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Cake Serving Chart and Calculator
An 8 inch round cake serves 20 at party slices or 24 at wedding slices, and a two-layer half sheet cake (12 x 18 in.) serves 72 or 98. Build your cake below, tier by tier, or enter a guest count and the calculator suggests the sizes to bake. Add your price per serving to quote it.
Servings
72
party slices, about 1½ x 2 in.
- Cake12 x 18 in. sheet
- 72
- Guests served
- 72
Cake price
$288.00
72 servings at $4.00. Quote delivery and setup separately.
Send it by courierCake Serving Chart: Round and Square Cakes
Servings for cakes about 4 inches tall (two layers), from Wilton’s cake serving chart. A party slice is about 1½ x 2 inches; a wedding slice is about 1 x 2 inches.
| Size | Round, party | Round, wedding | Square, party | Square, wedding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 in. | 8 | 8 | — | — |
| 6 in. | 12 | 12 | 12 | 18 |
| 8 in. | 20 | 24 | 20 | 32 |
| 9 in. | 24 | 32 | — | — |
| 10 in. | 28 | 38 | 30 | 50 |
| 12 in. | 40 | 56 | 48 | 72 |
| 14 in. | 63 | 78 | 63 | 98 |
| 16 in. | 77 | 100 | 80 | 128 |
Wilton counts the same servings for any cake 3 to 6 inches tall baked in that pan, and half as many for a cake under 3 inches. Tick “single layer” in the calculator for a short cake.
Sheet Cake Sizes: Quarter, Half, and Full
There is no industry standard for a quarter, half, or full sheet cake, so sizes differ from one bakery to the next (WebstaurantStore). Most fall within these ranges:
- Quarter sheet cake: about 13 inches long and 8 to 10 inches wide. A 9 x 13 inch pan is the usual home-baking version.
- Half sheet cake: 12 to 18 inches long and 13 to 18 inches wide, most often 12 x 18 or 13 x 18 inches.
- Full sheet cake: 16 to 18 inches by 24 to 26 inches.
| Sheet cake | Pan | Two layers, party slice | Two layers, wedding slice | One 2 in. layer, 2 x 3 in. slice | One 2 in. layer, 2 x 2 in. slice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter sheet | 9 x 13 in. | 36 | 50 | 19 | 29 |
| Half sheet | 12 x 18 in. | 72 | 98 | 36 | 54 |
| Full sheet | 18 x 24 in. | 144* | 196* | 72 | 108 |
Two-layer counts are from Wilton’s chart; single-layer counts are WebstaurantStore’s for a 2 inch deep cake. *Wilton’s chart stops at 12 x 18 inches, so the full sheet counts are two 12 x 18 inch halves side by side. A single-layer sheet cake under 3 inches tall gives about half the two-layer servings.
Tiered Cake Servings
A tiered cake serves the sum of its tiers. Three round tiers of 12 in. + 9 in. + 6 in. rounds give 100 wedding slices. At party slices the same 100 guests need 14 in. + 10 in. + 6 in. rounds, which give 103.
If the couple keeps the top tier for later, tick “keep the top tier” and the calculator takes it out of the guest count. Each tier should be at least 2 inches narrower than the one below it, which leaves a ledge for piping or flowers; the suggestions follow that rule.
A stacked cake needs a level floor, a cool vehicle, and a driver who goes straight to the venue. See courier service for bakeries for how that works, or the delivery cost calculator to price a courier for the route.
How to Price a Cake by the Serving
Bakeries quote decorated and wedding cakes per serving, so the price follows the guest count. Multiply the servings by your price per serving; the calculator does it as you change the cake.
Set the price per serving from your own costs: ingredients, boxes and boards, decorating time, and overhead. The food cost calculator works out the ingredient cost per serving, and How to start a bakery covers pricing alongside licensing and wholesale. Quote delivery and setup as a separate line, not inside the per-serving price.
Figures checked against their sources on .
Send the Cake by Courier
Enter your bakery and the venue to see what a courier charges to drive the cake there.
- A price range in about a minute
- SUVs, minivans, and cargo vans
- One-off, scheduled, or repeating routes
CAKE SERVING FAQ
Cake Size and Serving Questions
How many people does a half sheet cake feed?
A two-layer 12 x 18 inch half sheet serves 72 at party slices (about 1½ x 2 inches) or 98 at wedding slices (about 1 x 2 inches). A single-layer half sheet 2 inches deep serves about 36 at 2 x 3 inch slices or 54 at 2 x 2 inch slices.
What size is a half sheet cake?
Most half sheet cakes are 12 to 18 inches long and 13 to 18 inches wide, usually 12 x 18 or 13 x 18 inches. There is no industry standard, so ask the bakery for its pan size.
How many servings are in a quarter sheet cake?
A two-layer 9 x 13 inch quarter sheet serves 36 at party slices or 50 at wedding slices. A single 2 inch layer serves about 19 at 2 x 3 inch slices or 29 at 2 x 2 inch slices.
How many people does an 8 inch cake feed?
An 8 inch round two-layer cake serves 20 at party slices or 24 at wedding slices. An 8 inch square serves 20 or 32.
How many people does a 6 inch cake feed?
A 6 inch round two-layer cake serves about 12, at party or wedding slices. It is a common top tier for a wedding cake.
What size cake do I need for 100 guests?
At wedding slices, three round tiers of 12 in. + 9 in. + 6 in. rounds serve 100. At larger party slices you need 14 in. + 10 in. + 6 in. rounds (103 servings), or a two-layer full sheet. Enter your guest count above for every option.
MORE FREE TOOLS
Related Tools and Guides
From the size of the cake to getting it to the venue.
- Courier Delivery Cost CalculatorA courier’s price range for your route, from a pickup and a dropoff address.→
- Food Cost CalculatorThe ingredient cost per serving, and the price that keeps it at your target food cost.→
- How to Start a BakeryLicensing, kitchens, pricing, and wholesale routes for a new bakery.→
Cake Delivery Without the Worry
A courier collects at your bakery and drives the cake straight to the venue, with a photo at the handoff.