Sizes For Cake To Feed 150 Ppl

Decorating By DinasSugarShack Updated 8 Jan 2013 , 12:42am by Evoir

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DinasSugarShack Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 6:52pm
post #1 of 21

Hello everyone:

I have a question for everyone. I have a client who wants a 3 tiered cake to feed 150 ppl. What size tiers would you make?

I always tend to go bigger than needed because I am always afraid of not having enough, but end up with too much cake.

Thanks

Dina

20 replies
-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 8:04pm
post #2 of 21

an idea is to google

 

wilton wedding cake data

 

and earlene has a little bit larger serving size on her website

 

www.earlenescakes.com

 

i'd do a 13x10x7 and advise they need to serve all the cake to get the servings

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 8:16pm
post #3 of 21

i'd actually try to make a bit larger --i about never get it that even steven

 

i like to give 15-20 unbeknownst additional servings

 

or have a 9x13 back up if they were glued to 150 servings in a 3-tier configuration

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itsacake Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 8:32pm
post #4 of 21

After a couple of years being  a hobbyist and being worried that I wasn't making enough cake (and always having leftovers), I went into business and started using the Wilton chart exclusively.    Let me say that I've never had a complaint about not enough cake.  People (and the caterers too) often still tell me there is some left over.

 

I think it is just as bad to give too much as to give too little, because in the final analysis, if the customer has a lot of cake left over,  they will think you sold them too much and they could have purchased less and paid less.

 

This, even if you gave it too them for free.  They, after all, can only assume they paid for what they got.   I do hasten to add that if you buy other things from me, like cookies or mini cupcakes you always get maybe one or two extra, so a serving or two of extra cake makes sense, but not a lot.  I think our clients assume we are professionals and know how much cake they will need.  

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AZCouture Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 8:48pm
post #5 of 21

3 tiers? Yuch. Would be horridly squatty. I would sell a 5-8-11-14 for 148 servings, a 4-5-6-10-11-12 for 158, 5-7-9-11-13 for 163, or something with less servings. 

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 9:02pm
post #6 of 21

itsacake, yes of course

 

but i just produce what they buy--it's their decision

 

i mean a slice might break apart, fall on the floor, get crumpled by a dowel

 

i want them to have enough to make 150 servings

and a 13x10x7 is exactly 150--too close for me

 

i'm not troubled in the least what they do with it i just fulfull the order

 

i tell my brides diplomatically that the cake order is not contingent on there being a wedding

 

if they think they ordered too much or too little it's their miscue not mine

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itsacake Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 9:21pm
post #7 of 21

Ron Ben Israel said, in a class I once took, that it is our obligation as cake artists to counsel our customers to make the correct choices.  I think that is part of being a professional.  So yes, if they order more than they need, that is their choice, but we ought to steer them in the right direction.  Even with slices lost to dowels and pieces dropped, I've never not had enough cake.  There are always people who don't eat cake, for some unexplained reason icon_eek.gif  I do believe however, that California cake slices are inexplicably smaller than Texas and Tennessee slices, so that may make a difference.

 

AZ couture--I would never had thought of doing more smaller tiers.  I always thought that only two inches between sizes would look strange .  However, because I have always wanted to be able to make cakes that look like yours, I will have to rethink this thoroughly and make a dummy or two.   And this will solve the issue of not wanting to make really large tiers.  More smaller ones is a lot less work rolling fondant.   Thanks for stimulating my brain!!!!

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AZCouture Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 9:27pm
post #8 of 21

Oh good! Another thing to consider is half tall tiers and double tall (double barrel tiers) to throw in the mix too. Soooooo many ways to do it.

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-K8memphis Posted 6 Jan 2013 , 9:35pm
post #9 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by DinasSugarShack

.... I have a client who wants a 3 tiered cake to feed 150 ppl. What size tiers would you make?...

Thanks

Dina

 

 

 

TN servings different size than California?

 

no they're the same when i bake there in California

 

if i'm not mistaken it's the number of tiers that's different from Arizona & California to Ontario

 

in Ontario it's t-h-r-e-e in AZ & CA it's four or five

 

icon_lol.gif

 

edited to add quote

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-K8memphis Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 4:45pm
post #10 of 21

and to avoid the squat look be sure to keep the bottom tier at say for example 5 inches tall then the next tiers 4 inches tall

 

will be a very pretty set up

 

some people don't want too many tiers

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itsacake Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 7:11pm
post #11 of 21

K8

 

I just meant that in California it seems that people are always saying "please cut my piece smaller", while in other places this may not be the case.icon_smile.gif

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lilmissbakesalot Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 7:20pm
post #12 of 21

I hate that designers give away cake.  It just fuels the bigger slice camp.  Cake is a treat, not a meal.  Any venue is going to tell you that a cake, no matter what you tell them it should serve, will serve what they need it to serve. 

