Hello everyone,

I have an order for a number 21 cake in December. I do not want to have to buy pans for the numbers, but am not sure what else I could do. I checked this diagram out and it looks like it would work. Has anyone tried it? http://www.themepartiesnmore.com/cake_number_cakes.htm

Also, I thought about baking a few sheet cakes and carving the number out. Can someone please give me advice on this? Thank you.

Hi vaniroel,

I'm actually doing a number 4 this weekend. I'm going to use a 12x18" pan, and I cut out a 12x18" piece of cardboard (actually, it was probably a teeeeeny bit smaller than 12x18 because it fit IN the pan). Then I drew out my number 4, traced it with a sharpie so I could see the lines really well and I cut it out of the cardboard with an exacto knife. I just drew it free hand, but the templates that you found look like they would be helpful.

I'm baking the cake tonight, and because it's a large pan, I'll use a heating core. My PLAN is to put in enough batter in the pan so it overflows a little bit, that way when it's done, I can just level it with a knife when it's still in the pan. My cake board is about 12x18 as well, so I'll put the cake board on the pan upsidedown (touching my newly leveled surface), and I'll flip it over onto the cake board.

Then, I'll tort and fill the cake. I might have to do it in two pieces because it's so large (like cut it right down the middle). Then using the template I made for my number 4, I'll carve it out.

That's my plan anyway! I've never done one of these before but I keep going over and over it in my head and I think it'll work! HTH!

I would carve it out. Here are some helpful templates: http://www.themepartiesnmore.com/cake_number_cakes.htm

Yep, just carve it out. No big deal

You can make a template out of parchment paper too.

I made a number cake, which I have yet to upload but I printed out a number 2 using "Franklin Gothic Bold" font. From the regular sized printout, I xeroxed and enlarged it on to an 11X14 executive sized paper. I cut it out from the paper and layed it ontop of the cake and gently traced around the number with my knife. After I was satisfied with the number I cut it out. One tip...put your cake in the freezer for like 2hours before carving. Good Luck.

I have one in my photos, I just carved after making a template. It was very easy.hth

First you have to ask customer how many servings. This will determine the size of cake you want to use. Then you can cut out a templet for your cake. You can use parts the cake to patch the cake where needed. If the cake is 15 to 20 servings you would use all of a 1/4 sheet to make sure you have enough servings.
You can do the side of the cake in and up and down pattern to cover the side nice and neat then you can ice the top smooth. Or you can ice the top and sides of the cake smooth for a finish. Then you can decorate, your choice.

i had a number cake to make a couple months ago (the 18 in my pics) at first i was really intimidated, having never attempted one before! i also did not want to purchase a number pan, so i baked t-12*8 cakes, one for each number and torted them both. then i just free hand cut out the numbers. (i measured the thickness of the numbers for both so that they would match up.) have fun!!

Thank to everyone for your advice.

@motorhead, sorry, but what is t-12*8 cakes mean? Does that mean two 12X8 cakes? Sorry. I am not all here today..LOL! thanks.

you bet! sorry about that! me and abreviations!!
make sure to post a pic of your finnished cake! i'd love to see it!!

Just a point to note - if you are carving a number out of a sheet and are planning on flipping the cake over to use the bottom as the top (so it's nice and flat) REMEMBER TO CARVE YOUR NUMBER BACKWARDS!!! Bitter experience has taught me this!

I have an old projector from Michaels and I use that to enlarge the numbers I print off the computer.

Once I get the projector set and the numbers under it I turn it on and tape a cake board to the side of my refrigerator my counter is next to the fridge. Adjust it to the size I need and trace the outline with a pencil, take it down and cut it out with a xacto knife.

Lay it on the cake and cut it out.

Thanks everyone for your advice. Once I complete it, I will post pictures.

I know this is an old thread, but I just found it and it's great!! Thank you!!!

AI just made "18" for my granddaughter, I used a 9x13 pan. I made my letters off of the Internet and cut around them, froze the cake and lay the paper on top,then did my cutting. used toothpicks to hold the template in place. Worked wonderfully. I got 2 "ones" out of one pan, one cake mix. Layered them with filling in between. I felt my "ones" were a little too narrow, but it saved buying another cake mix. The "8" I made two different cakes, and layered them . She was pleased. Ddawnc