Cake Calculator – Find How Much Cake You Need
Are you trying to figure out how much cake you need for a party or wedding? We’ve got you covered!
Enter the number of guests below, and we’ll estimate how much cake you’ll need to feed them.
Cakes Needed:
On this page:
Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.
Chef Shannon is a menu and recipe developer, food stylist, private chef, and author of the book The All-American Lemonade Stand.
What Size Cake Do You Need?
Whether you’re planning a quiet birthday gathering or an elaborate wedding, ‘cake math’ can be a tricky task since portions vary based on cake shape, height, and width.
Depending on the occasion, tiered cakes (think wedding) and sheet cakes (think retirement party) are intended to serve more people, so efficient and accurate calculating is key.
Expert pastry chef and cake decorator Michelle Anderson explains that the standard slice of wedding cake is typically 4 inches high and 2 inches long by 1 inch wide; however, dessert portions can be larger.[1]
Cake Portions Chart
Avoid a ‘cake mistake’ and use this chart to determine how many servings are in standard round and square cake pans.
| Cake Size | Round Cake | Square Cake |
|---|---|---|
| 5 inch (13 cm) | 8 servings | 8 servings |
| 6 inch (15 cm) | 11 servings | 18 servings |
| 7 inch (18 cm) | 15 servings | 24 servings |
| 8 inch (20 cm) | 20 servings | 32 servings |
| 9 inch (23 cm) | 27 servings | 35 servings |
| 10 inch (25 cm) | 38 servings | 50 servings |
| 11 inch (28 cm) | 45 servings | 56 servings |
| 12 inch (30 cm) | 56 servings | 72 servings |
| 14 inch (36 cm) | 64 servings | 98 servings |
Use our recipe scale calculator to accurately scale your cake recipe up or down.
How Many People Will Your Cake Serve
Typically, a standard 9″ cake pan will yield about 27 portions, but consider your audience. Larger appetites or ‘dessert only’ events generally call for bigger portions, about 18 servings per 9″ cake.
Use the chart above to see how many portions are in the most common cake sizes. For larger portions, divide the serving count by 1.5.
Calculating for a tiered cake is easier than you think! Just find the servings for each tier and total them up. Piece of cake, right?
How Many Does a Full Sheet Cake Serve?
Measuring servings for a sheet cake looks easy because visually they’re rectangular, but cake math is still necessary, so even the last guest gets a slice!
Most grocery stores and bakeries offer sheet cakes in three standard sizes; quarter sheet (9″ x 13″), half sheet (13″ x 18″), and full sheet (18″ x 26″).
This is the most accurate chart for calculating servings of the three basic sheet cake sizes. Also, bakers are happy to help you choose the right-sized cake and may ask questions about the event or the guest list you might not have thought of, which might also affect portion sizes.
| Serving Size | Quarter Sheet Servings | Half Sheet Servings | Full Sheet Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2″ x 1″ | 54 servings | 108 servings | 192 servings |
| 2″ x 2″ | 24 servings | 54 servings | 117 servings |
| 3″ x 2″ | 18 servings | 36 servings | 64 servings |
| 3″ x 3″ | 12 servings | 24 servings | 48 servings |
Planning a party? Check out our pizza calculator or turkey size calculator to plan the portions for your crowd.
References
- Michelle Anderson, How Many People Will Your Cake Serve?, https://www.thespruceeats.com/cake-sizes-and-portion-sizes-486914