I was doing a 14, 12 & 8" cake but we've decided to make it taller and not so "fat". If I do three layers per tier at 12, 10 & 8 can anyone tell me how many servings I'd get out of the two larger tiers and how to cut it? I've been searching and seaching but I can't seem to find any info on this. Thanks!

You will get the same number of servings because the surface area is the same. they will just get a taller cake. If you try to cut them thinner because they are taller, you will end up with a long thin piece of cake that the guests will call chintzy and paper-thin.

However, even if they are getting the same number of servings, they are getting 50% more cake (3 layers instead of 2), so you need to charge 50% more. For example, my regular price is $3/serving for a 2-layer, 4" tall cake. If I made a 3-layer, 6" tall cake, I would charge $4.50/serving.

Bigger serving .... bigger price.

Think about it before you do, though. A dessert plate is usually 6", so if you have a 6" piece of cake, it will go edge to edge or may even hang over the edge of the plate. Not very attractive when serving. A tall piece of cake (6 inches) is also more difficult to handle than a 4" piece.

Have you thought about torting the two layers to make 4 layers (about 1" per layer) of cake with 3 layers of filling? This plumps up the cake a bit ... around 5" in height maybe? I'll let other CC'ers who tort on a regular basis confirm or correct this number. It will be a taller cake like you're looking for but it's still the same amount of cake (no upcharge for 50% more cake) and it will fit on a dessert plate just fine.

Here's the wilton chart that I use to determine servings: http://www.wilton.com/wedding/wedding-cakes/wedding-cake-data.cfm

Here's the link from my website that shows you how to cut a cake to achieve these servings: http://cateritsimple.com/_wsn/page10.html

indydebi, I wasn't thinking about how tall it would be on the plates. I was going by the Wilton chart for the servings when I first calculated it for two layers with the bigger pans. I'm just concerned that the design will make the cake look "fat" and heavy with those sizes- it's got two horizontal stripes around it on each layer in the fondant. Maybe I should just consider adding a small top tier to make four. I believe the original cake is wrapped with just a chocolate collar but she was thinking chocolate fondant.

The bride wants three flavours and I was just thinking that I could kill two birds with one stone if I did each tier in three layers. She wants everyone to have some of each. Which is crazy because it's alot of cake and they already have dessert with their meal.

I'll stick with the Wilton sizes and your cutting chart (thanks for the great pictures btw) and maybe just go with the sizes planned. ArggggHhHH!

She wants everyone to have 3 pieces of cake? So she's only planning 33 people to be at this reception? If she plans 100 people to be at the reception, and she wants 3 flavors, and she wants everyone to have one of each flavor, then sounds like she needs to order cake for 300.

And she's having dessert with her meal? You better be ready for buyer's remorse when she has a lot of cake leftover. As a guest, I dont' want dessert AND three pieces of cake.

THe idea to have a 3-flavor cake is a good one, but I stil think she'll have a lot of cake leftover. As a guest, if I got a piece of cake that was white, pumpkin and banana, I'd eat the white part and leave the freaky flavors on the plate ..... wasted cake = leftover cake = buyers remorse = bride telling you "nobody ate the cake, it must have tasted bad, I want a refund".

chocolate, lemon, vanilla. I had worked out two flavours per tier by using two different layers but guess what? you can't get exactly the same amounts of three flavours out of three differrnt sized tiers! Ha ha! I'll figure something out. I have a contract with the three tiers and two flavours per layer. I think I'll just do that.

What do you think of the 14/12/8 (or 10) with this design? It's a pretty cake but it might look a little "fat".

I have to do the cake now I'm committed. And "sellers remorse" doesn't probably wont' cut it with the courts. It's my first time ever feeling uneasy about a cake but it will be a good learning experience.

Who knows? Maybe she'll be so happy she'll tell all her friends!