What Exactly Is "the Math" For Figuring Servings
Decorating By dogluvr Updated 6 Sep 2007 , 3:09pm by havingfun
The best thing to do is go to the Wilton site and use their charts. No math other than adding up the different sizes until you get the number of servings you need! 
http://www.wilton.com/cake/cakeprep/baking/times/index.cfm
This link takes you to the page with the links at the bottom. Hope this helps!
I personally hate the Wilton charts, so I devised my own system--by doing the math!! I'll see if I can explain this without losing you. 
Ex: 8" square cake, you want 2" pieces
8" x 8" = 64" This is the total surface area of the cake.
2" x 2" = 4" This is the surface area of each piece that you want.
64" (total area) divided by 4" (area of ea piece) = 16 pieces.
Sound easy? I hope so. It's a little different with rounds, so stay with me. You have to go back to junior high math with circumference and pi. Pi = 3.14 and the formula for surface area is Pi x radius squared. Still with me????? Hang in there and read on! 
The radius is half of the diameter. So.....on an 8" round, half the diameter is 4. To square a number multiply it by itself, so in this case, 4x4, which is 16.
Radius squared (16) x Pi (3.14) = 50.24" surface area on our cake.
We want pieces that are roughly 2" square again. 2x2=4 just like before.
50.24 (total surface area) divided by 4 (area ea piece) = 12.56 pieces
Your 8" round can be cut in 12 pieces.
For 2 layer cakes, just take it times 2 and cut your pieces 2"x1" instead of 2"x2".
Hope I didn't lose you! But that's what they mean when they say do the math. Good luck!
KoryAK, I will claim ownership to the "just do the math" phrase that I started in the thread below:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-302303-feeding.html+80
But this refers only to square and rectangle cakes, where it's pretty cut-n-dry (get it? CUT and dry? 
Gosh sometimes I really crack me up!) on how to figure number of servings based on the size of the serving.
When figuring on round cakes, I just use the wilton wedding chart.
Sorry for the confusion! 
I do the same math as previously mentioned (great explanation elvisb
) but I also factor in height, not just surface area because you will get a different number of servings from an 8" round that is 2, 3, or 4" high.
Very true on the height. I don't have any 3" tall pans, so if I'm doing a 4" layer, I just double the amount that it will serve.
Also, as indydebi said, with the round ones you don't always get perfectly square pieces, especially using the Wilton chart. To combat this, I draw a diagram of a circle on a piece of paper, then draw a square inside of it so the four corners are touching the circle. You can cut the square portion in perfect pieces. The outside "edges" of the circle can be altered for whatever size you need. I did this diagram in my Paint program and just labeled each picture with the number of servings so I can quick print them out for my customers. (Hopefully this attaches ok.)
I think the "rules" are the same, but you can certainly get away with a smaller slice if need be towards the end if it needs to be stretched since its richer. For the same reason, more people are going to be satisfied with one slice and not go back for seconds.
I thought you cut a wedding cake differently than your posted diagram of your round elvisb. In my classes, we were taught to cut 2" in and then 1" slices for a round wedding, creating circles all the way. That is also the way the cake has been cut at all the weddings I have attended.
I thought you cut a wedding cake differently than your posted diagram of your round elvisb. In my classes, we were taught to cut 2" in and then 1" slices for a round wedding, creating circles all the way. That is also the way the cake has been cut at all the weddings I have attended.
I HATE the "circle method" of cutting a cake. First, no one can cut a perfect circle. Second, how do you reach around and cut the FRONT of a 16" cake when you're standing behind the table? Cake Civilians are NOT comfortable cutting a cake this way.
That's why I've cut my cakes using the Straight Line MEthod for over 20 years. Too simple and easy! http://cateritsimple.com/_wsn/page19.html
Indydebi stated "KoryAK, I will claim ownership to the "just do the math" phrase that I started in the thread below:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/c.....ng.html+80
But this refers only to square and rectangle cakes, where it's pretty cut-n-dry (get it? CUT and dry? Gosh sometimes I really crack me up!) on how to figure number of servings based on the size of the serving.
When figuring on round cakes, I just use the wilton wedding chart.
Sorry for the confusion! "
Indydebi, Is there a chart that will give you the number of servings using the straight method on Wilton that you refer to?? I agree this would be soo much easier! I will have to back up to square one
and recalculate the number of servings for a wedding cake I am doing if they are very different. Glad I stumbled on this thread - anything to make life easier!
Not that I'm aware of .... I use the wilton chart to figure servings, then cut it my way. I can usually get 10% more cake my way ..... which means on a 10" cake, the chart says 38 and I can get 41 or 42. So if I use the wilton chart numbers, I come out ahead with more cake.
I thought you cut a wedding cake differently than your posted diagram of your round elvisb. In my classes, we were taught to cut 2" in and then 1" slices for a round wedding, creating circles all the way. That is also the way the cake has been cut at all the weddings I have attended.
I HATE the "circle method" of cutting a cake. First, no one can cut a perfect circle. Second, how do you reach around and cut the FRONT of a 16" cake when you're standing behind the table? Cake Civilians are NOT comfortable cutting a cake this way.
That's why I've cut my cakes using the Straight Line MEthod for over 20 years. Too simple and easy! http://cateritsimple.com/_wsn/page19.html
CAKE CIVILIANS!! I love it!
This is exactly why I make my own diagrams with as many straight lines as possible. I have the diagrams out at consultations and the brides and moms love it! That way they can reassure whoever has been asked the "honor" 
of cake cutting that it won't be a confusing nightmare.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%