 

I also hate squatty cakes.  150 servings as a three tiered cake will look squatty no matter how tall you make that bottom tier.  I'd tell them it has to be 4 tiers to have all of the servings in one cake.  If they are stuck on a 3 tiered cake, you could easily make a 6-9-12 to serve 100 and then have a 12" cake out back to make up the extra 50 servings. 

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-K8memphis Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 7:47pm
post #13 of 21

this is odd to me

 

a 13x10x7 is an equal one inch difference to a 12x9x6

 

there is no viable visual difference, one's a bit bigger

 

this is cake deco 101 not sure what the hubub is about

 

a skilled decorator can certainly make it beautiful

 

no squat

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lilmissbakesalot Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 7:51pm
post #14 of 21

It's the 7" top tier.  Unless you have a large floral topper, it is a large empty space.  The wider the top tier the squattier the cake will look.  A 6" top tier looks squatty to me, especially if it is only 4" tall.   

 

Stack up some dummies... you will see what I am talking about. 

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-K8memphis Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 8:04pm
post #15 of 21

i can and have made tons of these cakes

 

just 'cause everybody can't oh well

 

back in the day even an 8 inch cake would be used for a topper

 

yes of course the decor is how you can balance out a profile

 

i know decorators who would not be caught dead using a five or four inch top tier

 

margaret braun not only uses 4" tall 4" tiers

 

she even uses a 2 inch diameter tier that is 4 inches tall

(page 125 of cakewalk--the bow cake)

 

it makes me crazy but she does-- I'd  never do that (i hope :)

 

the 13x10x7 tiers can be offset for a beautiful cascade too

 

the decor can mask any profile issues

 

it's not a death wish cake size

 

to your eye apparently it is not gonna work

 

but we're all different and I can do it

 

op simply asked for a 3-tier 150 serving --that's it

 

projecting y'all's personal limitations so strongly is odd

 

edited for typo

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lilmissbakesalot Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 8:25pm
post #16 of 21

Jesus K8... it's opinion.  You don't like mine just read on.  I don't like the look, and I am not alone.   Just differing thoughts on aesthetics is all.  I love 4 and 5" top tiers.  I think they look more elegant than a big fat 7" tier.  It's not a personal limitation.  I can do it... I have done it in the past when that is what a client insists on, but you can bet I don't showcase it.  It's not my style.  My favorite cake silhouette is a 4-7-10-13 with all tiers being 5" tall.  I don't like a 2" difference or a 4" difference as much as the 3" difference either.  I don't have to justify why I think 7" top tiers look squatty.  It's just a personal preference.

 

I get that you answered her question in a literal and straight forward manner.  I am not dim.  I just offered a different perspective.  I'm sure you have made plenty of 7" top tiers and no one is telling you to stop.  I don't have to think they are awesome though. 

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AZCouture Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 8:37pm
post #17 of 21

A

Original message sent by lilmissbakesalot

It's the 7" top tier.  Unless you have a large floral topper, it is a large empty space.  The wider the top tier the squattier the cake will look.  A 6" top tier looks squatty to me, especially if it is only 4" tall.   

Stack up some dummies... you will see what I am talking about. 

Couldn't agree more!

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-K8memphis Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 8:44pm
post #18 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilmissbakesalot 

....  I'm sure you have made plenty of 7" top tiers and no one is telling you to stop.  I don't have to think they are awesome though. 

 

 

of course you don't

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lilmissbakesalot Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 11:49pm
post #19 of 21

Aaaaand of course she deletes all of her reponses so it looks like I was talking to myself... ugh.

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AZCouture Posted 7 Jan 2013 , 11:53pm
post #20 of 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilmissbakesalot 

Aaaaand of course she deletes all of her reponses so it looks like I was talking to myself... ugh.

I think you better up your meds there lady...you're scaring me. (safe place, safe place, safe place)icon_lol.gif

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Evoir Posted 8 Jan 2013 , 12:42am
post #21 of 21

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