I have an order for a 2 tiered wedding cake but am not sure on what sizes to make for it so it won't look uneven. I'm thinking about using a 12" and 9" cake. Does that sound good? is there a rule for cake stacking and sizes that should be used?
thanks

How many servings do you need?

12 and 9 should look fine. The only rule I follow is that it should fit the look you are going for! Not much of a rule, I know.

For multi-tiered cakes 3 tiers and over, I usually go for even steps between each tier, so either 14, 12, 10 or 12, 9, 6, and so on.

If you have questions about how many servings cakes of different sizes will yield, try http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm or http://www.wilton.com/cakes/cake-cutting-guides/wedding-cake-cutting-guide.cfm

Hope that helps!

The standard top tier is 6". If you're working with a florist who will provide a floral topper that's the size they will design for. If you're using a purchased topper, that's the size they're designed for. After that, the sizes of the tiers are determined by the number of servings needed.

A word of caution about the FIRST chart provided in the link above. It is NOT standard sizing and will result in your giving away free cake or needing to increase your per serving charge, which in turn makes you look much less competitive and either way will HURT your business.

The SECOND link is the standard industry chart, and the one you should use.

Thanks! I'm looking to serve 50 people. So does 12 and 9 sound about right? or do i need to make it a 3 tiered cake? The customer is supplying the topper.

Thanks! I'm looking to serve 50 people. So does 12 and 9 sound about right? is that too many servings? or do i need to make it a 3 tiered cake? The customer is supplying the topper.

A 10" and 6" serves 50. If they want to keep the top tier for their 1st anniversary, you might consider a 10" x 8" x 6" which will serve 62/74 (second number includes the 12 serving top).

A 12 and 9 inch cake will serve WELL OVER 50 people (using industry standards), but the number of servings depends on the shape of the cake as well as the size. On the Wilton chart, each shape is shown separately...