Hi there, I have an order for a birthday cake and they are wanting 24 servings. I have always used the wilton cake serving chart but for some reason am second guessing it this morning. An 8 inch round says it is 24 servings, so that is what I would typically make.
I am just wondering does every one else use the wilton cake serving chart for birthday cakes as well as wedding cakes or is there a better one for birthday cakes? I just can't decide if I should do the 8 inch round cake or go with a 10 in round. Opinions anyone?
AIf an amateur will be cutting the birthday cake I tend to recommend generously-sized servings, so for 24 people I would recommend a 12" round.
Hmm. I typically go for 15-24 servings out of a 9x13 sheet cake, myself, which works out to about 7-11 cubic inches per serving, and the pattern of the frosting is often a cutting guide in itself (especially with my strawberry marble cake, on which I pipe strawberry shapes in a grid pattern, one per intended serving). With a pound cake baked in a Bundt mold, I typically go for 16 servings, using the ribs of the mold as a cutting guide.
AI would tell them an 8" round will serve 24, and charge accordingly. If they want more cake, they pay for more servings. My price is based on a 1"x2"x4" serving. I can't magically make a bigger slice and have it cost the same as a smaller slice.
i tell customers how many servings I account for in each cake--and how big the slices are. If they want to have bigger slices, or as I put it give guests a chance for seconds or to have leftovers, then they can order a larger cake. I also take into account the height of the cake. many of my non-tiered cakes can go upwards of 5" tall, so that can be taken into consideration for narrower servings. I also give a diagram on how to cut the cake to get those servings. If they decide to cut it like a pie into 8 giant pieces, that's their choice!
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Original message sent by jason_kraft
If an amateur will be cutting the birthday cake I tend to recommend generously-sized servings, so for 24 people I would recommend a 12" round.
that is 56 servings, you must have a tapeworm, or not be able to fit through doors if you typically eat double portions of everything!
lol...except for weddings I have never seen anyone actually serve 1x2x4 slices. Have you seen what they give you at some restaurants?? Jeez...no wonder Americans are so ummmm hefty. I don't complain though!!
For most of my cakes, the same amount of batter makes a two-layer 8inch round or 24 cupcakes. I would easily charge the 24 servings if it was cupcakes. Do the same for the cake.
If they want more, buy more.
8 cubic inches is on the low end of the range I get from my sheet cakes, but it's in there.
AThese charts have shown up on cake central before but if they help... http://bluesheepbakeshop.myshopify.com/pages/cake-serving-charts
And: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4862374/Cake-Serving-Chart---DOC
For most of my cakes, the same amount of batter makes a two-layer 8inch round or 24 cupcakes. I would easily charge the 24 servings if it was cupcakes. Do the same for the cake.
If they want more, buy more.
^^^ This and this vvv
Because I have sliced my own cakes time after time at various gatherings and parties following Indydeb's cutting guides, I know I get exactly the amount listed in the Wilton wedding servings chart. And since there are always different types of eaters at every event (kids, dieters, double slices, etc), it always works out. Therefore, I sell cakes based on 8 cubic inches of cake per serving. If the client wants more, they pay for more.
I use this chart for ALL of my cakes ... http://www.earlenescakes.com/ckserchart.htm The measurements on this one give a slightly smaller amount per cake. For example Wilton says an 8 inch serves 24 and Earlenes chart says an 8 inch round serves 15.
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Original message sent by BatterUpCake
but would you charge for 24 servings?
Most people who shop for single tier cakes for casual events are used to seeing a flat price for the cake, not a per-serving price. The charge would be for a 12" cake (based on our cost and a markup for profit), regardless of the number of servings, so recommending generous serving sizes acts as an upsell.
We estimate that a 12" round will serve 22-28 people at a casual event (the cake is usually cut into wedges), and that range has been pretty accurate based on our customer feedback as well as my own experience. Of course it is a different story for formal events where the venue will be cutting standard 1"x2"x4" slices.
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Original message sent by Annabakescakes
that is 56 servings, you must have a tapeworm, or not be able to fit through doors if you typically eat double portions of everything!
No tapeworm, just a fast metabolism that makes it difficult to gain weight...I've been in the 150-170 lb range since high school. When I do have cake my serving size is probably double Wilton's wedding cake serving size.
IAm PamCakes - ditto. Also ditto Sassyzan.
The industry standard serving size is 1 2 X 4 = 8 cubic inches of cake. They can order a 12" round and call it TWO servings for all I care, but they PAY for 56 servings.
Yes...Just because my teenaged son cuts a whole pizza into quarters it doesn't mean that it's four servings.
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Original message sent by jason_kraft
[quote name="Annabakescakes" url="/t/760643/cake-serving-chart#post_7412391"] that is 56 servings, you must have a tapeworm, or not be able to fit through doors if you typically eat double portions of everything!
No tapeworm, just a fast metabolism that makes it difficult to gain weight...I've been in the 150-170 lb range since high school. When I do have cake my serving size is probably double Wilton's wedding cake serving size.[/quote] My husband is going to be 40 next year and he is 5'10" and weighs 145-155, and always has. he eats double portions of regular food but generally restrains himself when it comes to cake. There are others problems that can arise from gorging on sweets, besides a fat a$$, one is cavities and another is diabetes. And I have a fat @$$ and I still only eat a standard wedding portion of cake.
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Original message sent by costumeczar
[QUOTE name="leah_s" url="/t/760643/cake-serving-chart#post_7412159"] IAm PamCakes - ditto. Also ditto Sassyzan. The industry standard serving size is 1 2 X 4 = 8 cubic inches of cake. They can order a 12" round and call it TWO servings for all I care, but they PAY for 56 servings. [/QUOTE] Yes...Just because my teenaged son cuts a whole pizza into quarters it doesn't mean that it's four servings.
AAny food with a high glycemic index can lead to diabetes. But that's a different topic
A
Original message sent by Annabakescakes
My husband is going to be 40 next year and he is 5'10" and weighs 145-155, and always has. he eats double portions of regular food but generally restrains himself when it comes to cake. There are others problems that can arise from gorging on sweets, besides a fat a$$, one is cavities and another is diabetes. And I have a fat @$$ and I still only eat a standard wedding portion of cake.
:o
Sweets can cause cavities and diabetes? I had never heard that before, do you have a source? If that's true I might have to cut down on my once-a-month cake habit. :wink:
Hmm. The Blue Sheep 9x13 "party cake" guides more-or-less match how I cut sheet cakes, except that I rarely get a full 2" height, even at the highest point (and might be lucky to get more than 1", if I were to level the thing, which is why I treat smooth, gentle doming as perfectly normal, and plan the decorations with that in mind).
Wilton lists a wedding cake serving chart and a party serving chart don't they?
For those just scanning this thread, it seems Jasons 12 inch round suggestion is for a one layer cake, not a two layer 4 inch high cake. A 12 in round two layer is 56 servings so if you cut it in half with a one layer would be 28 servings using Wilton sizing.
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Original message sent by denetteb
For those just scanning this thread, it seems Jasons 12 inch round suggestion is for a one layer cake, not a two layer 4 inch high cake. A 12 in round two layer is 56 servings so if you cut it in half with a one layer would be 28 servings using Wilton sizing.
My recommended number of servings is for a 12" round two layer cake (4" high total). Customers who cut birthday cakes themselves tend to cut wedges significantly larger than the Wilton sizes.
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