How much cake per person? Work it out here.
A slice weighs 100 to 125 grams. In the afternoon that is one slice per guest, in the evening after dinner half a slice. Every size below follows from this one number.
Allow one slice of 100 to 125 grams per guest. That is a slice of the usual size, the kind you get over the counter in a pastry shop. For coffee and cake in the afternoon, that is one slice per person. In the evening after a meal, more like half.
Converted into diameters, that means: a round 20 cm cake serves 6 to 8 people, 28 cm serves 12 to 16, 40 cm serves 25 to 34. We did not calculate these numbers, they grew over time. They have been our working figures for as long as we have sold cakes.
That is the round cake. We cut heart and star from the same base, so they give fewer portions; the tray is the shape for lots of guests, the school cone (Schultüte) the one for the first day of school. The calculator knows all five shapes, and so does the overview below.
The sizes to scale
In the picture a 40 cm cake is twice as wide as a 20 cm one and has four times the area. That is why one large round cake gives more portions than two smaller tiers together. Heart and star are cut from the same base, the tray gives the most. Choose the shape below.
| Scale | Size | Portions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 20 cm | 6 – 8 | €45 | |
| 1 × 28 cm | 12 – 16 | €65 | |
| 28 + 20 cm | 18 – 24 | €110 | |
| 1 × 40 cm | 25 – 34 | €130 | |
| 40 + 28 cm | 37 – 50 | €195 | |
| 40 + 28 + 20 cm | 43 – 58 | €240 |
| Scale | Size | Portions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart from 20 cm | 4 – 5 | €60 | |
| Heart from 28 cm | 8 – 11 | €80 | |
| Heart 28 + 20 cm | 12 – 17 | €140 | |
| Heart from 40 cm | 17 – 24 | €145 | |
| Heart 40 + 28 cm | 26 – 35 | €225 | |
| Heart 40 + 28 + 20 cm | 30 – 41 | €285 |
| Scale | Size | Portions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star from 20 cm | 3 – 4 | €60 | |
| Star from 28 cm | 6 – 8 | €80 | |
| Star 28 + 20 cm | 10 – 13 | €140 | |
| Star from 40 cm | 14 – 19 | €145 | |
| Star 40 + 28 cm | 20 – 28 | €225 | |
| Star 40 + 28 + 20 cm | 24 – 32 | €285 |
| Scale | Size | Portions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangle 40 × 40 cm | 45 – 60 | €125 | |
| Rectangle 40 × 60 cm | 65 – 90 | €150 | |
| 40 × 40 + 20 cm round | 51 – 68 | €170 | |
| 40 × 40 + 28 cm round | 57 – 76 | €190 | |
| 40 × 60 + 20 cm round | 71 – 98 | €195 | |
| 40 × 60 + 28 cm round | 77 – 106 | €215 | |
| 40 × 40 + 28 + 20 cm | 63 – 84 | €235 | |
| 40 × 60 + 28 + 20 cm | 83 – 114 | €260 |
| Scale | Size | Portions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| School cone approx. 40 cm | 13 – 18 | €75 | |
| School cone approx. 55 cm | 26 – 34 | €120 | |
| Two-tier 55 + 40 cm | 39 – 52 | €195 | |
| Three-tier 55 + 40 + 28 cm | 45 – 61 | €240 |
Two tiers give fewer portions than the sum suggests. A 40 cm cake has more area than 28 + 20 together. If you only want portions, you are better off with one large round cake. If you want height, go for tiers. That is what they are for.
Heart shape: around a third less. The heart is cut from the same round base, and a circle only fits a heart with about 71% of the area. So 28 cm gives 8 to 11 portions instead of 12 to 16.
Star shape: just under half less. A five-pointed star uses only 56% of the round base. 28 cm gives 6 to 8 portions, 40 cm gives 14 to 19. The star is a shape for the eye, not for quantity.
Rectangular cake (tray): the shape for lots of guests. 40 × 40 cm has more area than a round 40 cm cake and gives about 45 to 60 portions; the large tray at around 40 × 60 cm serves 65 to 90 (pieces of about 5 × 5 cm). Fixed prices €125 and €150, no tier surcharges. The flat school cone cake (approx. 40 or 55 cm long) serves 13 to 18 or 26 to 34 people by the same rule.
When the number changes
If there are four trays of cake next to the cake, far from everyone will take a slice of it. With a small buffet we allow for three quarters of the guests, with a large one for a fifth. This is the most common reason for cake being left over in the evening.
At a child's birthday party, children count as half a portion, the parents as a full one. To be on the safe side, count the adults as full guests and the children not at all. That way there is almost never anything left over.
Not because people eat more, but because guests have a slice wrapped up for later. For a wedding, feel free to allow five to ten portions more than the number of guests.
A cake that is cut at 10 pm is a dessert, not afternoon coffee and cake. Half is enough then.
It would be better business for us to sell everyone one size up. We don't do it all the same.
Leftover cake sits in the fridge the next day, dries out and ends up in the bin. What people remember then is not the lovely celebration but that too much was ordered. If you are torn between two sizes and it is not a wedding, take the smaller one and put a tray bake next to it. That costs less, and nobody misses anything.
FAQ
How many people does a 28 cm cake serve?
12 to 16, if the cake is the only thing served with coffee. If there is a cake buffet as well, it goes a good deal further, because many guests then never get as far as the cake.
Is one cake enough for 30 guests?
A round 40 cm cake gives 25 to 34 portions, which is enough for 30 guests. If you want to be on the safe side or have some left over, take the combination of 40 and 28 cm.
How much does a slice of cake weigh?
About 100 to 125 grams. That is the size you get over the counter in a pastry shop. So not the narrow piece from a tray bake and not the portion you cut for yourself at home.
Can I freeze cake if too much is left over?
Buttercream and fondant cope with it reasonably well, cream and fresh fruit do not. After thawing in the fridge, a cream gateau is watery. So it is better to plan a little tighter from the start.
Does the chart apply to other pastry shops too?
The portion sizes yes, the prices no. A slice of cake is roughly the same size everywhere. What a cake costs depends on the work involved and on the business.