A lady I work with wants a cake for her BF's BD. I guess there are 4 of them celebrating. So she requested a 1/2 sheet cake.

1. What size is a half sheet? Is it a 9x13? She needs it to feed about 20 people.

2. Double layer would be two of those cakes on top of each one, right? I know that is what I do for my 10" rounds, but a sheet cake never looks that tall. I guess I'm confused with this. Or do I tort one cake and does that make it a double layer? Need guidance on sheet cakes. Have never done them before.

Thanks!

A 9x13 would be considered by most to be a 1/4 sheet. A double layer would indeed be two 9x13 layers that are about 2" tall stacked with filling to yield a 4" tall cake.

That would feed 50 people 1x2x4" slices. A single layer 9x13 would feed 25 people 2x2x2" slices.

You could easily bake a single 9x13 layer that is 2" tall and torte it in 1/2 and fill it.. that would still feed 25 and give them a filling layer. Or bake two 1" layers ratehr than torting them.

This is indydebi's serving chart.. (where I got my numbers)

http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules/Forums/files/cake_serving_guide_219.pdf

You bake 2 layers and stack like your 10 inch cakes I think a 9 x 13 is actually a quarter sheet, but I'm not sure.

You're probably used to seeing grocery store sheet cakes, which are rarely more than 1 layer.

1/4 sheet = 9x13

1/2 sheet = 12x18

full sheet = 2 of the 12x18's put together side by side and frosted to appear as a single sheet

You can make them either single or double layer. Personally, I like 2 layer cakes, especially for family/adult celebrations; Kid's cakes can be single layer. In the past I've made them double layer (which is a lot of cake, especially for the 1/2 & full sheets!) Now I am making 2 1 inch layers (like jkalman's suggestion) to keep my costs down.

Be sure to check bakeries (NOT Sam's, Kroger's or any other grocery store) for prices. Even still I wouldn't do a 1/4 sheet for less than $30-$35( with buttercream & standard decoration & standard cake (ie yellow, white)

HTH!
Anita

Is there something smaller or is the smallest sheet cake you make a 1/4 sheet? Just curious. And yes, she wants a chocolate cake with raspberry filling and buttercream icing with bc decorations and a plastic golfer guy and two hole flags. The top of the cake will be a golf course. For the sand, I was thinking brown sugar. Any other ideas?

And, when you make the 9x13 1 inch layer cakes, is there a 1 inch pan or do you use the 2 inch pan and reduce the amount of batter you put in it? If you do the later, how much batter do you put in the pan and how long to you bake it? I read the 9x13x2" pan takes 7 cups of batter. My chocolate cake recipe is exactly 6 cups of batter would that be too much to yeild a 1 inch cake?

you could reduce the batter in the pan so that the pan is less than 1/2 full. Watch the baking time, it should be shorter than usual. OR just bake your regular 2inch cake; chill it and tort it.

How about crushed graham crackers for the sand? I'm wondering if the brown sugar would start to "melt" into the buttercream

Hey Anita -

Never thought of it melting. Good point. Graham crackers is perfect! LOVE it actually!

You do the 2" and tort it, don't you? Does anyone complain? I might just do that!

Doing the one layer and torting it is the same as doing two one inch layers. It's just a pain to torte a sheet cake if you aren't used to it. I would make a recipe and 1/2 of your chocolate cake and you'll have plenty to bake 2 layers or one layer to torte.

You would just use your 2" pan and underfill it to do a 1 inch layer. Torting isn't that hard to do. Do you have a cake leveler? If you do then I'd just bake a 2" layer and torte it unless you have two 9x13" pans.

I use a mix of granulated sugar and crushed graham crackers for sand.. but I have only used it on fondant. I don't think it would melt though.

If one were to search this site for 'sheet cake size' there would be 100s of posts all w/different information.
<...1/4 sheet = 9x13 ... 1/2 sheet = 12x18 ... full sheet = 2 of the 12x18's put together side by side and frosted to appear as a single sheet...>

I don't agree w/that info. If you really search back and find the original meaning of the terms you will find a so-called quarter sheet is more like 12x8; a half sheet is 16x12.

Look at what is sold as a quarter sheet board & box. A 9x13 does NOT fit that board so will not fit in the box. Same w/the half sheet.

[size=24]Match the cake to the board and you will not have so many problems.[/size]

As to the brn sug melting - yep, had it happen

Hi guys! Here is the cake. She paid me $75 for it. I was so excited until another lady said I should have sold it for $100....oh well!

I forgot to buy graham crackers for the sand, but had cheerios so I ground those up and used them for the sand traps. The picture doesn't do the water justice. In person it's blue blue and you don't see the white frosting underneath. But when I took the picture, I think the flash caught the white frosting under the water and pulled it out in the picture.

Thanks for your help and suggestions and thanks to Susgene for the decorating inpiration.

deleated

Your cake turned out wonderfully!!

Great Cake what tip did you use for the writing. I have so much trouble writing on my cakes Thanks