How Accurate Is Wilton's Serving Matrix?
Decorating By jillchap Updated 24 Mar 2007 , 6:52pm by JanH
I got an order for a cake for 80 servings and according to the Wilton serving matrix, this should be achievable with a 12" round and a 10" round at 2" layers (this should make 94 servings, according to their chart). It seems awfully small, and I'm going to make a complementary third tier for the girl (as I think that a 12", 10" might look a bit dodgy without a smaller tier on top) which I will place on if she decides she wants it but won't if she doesn't. Do you all think this will be enough cake?
Also - the girl wants the cake without ANY decoration. She wants lemon cake with chocolate mousse filling iced smooth with lemon buttercream. That's it. So I quoted her $2 per serving... 
does this seem right?
Thanks guys!
Well, it appears you're using the Wilton wedding cake serving guide.
If using the party size serving guide, the 10 and 12 inch layer cakes would yield 68 servings.
Here's a link for all Wilton serving/cutting guides:
http://www.wilton.com/cake/cakeprep/baking/times/index.cfm
HTH
This one may help too...
http://cooksdream.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=C&Screen=batter_data
Your price sounds fair ...without any decorations.
Here is Earlene's....
http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm
I use Wilton's wedding servings all the time and have never had anyone say they didn't get enough.
A 6, 8, and 10 would serve 74 wedding size (which is close) and a 6, 8, 12 would serve 92. Ask her whehter she wants a little fewer servings or a few extra, and charge her for all servings.
Party servings...I don't use, so I don't know about those.
I use Earlene's guide for serving size. I find Wilton's run a small (and Walmart sizes run even smaller!) . I also make bigger serving sizes for celebration cakes than for wedding cakes as I think people cut bigger slices at a party than wedding caterers would.
Diane
They're based on a 1" x 2" piece of cake. Ask your client if that is a big enough piece of cake. She will usually know. And if the client says, "no, we'll need more cake than that", believe her.
I remember working at an ice cream place, and a customer came in to order a cake to serve 15, and the owner pointed out a cake that said it served 15, and that's what the lady said. "We'll need more cake than that." Well, rather than just sell the lady more cake, the owner argued with her. Finally, the client walked out in frustration, and I'm sure she just drove up the street to the next ice cream shop.
Your client can usually tell if a serving to Wilton will be a serving to them.
Wilton has two serving sizes: party and wedding.
The party size is 50% bigger than the wedding size:
Party size is : 1 1/2 x 2 x 4" (if using 2" pans)
Wedding size is: 1 x 2 x 4" (if using 2" pans)
Visual Serving Guide:
http://tinyurl.com/283788
Serving charts multi-link thread:
http://tinyurl.com/283788
HTH
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