Estimating Cake Size Needed...
Decorating By 4Gifts4Lisa Updated 12 Sep 2007 , 12:08pm by OhMyGoodies
Is there a general "rule" regarding how much cake to make for "X" number of people? I am doing a cake for a going away party...there are 100 people scheduled to attend, but I know not everyone will eat cake (strange, but probably true). Do I still plan for 100? Or do I plan for 80%, 75%...what?
I would go with how many people are in attendance. If 100 have RSVP'ed then make cake for 100. Make sure this includes the host/hostess in the count, alot of people forget to count themselves as well as other party "throwers" in the head count... they forget they are going to be eating cake too lol.
Also it's basically 2x2 slice for parties and 1x2 for weddings... but normally most party cakes get cut larger 
Sorry, but I never understand this type of question. If 100 people are scheduled to attend, then you plan on having 100 plates, 100 drinks, 100 servings of the entrees and 100 servings of dessert. Someone may not eat the mashed potatoes either, but I'll doubt the caterer is instructed to make 99 portions of mashed potatoes.
And lastly, why would you--the person who is selling cake--try to talk them into ordering less? It's not your job to help them take money out of your pocket.
But I run my cake business as a business. And you can tell this question got me riled up.
And lastly, why would you--the person who is selling cake--try to talk them into ordering less? It's not your job to help them take money out of your pocket.
But I run my cake business as a business. And you can tell this question got me riled up.
Wow.
Let me clarify.
1. I am NOT selling the cake. I am not licensed. I am a hobbyist.
2. The cake will be a gift for a dear friend, and the 100 people are not "guests" in the true sense-they are co-workers at a place of employment.
3. Since it is a GIFT, I of course want to keep my costs as low as I can. In the past, I have made cakes based on # of attendees, and always always ALWAYS end up with too much. Then everyone politely refuses to take it home and I end up eating it. My a$$ has grown two sizes since February.
I was under the impression that even when an event is catered in the true sense, to allow for a certain number of "no shows". Am I incorrect?
Thanks also to abeverly and OhMyGoodies for the input!
Based on the scenario you describe in your second post I would only make a cake for 60-70. I made a cake for a birthday party this weekend, there were 60 people at the party and maybe 15 ate cake. The cake I wanted to make for them was enough for 100 people. There was so much cake leftover!
A very popular caterer (IndyDebi 
lol) says to plan for 60% of the number invited. I would think it's a little more than that at a work function-because they are already there I'm guessing. I think you would be safe making cake for 75-if all 100 look like they're taking it, cut smaller slices! 
I'm LOL about your A$$ growing. You could throw it out, but WHO DOES THAT???!! Looking at my own butt, I'd say skinny cooks. Then again, do you ever trust a skinny cook???
If the person orders servings for 100, you provide servings for 100. This is especially true if you are getting paid for it. Always provide what you were paid to provide.
Where the 60% Rule comes in is during the planning stages. As a bride is trying to figure out how many people might actually be there, I tell her to take her total invite list x 60% to get an estimated count, minus the 3 exceptions.
Never, Never, Never only provide 60% of what they ORDERED. Always, always, always provide 100% of what they ORDERED and PAID FOR.
For an office get-together where you are donating the cake, I would say it's up to you and I would base it on your past experiences in this type of gathering.
(I'm in the house, back from Vegas only 5 minutes, and I'm catching up on CC! Am I pitiful or WHAT?) 
Thank you everyone.
I do want to stress that IF I were in business...as in, a legal, selling-cakes business, I would always ALWAYS provide what was paid for.
Since I am giving the cake to a friend, and another friend is helping me plan, HER question was "well, not all 100 attendees will eat cake, will they? Don't you have some sort of calculator?" :lol Kind of like an appetizer calculator or a drink calculator for when you are throwing a party. Or when a caterer is planning a dinner...how many potatoes to bake for how many people, or how many rolls to provide.
Thanks again.
Well with cake there is no need to calculate anything.... it's basic and simple... if there are 100 people invited to the "party" then 100 servings need to be provided... but since you are donating the cake it's up to you how large you make it....
When I donated two cakes to the school for a dance last winter she told me we'd have approximately 700 in attendance. I damn sure didn't make a cake to feed 700 people lol. There is always other foods and always other desserts there so unless it's being paid for and asked for specifically 100 servings of cake... I'd go with maybe 75 if not less....
For the dance thing... I made two 11x15's kept seperate, and I was at one end of the table serving and another lady was at the other end serving the other one... there was tons of food in between the two cakes as well as a HUGE!!!!! tower of cupcakes... (I bet that mom is on CC somewhere lol) but it was a very nice tower I think her husband made her it was at least 7 foot tall and really really wide lol. It was COVERED in cupcakes... way more then were needed... she baked for 700 instead of thinking logically about it.... not everyone is going to eat cake but some that do eat it may eat more then one piece... so it's totally up to you what you want to do... do you want to make a cake to serve 100, incase everyone does eat one piece... or do you want to make a cake to feed 50 and hope half don't like/want cake and no one wants seconds lol....
I think the best thing to do is to call the party planner person and find out if there are going to be other foods and desserts available at this party.... then make your choice 
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