Cake Serving Sizes Guide for All Kinds of Cakes (2024)

How many slices makes up a cake? No, that’s not a riddle! Figuring out cake serving sizes for a crowd is no easy feat.

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To a certain degree, the number ofservings a cake will yield is a matter of opinion (and of appetite). But there are standardcake serving size practices basedon the type of pan you use, which can help you make sure that there’s enough dessert to go around atyour next birthday, dinner party or event.

Here’s a guide for serving sizes you can expect from common cake pans.

Whether you’re making a bundt cake, an angel food cake or even a cheesecake or flourless chocolate cake, we’ve got you covered.

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Photo viaCakeSpy

Bundt pan

Servings:12-16 servings

A bundt pan is a uniquely shaped tube pan that’sis rounded on the bottom, yielding a cake with a rounded top. Most bundt pans have a 12-cup capacity and measure about 10 inches in diameter.It is typically used to make sturdier cakes thatwon’t lose their shape when inverted.

Cake Serving Sizes Guide for All Kinds of Cakes (3)Photo viaCakeSpy

Cupcake pans

Servings:As many vessels as there are in your cupcakepan.

Cupcake pans are one of the easiest to estimate cake serving sizes with, because the tins are divided into a finite number of vessels. Typically, a recipe that yields a two-layer cake can make 24 standard-size cupcakes, 48 mini cupcakes or12 jumbo or “Texas-sized” cupcakes. There are varying sizes of mini and jumbo cupcake tins, so this can vary.

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Photo viaCakeSpy

Loaf cake pan

Servings:9 servings, or 1 serving per inch of the pan.

Typically used for quick breads and pound cakes, loaf cakes have a shape like a loaf of bread, and slice into simple servings. Usually, the servings will be about 1 inch thick. Say you have a loaf pan that is 9 inches (the measurement inside of the pan). You’ll have 9 servings.

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Fat Daddio’s 10-Inch Round Cake Pans

Round cake pans

Servings:

4-inch diameter: 8servings
6-inch diameter: 12servings
8-inch diameter: 20servings
9-inch diameter: 24 servings
10-inch diameter: 28servings
12-inch diameter: 40 servings

A round cake panis the pan that you’d use to make a classic layer cake or round birthday cake. The most common sizes 8 or 9 inches, but they come in a huge variety of sizes, which can be used to make cakes of varying tiers or size. Above is a list ofthe numberof servings for some of the most common cake pan sizes. When serving a cake in multiple tiers, you can add the number of servings for each sized tier.

Square cake pans

Servings

4-inch: 8servings
6-inch:10 servings
8-inch:20 slices
10-inch: 30 servings
12-inch: 48 servings

While most people associate square cake pans with brownies, they can also be used to create cakes. The most popular sizes are 8 or 9 inches square, but like round cake pans, they come in all sorts of sizes thatcan be used to create intricate tiered cakes of any height.When serving a cake in multiple tiers, you can add the number of servings for each sized tier.

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Photo via CakeSpy

Rectangular cake pan

Servings:12-16 servings for most cakes (potentially more individualservings for richer cakes or brownies)

One of the most popular pans for making small sheet cakes and poke cakes is a 9-by-13 inch pan with approximately 2-inch sides. Pyrex makes apopular version of this particular type of baking pan.

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Fat Daddio’s Springform Pan

Springform cake pan

Servings: 12-16 servings for a 9″ or 10″ springform cake pans (though they come in all sizes)

A springform cake pan features a removable bottom insert and sides that can be sealed like walls around the removable bottom. Springform pans are often used for cheesecakes or flourless chocolate cakes, which might be difficult to remove from a standard cake pan.

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Tube Pan

Servings:Most recipes baked in a tube pan will yield 12-16 servings.

Also known as an angel food cake pan, a tube pan is circular, typically 9 or 10 inches in diameter, with a hole cutout in the center and high walls. The unusual shape and height of this pan is ideal for letting angel cakes and similar cakes rise.

Cake Serving Sizes Guide for All Kinds of Cakes (2024)

FAQs

Cake Serving Sizes Guide for All Kinds of Cakes? ›

As a general rule, a standard wedding cake serving is about 1" to 2" wide and 4'' to 5" tall. Choose the right size of cake: Generally, a 6" cake serves about 12 people, an 8" cake serves about 24 people, a 10" cake serves about 36 people, and a 12" cake serves about 50 people.

What are cake serving sizes? ›

As a general rule, a standard wedding cake serving is about 1" to 2" wide and 4'' to 5" tall. Choose the right size of cake: Generally, a 6" cake serves about 12 people, an 8" cake serves about 24 people, a 10" cake serves about 36 people, and a 12" cake serves about 50 people.

