How many servings in a cake: a chart by diameter, tiers and weight

Two customer questions, one answer from the pastry shop

Customers usually ask in one of two ways: “how many people will a 24 cm cake feed?” or “I need a cake for 40 people, what size?”. Both answers must match how the cake is then cut at the venue, otherwise at the end of the party there will be no slices for three guests. It is safest to answer from one chart, the same for everyone who takes orders. Below we publish the chart we use in BakePilot. It was prepared by the Polish pastry chef Marta Mężyńska, who made it available to us for use with credit.^[1]

• the number of servings depends on the diameter, the number of tiers and the height of the cake
• servings for single-tier cakes are given for tall cakes, at least 12 cm high^[1]
• with a range (for example 30-40), the lower number is a safe promise to the customer

Single-tier cake: how many servings from a given diameter

The chart applies to tall single-tier cakes, those which in Marta Mężyńska's chart are 12 cm high or more.^[1] A low cake made from one sponge will give fewer servings from the same diameter. “70/80” at 30 cm means 70 or 80 servings.

Tiered cakes: from two to six tiers

For tiered cakes we give the diameters from the smallest tier to the largest, for example 16/22/28 means a 16 cm top, a 22 cm middle and a 28 cm bottom. The chart is a set of specific combinations, not a formula^[1]. For a layout that is not in it, we do not guess the number, we look for the closest combination and calculate servings with a margin. A 10/16/22/28/34/40 cake has six diameters, so we treat it as a six-tier cake.

How many people does a 1 kg cake feed: converting weight

When you price a cake by the kilogram, the customer still thinks in guests. The conversion is simple: number of people = cake weight ÷ weight of one serving. The key is the serving weight you use in your pastry shop. In BakePilot the default is 150 g per person, but every pastry shop sets its own, and some count a serving as 100 g. The chart below shows how many people a cake of a given weight feeds at both serving sizes, rounded to a whole person, the same way the order wizard in the app calculates it.

The other way round: how many kilograms for a given number of guests

When the customer gives the number of people, you multiply it by the serving weight and round up. It is better to have one slice left over than to run short. In BakePilot the cake order wizard rounds the weight up to the nearest half kilogram. Example: 25 people × 150 g = 3.75 kg, so the wizard will suggest 4 kg. With 20 people and 150 g it comes to exactly 3 kg and no rounding is needed.

• weight = number of people × serving weight, rounded up
• 25 people × 150 g = 3.75 kg, so a 4 kg cake
• 20 people × 150 g = 3 kg
• for tiered cakes also check the diameter chart, the weight does not tell you how many tiers will fit on the table

How not to promise more servings than you will get

Most misunderstandings come from ranges. According to the chart, a 24 cm cake gives 30-40 servings,^[1] and whether you get 30 or 40 slices depends on how the cake is cut at the venue. That is why, when taking an order, give the lower end of the range and treat the upper end as a reserve. It is also good to note in the order how many people the cake was calculated for and at what serving weight. Then, if there is a complaint that “there was not enough cake”, you have it in black and white.

• with a range, give the customer the lower number of servings
• note in the order the number of people and the serving weight used
• agree with the customer who cuts the cake at the party and how
• height matters: the single-tier chart applies to cakes at least 12 cm high^[1]

The portion calculator in BakePilot

The same chart is built into BakePilot. In the cake order wizard, in the shape and weight step, you expand the “Portion calculator by diameter”, choose the number of tiers and the combination of diameters, and the app shows “Suggested portions”. The “Set” button puts the lower number from the range into the order as the number of people, and the cake weight is recalculated automatically using the “Grams per person” field. You also have the full chart on the Cakes tab, as a cheat sheet for when a customer calls. The portion calculator and the cake configurator are in the Profesjonalny (Professional) plan. How to set up cake types, shapes and grams per person is described in Guide: celebration cake, and the whole wizard on the cake configurator page.

• “Portion calculator by diameter” in the cake order wizard
• from 1 to 6 tiers, diameter combinations from the chart
• “Set” puts the lower number of servings in as the number of people
• the “Grams per person” field recalculates the cake weight
• “Portions by diameter” on the Cakes tab

Frequently asked questions about cake servings

How many servings in an 18 cm cake? A tall single-tier 18 cm cake gives 16-18 servings.^[1] How many servings from a 26 cm cake? About 50.^[1] How many people does a 1 kg cake feed? About 7 people at 150 g per serving, 10 people at 100 g. What cake for 100 people? In the chart, a three-tier 14/22/28 cm cake gives 100 servings.^[1] Should you calculate servings from weight or from diameter? For pricing by the kilogram, weight is more convenient; for planning the look of the cake and cutting it at the venue, diameter and number of tiers. It is worth checking both and choosing the smaller number of servings.