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Really... help... how many ways can you calculate servings?

post #1 of 17
3/4/12 at 10:31pm
Thread Starter 
Standard 8" diameter, 4" high cake. Using EVERY chart- Wilton, Earlene's etc.... How many answers are there to this simple math question?
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post #2 of 17
3/5/12 at 2:22am
At least 3. Rose Beranbaum's chart is different than both of those, but her servings are smaller. I'd go with whatever one you feel you can live with. The industry standard is Wilton, so most people who will cut and serve a wedding cake will probably use that. Most lay people cutting for parties will probably cut bigger, like Earlene's.

I generally tell my clients that this cake is designed to serve x. They can cut bigger or smaller pieces as it pleases them.
Fall down 7 times....get up 8
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Fall down 7 times....get up 8
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post #3 of 17
3/5/12 at 6:50am
A standard wedding cake serving size is 8 cubic inches, or 4"x2"x1". The volume of a 4" high, 8" diameter cylinder is pi * 4^2 * 4 = 201 cubic inches, which comes out to just over 25 servings.

But there are any number of answers to this question depending on how you define the serving size.
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post #4 of 17
3/5/12 at 7:11am
http://shinymetalobjects.net/cake/calculator/cakulator.cgi
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post #5 of 17
3/5/12 at 7:30am
Awesome Link!!! how cute - cakulator!
I've learned so much from my mistakes..... I'm thinking of making a few more!
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I've learned so much from my mistakes..... I'm thinking of making a few more!
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post #6 of 17
3/5/12 at 7:33am
I would have to agree that Wilton's is the industry standard. I gauge all cakes into their wedding serving size chart. So an 8 inch round 4 inch tall cake would serve approximately 25 in 1x2x4 servings.
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If you can't find time it do it right..how will you find time to do it over?
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post #7 of 17
3/5/12 at 8:08am
As confusing as it is, try it before you pick one. many people cut pieces of styrofoam to size to see what they get, or cut some cakes yourself - the family will like that.

Think of it like this - How many cupcakes would you feel comfortable serving your guests? Is one OK or does everyone need two? Well, the same 8" layer cake that can't possibly serve 24 people also makes 24 cupcakes. While the cake looks small it really serves that many!

But it only matters that you pick one system for you and stick with it. Once the customer gets the cake, they can do what they want.
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post #8 of 17
3/5/12 at 11:50am
I give them a range of servings and let them decide what size they want. http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2012/02/cake-serving-chart.html
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #9 of 17
3/6/12 at 12:14pm
czar:

How do you determine pricing with your chart? Take your 6-9-12 option for example. Your chart states it will serve 80 to 100. If someone chooses that option, do you price them at 80 servings or 100 servings, or do you have a flat rate and not charge per slice?
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post #10 of 17
3/6/12 at 12:59pm
We also do flat rate pricing, but for single tier cakes only (including a range of servings). Our pricing for a cake is based on the cost of making a cake of that size plus a profit margin, the number of servings is irrelevant.
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post #11 of 17
3/6/12 at 1:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by btrsktch

czar:

How do you determine pricing with your chart? Take your 6-9-12 option for example. Your chart states it will serve 80 to 100. If someone chooses that option, do you price them at 80 servings or 100 servings, or do you have a flat rate and not charge per slice?



I take an average for each combination and charge the prie per serving for that, and that's the price of the cake.
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #12 of 17
3/6/12 at 3:14pm
Okay, that makes sense, and is very fair. I may use that thumbs_up.gif

I do flat rate pricing for my single tier cakes too, but when it came to tiered cakes, I was always caught in the exactly how much to charge and found myself feeling guilty for charging the maximum serving price and hence would charge the lowest serving amount.

Your chart will come in very handy. Thank you very much!
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post #13 of 17
3/6/12 at 6:01pm
Thread Starter 
Sorry... my "alerts" seem to be turned off. icon_redface.gif

Thanks for the replies... yes, just to be fair... as a "range" seems to be possible. A number should be a number, and not a range. I like the straight mathematical version I guess, and of course, "estimated standard servings" disclaimer.

Thanks all...
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post #14 of 17
3/6/12 at 6:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnson6ofus

Sorry... my "alerts" seem to be turned off. icon_redface.gif

Thanks for the replies... yes, just to be fair... as a "range" seems to be possible. A number should be a number, and not a range. I like the straight mathematical version I guess, and of course, "estimated standard servings" disclaimer.

Thanks all...



But...unless the person who cuts the cake cuts it exactly the same way that you anticipated they'd cut it, they won't get a straight mathematical number of servings. I've seen so many different venues cut the cake so many different ways, there's no way you can say for sure that this cake will serve exactly this many servings. That's why different serving charts say that the same cake will serve a different number of people.
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #15 of 17
3/6/12 at 7:07pm
A similar subject came up on another current thread:
is there any pictures for cutting guides for 1 1/2 x 2 slice
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=7268805&highlight=#7268805

Here's my response to that baker's question:

Many custom bakeries in the USA use the Wilton Wedding serving chart to determine the pricing per serving. Individual custom bakers may choose whatever they want to use to price their cakes. Keep in mind that NOBODY out there in the general public has any idea how to get 24 wedding cake slices out of an 8" round, 4" high cake tier. [They'll think you're NUTS!] Many wedding cakes are cut and served by a professional caterer or staff person at the venue. The assumption with wedding cakes is that there will be other food served at the event, and the cake will be a symbolic, small slice. Party or Earlene sized slices are generally used when there is no other food at the party/celebration.

Here is a lovely chart from the Lark Cake Shop:

http://larkcakeshop.com/CakeServeGuide2.pdf

Indydebi has another wonderful method which you can copy and provide to clients. Indydebi states:
"feel free to link to this page or print it out for your brides to help them ensure a smooth cake cutting at their event!"

http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb

These sample cake serving slices are also excellent to give to a client. The client can see how big the slice will be on the cake AND know how big the slices should be when cut!
Sample Cake Serving Sizes -- made of Paper or Cardstock
http://www.wilton.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=142470&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=
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