Here's my dilemma .. I have a bride wanting a cake this june. She would like a round bottom, a square middle, and a round top. She needs it to feed 275 people. I am not sure what sizes to use to get this amount of servings for her. She said I can add other layers if I need to, but I also did not ask her how she felt about just doing sheet cakes to make up the difference from what her three tier cake would serve, minus the top tier for their anniversary. Is there anyone out there that could help me with this, either figuring out what size cakes I would need to get this amount of servings, or how many sheet cakes I would need to make up the difference. Thanks for ANY help!

I am not a expert at this but, from what I figured. (based on the largest size pan I own ..that will fit in my oven) The 16 round, serves 96, 14 square...serves 98. Or 12" serves 72. That is almost 200 but if you want to save the top tier for bride that doesn't leave you any options but sheet cakes or add another layer. A better alternative would be the 16" square..serves 128. 14" round..serves 70. Then 10" square..serves 50. Then the 6" top. That gives 248 and a small sheet cake. Maybe someone else will have ideas.

thanks for answering shelly ... after she told me what she had in mind, she then said "or whatever you need to do to get those servings" so I think she might be open minded to adding another layer .. Are you going by wilton's serving guide to get those amounts?

According to the wilton, everything is the same except the 14" round serves 78. I said 70 earlier. So according to Wilton that would serve 256 in the 4 tiered.

similar question and add'l responses can be found on this thread: http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=5860733#5860733

sorry for basically making this a double post, didn't mean to. Anyways, I have been told that by doing an 18in sq bottom, a 14in round, 8in sq, and 6in round and cutting it using the wilton's serving guide I should be able to come out with 271 servings, and that is letting them keep the 6in round for their one year anniversary. Since my bride asked about having a round bottom, I was wondering if anyone out there knew of a way to get that close to servings starting with a round bottom cake?

Here is a link to another cake serving guide and it even gives layer combinations to use that either include or leave out the top layer. It is a little different than Wilton's but seems probably more realistic.

http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm

ok .. from this chart it looks as though I can do an 18in round, 14in square, 12in round, 8in square, and 6in round (saved for their anniversary) this will yield me 268 servings. I couldn't find how deep these pans were, are they 2in or 3in deep? Thanks for any help

I would suggest playing with the pans and make sure it will work because of the difference in the shape of the pan You have to make sure there is room for the corners of the square cake ontop of the round that is why the square is usually on the bottom.

Take some paper and draw an 18 inch circle and then a square and make sure it works.

msmeg has a good idea about the shaped pans fitting.

The first time I did a square cake, set askew, I had this problem because I didn't factor that a 10" square cake, when measured from corner to corner, is 14" .... which explained why I had a problem putting this 10" square cake askew on a 12" square!! DUH!!! A 10" round is 10" across no matter how you measure it. A 10" square doesn't follow the same rules.

If you are planning on using an 18" pan I suggest you check your oven 1st. Many ovens will not accomadate one that big. Remember the pans have a lip; that means the inside measurment of your oven must be 20" from side to side and front to back.
Yes, there are 1/2 round pans but I have never found them really 'round'. I had an 18 and a 16 half-round and neither would make a circle....the cakes were oval