4″ Round
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2
|
4
|
|
6″ Round
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8
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12
|
|
7″ Round
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12
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22
|
|
8″ Round
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15
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24
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How much cake to buy for a crowd?
An average six-inch round cake will provide twelve servings, and an average eight-inch square cake will provide twenty servings. For a crowd, buy one and a half servings of cake per person. Below is a list of charts that will help you to know exactly how much cake to buy for your crowd.
How many servings should a wedding cake have?
While one serving per guest is a good place to start, you also need to take the dimensions into consideration. Not all servings are cut the same way. They change depending on the cake’s size, height, and shape. A tier-layered cake with buttercream frosting will account for a taller slice than a standard layer cake.
How to choose a cake for 100 guests?
Let’s start with 100 guests. Choose the cake shape. Suppose you prefer a traditional round cake. There we go! The tool will suggest the cake size needed dependent on the slice size. For small slices of 2 in², we need to buy a 16″ cake (~41 cm). The round cake size – in inches or centimeters – is the diameter of a round cake.
How big should a wedding cake be?
Expert pastry chef and cake decorator Michelle Anderson explains that the standard slice of wedding cake is typically 4 inches high and 2 inches long by 1 inch wide; however, dessert portions can be larger. Avoid a ‘cake mistake’ and use this chart to determine how many servings are in standard round and square cake pans.