Hello friends!

I have had several orders in my cake career that have requested a 1/2 sheet cake size, which is pretty common, right? Well, I have always just baked a full sheet cake, cut it in half, and cut a cake board to match. I usually put the other half that is not being used in the freezer for cake balls, etc (or I feed it to my garbage disposal husband )

My question is ~ is there an actual 1/2 sheet pan and cake boards to match? Every where I look in stores (Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Garden Ridge), I never see one. I only see the 9x13, square pans, and full sheets. Surely there must be one!

Thanks for your help!

I bought my half sheet pans at Hobby Lobby; I've seen them at Wal-Mart too. I use the 12x18 pan for my half sheet, but I've read where some people consider the 11x15 to be a half sheet. You can also do two 9x13s and stick them side by side with a little icing in between to hold them together if you don't want to buy the bigger pan.

I have a 12x18 pan too. Be careful where you buy your cake boards and boxes b/c apparently since everyone's sizes are different, I've had boards not fit the boxes before! Even though they are all technically the same.

I want to say I saw the 11x15 @ wal-mart and for sure @ Michael's and for supplies as in cake boards Michael's should carry them a, wal-mart I think only cake boards. You can also try a cake shop if they sell supplies. hope this helps

mamafrogcakes ~ Me too! The problem I run into is if I buy Wilton's half sheet size boards; they're about a half inch too big in length and width for the boxes I buy. They're actually a little cheaper, but I go ahead and buy the boards from the same place I get my boxes because the few cents difference isn't worth the time it takes me to trim the Wilton boards.

I'm wondering if you're talking about a half sheet. A full sheet is huge, and that's one I've never seen in the store, even at the cake supply store. I have an 11 x 15 cuz the 12 x 18 won't fit in my oven

I use the 12x18 too and I actually buy boards and boxes from the walmart bakery.. they charge me $1 for the whole kit and kaboodle (they are even the plastic boxes)

Thanks for the info! I am headed out to find one right now, and I'm not stopping until I do!

Ya'll are so helpful, thanks!

This is great information. One thing I'll never understand is why 1/2 sheet isn't standardized--why can you use different size pans and still call it a 1/2 sheet? It's SO confusing!

In the commercial bakery world a 1/2 sheet pan is 11 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches and it is only 1 inch high. It will easily fit on a 14 x 18 board and into that same size box (which I think is the standard for boxes). A full sheet pan is 17 x 24 inches and hardly ever fits into a standard kitchen oven. I use the 11 x 15 pan as a 1/3 sheet and the 12 x 18 pan as a "large 1/2 sheet" I put two 11 x 17 sheets together to make a full sheet cake.

Does anyone know about the pan that's a tad bit smaller then the standard 9x13? I have one that's smaller than that, but yet not half the size of it. So it wouldn't really be considered 1/8 I don't think. I would sure like to know what size it would be considered though I also use the 12x18 for the 1/2 sheet cakes. Thanks Gale

In my area the 11x15 is considered a 1/2 sheet and a 12x18 is a 3/4 sheet. I only use PAC boards and boxes. The measurement for a 1/2 sheet board is 18 1/2x 14 1/2. I buy my boxes and boards from my local box store.

I use the 11"x 15" for my 1/2 sheet. I put 2 of them together for a whole sheet. I use the Wilton 13"x19" cake boards and I use 20x14x4 boxes, the 11"x15" fits perfectly. I find it so weird how everyone uses different sizes for 1/2 sheets and full sheets...but that's me!!

alimonkey~

You're right, I think I am talking about a 1/2 sheet to begin with. I never realized that a full sheet was THAT huge. When I first began cake decorating, I bought the biggest cake pan that I saw at Garden Ridge. I just always assumed that the largest pan would be a full sheet. Hmmmm, you learn something new every day!

The 12x18 pan is just about the same size as two of the 9x13, which is the 1/4 sheet size. So wouldn't it make sense that the 12x18 would be the 1/2 sheet? If you put two 9x13 cakes together, that makes a bigger cake then the 11x15 pan. It's also probaby the reason the 1/2 sheet boards measure approx. 14x18 something. I get all of mine from the Kroger bakery here and have never had any problems with the sizes not matching up to my cakes.

In my area...technically a 9x13 is a 1/3 sheet...but most people use this one as a 1/4 sheet.

Wow...how confusing!!!! How many should each size be able to feed in general? I know it depends on the size of each piece.

This is what I usually tell my customers:
9x13=24-30 servings
11x15=30-35 servings
12x18=45-60 servings

I also let them know it will depend on how large they cut the pieces. I know that everyone kind of does it their own way though.

Thank you traci!.....I never know what to tell people.

I think your right about that, most people do use the 9x13 as the 1/4 sheet. That's what all the bakeries here were I'm at all tell me that their 1/4 sheet cakes are. It IS confusing, it shouldn't be so complicated lol!

I agree, they make it to confusing....they should have standard sized and thats it...but at least we havre this website to help us!