What are the different cake portions? ›

6-inch: Typically serves eight people. 8-inch: Can serve 12–14 people. 10-inch: Serves up to 20 people. 12-inch: Can serve 25–30 people.

How do you calculate how many people a cake will feed? ›

The taller the cake, the thinner you'll likely want to slice, though. Based on cakes that are between 3 and 6-inches high, a 6-inch round cake will yield 5-11 servings; an 8-inch round will yield12-16 servings; and a 9-inch roundwill produces 12-16 servings.

How many people will a 10 inch cake serve? ›

10 in cakes can be sensibly served to up to 25 people with each slice measuring about 1 1⁄4 inches across the back or about the width of a teaspoon. As with the 8 inch cakes, 10 inch cakes can be served event style. Cut event style, a 10 inch cake can be served to as many as 39 people.

What are typical serving sizes? ›

Helpful rules of thumb. Here are a few helpful serving size guidelines to remember: One cup of raw leafy vegetables or a baked potato should be about the size of a baseball or average-sized fist. Three ounces of cooked lean meat or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand.

What size cake feeds 25 to 30 people? ›

Round Cake Servings
Layer Cake ServingsPound Cake Servings
8”8-1212-15
9”12-1518-24
10”16-2025-30
12”30-3540-50
2 more rows

What are the 7 types of cakes? ›

7 Types of Cake You Need to Know
  • Butter Cake. You might be most familiar with this type of cake. ...
  • Pound Cake. A pound cake can be like a sister of butter cake. ...
  • Sponge Cake. This cake is super soft and cloudy, ring a bell? ...
  • Chiffon Cake. ...
  • Flourless Cake (baked & unbaked) ...
  • Carrot Cake. ...
  • Red Velvet Cake.
Aug 31, 2020

What are the 4 classification of cakes? ›

4 Main Types of Cakes Based on Mixing Methods
  • Butter/Oil Cakes. These are the most commonly known cakes in baking and most people start learning how to bake using these cakes. ...
  • Sponge Cakes. ...
  • Baked Flourless Cakes. ...
  • Un-Baked Flourless Cakes.
Jun 11, 2018

What is the cake formula ratio? ›

The life-changing 1-2-3-4 ratio for cakes

If you can remember those numbers, you can literally make any cake, actually. The base recipe for a bundt is 1 cup butter + 1 cup milk + 2 cups sugar + 3 cups flour + 4 large eggs .

How many cakes do I need to feed 40 people? ›

Cake Tiers and Serving Sizes

The average 12" wedding cake serves 40-60 people. The 10" cake on top of that serves 30-40 people and the 8" cake on top of that serves 20-25 people. So a classic 3-tier cake with 12, 10, and 8 inch layers serves about 100 people.

How many people does a 9x13 cake feed? ›

A 9x13 inch sheet cake is a standard size that can serve a varying number of people depending on the size of the slices. Generally, a 9x13 inch sheet cake can serve around 18 to 24 people if the slices are cut to a size of about 2x2 inches or slightly larger.

What size sheet cake for 20 people? ›

Quarter sheet cakes are 9×13 inches in dimensions. It can serve up to 20 people. A half sheet cake is 11×15 inches in dimensions and can serve up to 40 people. Lastly, a Full sheet cake can serve about 80 guests, with measurements being 18×24 inches.

What size is a 1/2 sheet cake? ›

The Three Common Sheet Cake Sizes: A full-sheet cake (18 x 24 inches, requiring approximately 16 cups of batter) serves up to 80 people. Meanwhile, 1/2 sheet cake (18 x 12 inches and using 7 to 8 cups of batter) should be enough for 36-48 guests.

How many people can eat a 2 pound cake? ›

Cake sizes and recommended servings
2 lb. (8") (2 pound cake size in inches)8 - 12 servings for a 2 pound cake size
3 lb. (9")12 - 18 servings servings for a 3 pound cake size
4 lb. (10")16 - 24 servings
5 lb. (12")20 - 30 servings
6 lb. (12")25 - 35 servings 6 pound cake size
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How big is a 15 serving cake? ›

Round Cake Serving Sizes
Pan Size & ShapeParty Servings (slices 1-1/2" x 2" or larger)Wedding Servings (slices 1-1/2" x 2" or smaller)
6" Round812
7" Round1222
8" Round1524
9" Round2232
5 more rows

How many servings is an 8 inch 2 layer cake? ›

Complete Cake Serving Guide
  • 5 inch round - 2 layer cake serves 4/5 (3 layer 5/6 servings)
  • 6 inch round - 2 layer cake serves 6/8 (3 layer 8/10 servings)
  • 7 inch round - 2 layer cake serves 10/12 (3 layer 12/15 servings)
  • 8 inch round - 2 layer cake serves 15/20 (3 layer 20/25 servings)

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