Best Way To Calculate Cake Size Servings – Chart Included

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Last Updated on March 6, 2022

Calculating cake size servings can be a headache! You want enough slices, but also not overbake. So, how can you accurately calculate cake size?

Don’t worry, we get it. This is exactly why we have created this informative article that will help answer all of your questions! We will be looking at every factor that will affect the size of your portions and cake, as well as how to accurately calculate the size you need.

What Are The Perfect Cake Size Servings?

So, how big is an actual cake size serving? A standard slice of cake is about 4-inches tall, 1-inch wide, and 2-inches in the length. Or at least, this size is what wedding cake bakers use to calculate how big to make the cakes.

So, the actual cake size servings will to a certain extent, vary from occasion to occasion. Because obviously, you’re not going to have the same size cake at your sister’s birthday as at your wedding reception!

And, if you think you or your guests will be able to stuff yourselves with cake, think again. Remember, they have most likely already had appetizers, a starter, and a main. And, at some weddings, there is even a separate dessert being served.

The same goes for any other occasion. The cake is often the last thing served and mostly functions as a statement piece.

The standard cake size servings for a slice of cake at a regular party are usually around 1.5-inches wide. This is half an inch wider than what is served at a wedding. This is because birthday parties often don’t have as much food served as at a wedding.

What affects portion size?

There are a few things that influence the size of the cake slice.

• The occasion. Different occasions call for different sizes and shapes of cake. As we have already mentioned, at birthday parties, cake slices are wider than at weddings.
• The height of the cake. The more layers a cake has, the thinner the slice of cake usually is.
• The shape of the cake. Different shapes of cake are cut into different sizes and will obviously affect the size of each portion. Square cakes are portioned into blocks, not slices.

How To Determine How Big A Cake You Need?

When it comes down to how big the cake needs to be, you first need to determine a few things before you can make that calculation.

No one wants to be skimpy when slicing a cake. And, you also don’t want to run out either! So, always make sure there are a few extra portions available. This doesn’t have to be a lot, but make sure that there is at least 10-20% more cake than needed portions.

The biggest consideration you need to take into account is the number of people you need to serve. Another factor is the design of your cake, and of course, your budget.

Once you have made those considerations, you can have a look at our go-to guideline that will help you easily determine what cake size you will need based on the amount of cake size servings you require.

How many servings in different sized cakes?

The following chart is based on party size servings!

Cake shape	Cake Size	Cake Size Servings
Round	6 inches wide and 5 inches tall	12
8 inches wide and 5 inches tall	24
12 inches wide and 5 inches tall	56
14 inches wide and 5 inches tall	78
16 inches wide and 5 inches tall	100
Square	6 inches wide by 5 inches tall	18
8 inches wide by 5 inches tall	32
10 inches wide by 5 inches tall	50
12 inches wide by 5 inches tall	72
14 inches wide by 5 inches tall	98
16 inches wide by 5 inches tall	128

As you can see, you get slightly more slices out of a square cake than you do out of a round cake! Which makes a square cake way more budget-friendly!

How Big Is A Generous Servings Size?

To recap, a standard cake size portion is roughly 4-inches tall, 1-inch wide, and 2-inches in length. So, a generous serving would be slightly larger. However, you don’t want the serving to be wasteful.

A generous portion cake size will be 4-inches tall, 1.5 to 2-inches wide, and 2 inches in length. Only increase the slice width by half an inch.

Bakedger cake knife slicer and cutter server

What Size Cake Do You Need For 30 Servings?

When making a cake for 30 people, you need to first take into account whether you are going to bake a round or square cake.

For a round cake, use the 9 or 10-inch cake pan, as this will give you extra portions. A 9-inch cake pan will give you 32 portions, whereas a 10-inch cake pan will give you 38 portions.

If you plan on baking a square cake, use an 8-inch pan for 32 servings, or a 9-inch pan for 38 servings.

What Size Serving Plate Is Right For a Wedding Cake Slice?

When it comes to weddings, you want to make sure everything is perfect! And this includes choosing the right-sized serving plate for your wedding cake (the plate your guests will be eating from).

It shouldn’t be too big, like the size of a main course plate. But, it also shouldn’t be too small, like a teacup saucer.

So, depending on the number of layers your cake has, choose a plate that has 1-2 inches extra space on your plate.

But ultimately, the perfect size of the serving plate will be determined by the height of your cake.

So, if you are making a 4-inch high cake, choose a 6 to a 7-inch dessert plate. Even the 7-inch plate will be small enough so you can easily handle it while mingling with other guests. And, it is big enough to easily eat the cake without it spilling over.

Cake Size Servings – Final Conclusion

There’s no need to waste money on baking too much cake. Simply use our easy cake size servings chart and make accurate calculations accordingly.

If you found this article insightful, have a look at some of our other articles to further broaden your baking skills.

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