How Do You Determine Servings In Cakes With Varying Heights...

Decorating By Tracyj Updated 6 Mar 2013 , 3:57pm by Annabakescakes

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Tracyj Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 2:48pm
post #1 of 8

I need to serve 50.  I wanted to do a cake with a 10' round 3 inch deep bottom and 3 layers of an 8x2 in cake on top.  I was going to add a 6x3 layer if I needed to.  But I just can't seem to figure the servings in cakes made like this.  Any help?

 

Thanks!!!

7 replies
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ddaigle Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 2:56pm
post #2 of 8
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Tracyj Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 3:11pm
post #3 of 8

Thanks for your reply.  I wanted to use a 3in on bottom because it gives a different look and then the 2in pans for the top.  Just for the look.  I'm kind of brain dead after all the calculations I've been running thru my head so I may not be explaining myself clearly! LOL!

 

Like this from jessicakes blogspot  ....

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ddaigle Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 3:21pm
post #4 of 8

That looks like a 6" --3" top tie (12 servings) r...4-8" centers (45ish) and a 10" single bottom tier (20).  

87ish total servings.  

That was using the party chart from wilton's 2" pan chart.

 You will get more wedding servings and if you use a 3" bottom. 

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 3:29pm
post #5 of 8

basically the footprint of a cake determines the servings

 

but if one was doing 1.5" tall tiers obviously some adjustments would need to be made

 

a 10 x 8  would feed 50 in my world -- that's over 60 servings so that gives a little play on the cutting/serving--allows for a dowel or two to get in the way of a serving or two

 

a cake decorator needs to determine the size serving they are comfortable with--and go from there--which obviously is what you're doing ;) but once you get it down--you inform the client or know for yourself and then base all your future cakes on that

 

if you want larger/smaller servings you make more/less cake footprint

 

if you want the traditional 1 x 2 x 3-4" serving then your 10 x 8 size cake is more than fine--adding a 6 is not out of the question if you really wanna go a teensy overboard with servings--but it all depends on what you determine to be the right size for you

 

if this is for a party where there will be a bar--i'd say go with the 2-tier

 

if it's for a kids party or a tea-totalling wedding or just a champagne toast typically you'd want more cake and go with the 3-tier -- the 3 inch tall tiers are right on the brink so that's why i'm waffling

 

3", 3.5" 4" tiers are the norm

 

shorter than 3-3.5" would mean a larger serving needed (larger piece of the footprint)

 

if one made a 6" tall tier and there was no board inside to break it up into two tiers--it's the same serving size as any other cake that circumference (big around)

 

cake plates are generally 6" so there's that too--so 6" servings are kinda big--unwieldy--you gotta plop it just right on the plate--not always a hit with the party planners/wedding coordinators and cake cutters--

 

and i can't tell if you are selling this or just making it-- and i don't need to know--but that's why i'm not addressing the business side of it ;)

 

just some random serving size thoughts for you

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Tracyj Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 3:30pm
post #6 of 8

THANK YOU!!!  That helped immensely!

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 3:31pm
post #7 of 8

oh now i see the picture--ha!

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Annabakescakes Posted 6 Mar 2013 , 3:57pm
post #8 of 8

AI do my 3" tiers as serving 75% of what it normally would. And my tall tiers as serving 150% of what they normally would. 8" serves 24 x 1.5 = 36. And a put a board in the middle, to separate them.

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