so here's my question. I've been asked to create a round cake on top of a square cake to feed 50. My suggestion was 10" square with 8" round. Both 2 layers.
The woman thinks this is too small. She asked for a 16" base cake (which wouldn't even fit in my oven) I told her 12" then, she said 14. So we settled on a 14" base with a 10" round on top.
Is it just me or is the 10 too small? Will it look right? But if I up the round tier to 12" it seems to me that the cake will look unfinished and low (like it needs a third tier). I really don't want to add a third tier but I don't want it to look like a short fat cake either. Should I just stick with the 10" and give her what she's asked for?
A 14 & 10 is definately overkill serving wise for 50 guests, but as far as how it will look that woould depend on the design. I've done alot of cakes with a 4" gap in diameter and they look fine so long as the design works with it. I do agree that a 12" top tier would look incoomplete and a 14 sqaue and 12 round serves about 125
According to the Wilton chart,
you will need a little more then 2 cakes mixes to fill the 10 inch square pan. Wilton says a 10 inch square pan will give you 50 servings.
Wilton also says that an 8 inch round pan will give you 24 servings.
http://www.wilton.com/cakes/making-cakes/baking-wedding-cake-2-inch-pans.cfm
I hope this helps!
be sure she is aware of just how much cake that is. Is she paying for this cake or are you doing it as a friend? If she's paying, I would be charging her for 72 + 38 servings - 110 servings, which would end up being twice the amount of money she would NEED to spend for 50 people.
Indeed...
Make sure you are charging her for thr full 110 servings. Like Debi was saying... just because she WANTS a 10/12" to feed 50 doesn't mean she only pays for 50 servings when she is ordering more than double the cake she needs.
Even an 8/10" would be a little more than she needs... that would be 55-ish servings.
People and their delusions of grandeur... a 16" square base cake??? That alone is 128 servings!!!
Also... a 10" top tier is massive. I hope that there will be a large floral arrangement on top, because if not your cake is going to look squatty.
Something to run by her maybe?
be sure she is aware of just how much cake that is. Is she paying for this cake or are you doing it as a friend? If she's paying, I would be charging her for 72 + 38 servings - 110 servings, which would end up being twice the amount of money she would NEED to spend for 50 people.
Thanks for putting this in perspective for me. She's my aunt's friend and although I won't be charging "full" price (I'm no professional) but I was feeling a bit guilty for asking for $100. Now I realize that she's getting a fantastic deal (I may just up the price a bit) 
Indeed...
Make sure you are charging her for thr full 110 servings. Like Debi was saying... just because she WANTS a 10/12" to feed 50 doesn't mean she only pays for 50 servings when she is ordering more than double the cake she needs.
Even an 8/10" would be a little more than she needs... that would be 55-ish servings.
People and their delusions of grandeur... a 16" square base cake??? That alone is 128 servings!!!
lol. you're SO right.
Also... a 10" top tier is massive. I hope that there will be a large floral arrangement on top, because if not your cake is going to look squatty.
Something to run by her maybe?
I agree but I'm not running sh*t by her! lol. She asked me to do this 9 days in advance and changed the flavors/sides/and fillings every day since. I start baking on Wed. she gets what she asked for.
*this isn't a business for me. I only bake for family and friends. I usually just try to cover costs with pricing but I'm realizing that I need to factor in calls/txts/changes these people make. PITA!
LOL... even better... a "greedy" friend of the family. 
What I would do is invoice her for the FULL amount and show the incredible discount she is getting so she knows. I know she probably has no idea that she is asking you to make that much cake for so little, but she needs to see it typed out so she gets what a gift you are giving her.
If this was my order for a customer... she'd be getting a bill for a minimum of $660.00 and that's for a basic cake.
[I agree but I'm not running sh*t by her! lol. She asked me to do this 9 days in advance and changed the flavors/sides/and fillings every day since. I start baking on Wed. she gets what she asked for.
*this isn't a business for me. I only bake for family and friends. I usually just try to cover costs with pricing but I'm realizing that I need to factor in calls/txts/changes these people make. PITA!
Good for you!! I'd have told her to go to WalMart after diva move #1... LOL!!
Just a suggestion for the future.
When I have had really odd sized tiers like this, I have offset the top tier, placing it in the corner of the bottom tier so it doesn't look like it's missing the top tiers.
I have also done this with sheet cakes, when they needed just a few more servings than the sheet cake made.
Hope that makes sense. There are a few examples in my pics if I just totally confused everyone.
LOL... even better... a "greedy" friend of the family.
What I would do is invoice her for the FULL amount and show the incredible discount she is getting so she knows. I know she probably has no idea that she is asking you to make that much cake for so little, but she needs to see it typed out so she gets what a gift you are giving her.
abso-freaking-lutely!!!
Delivered the cake today. So excited by the result.
http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1978463
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