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Expert baker and published author, Carroll Pellegrinelli shares her knowledge of bread baking and desserts.
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Updated on 01/17/20
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When you're baking a cake for a birthday party or other special occasion, it's good to know how many slices you can expect. The number of servings is dependent on how large you cut the slices and the style and size of the cake itself.
The standard servings per cake can help you determine which style of cake to bake to ensure all of your guests get a piece. For instance, if you're hosting a party, a large rectangular cake offers the most pieces, while round cakes are perfect for small affairs like a dinner party.
Rectangular Cake
The most common size for homemade cake recipes is a large rectangle. It's baked in a standard 9-by-13-inch cake pan. This is a perfect size for parties, and you can expect to get between 12 and 20 slices from a single cake.
There are three standard ways you can slice this cake:
- For 12 Slices: Cut the short side into three equal parts and the long side into four equal parts. These are pretty large slices of cake!
- For 15 Slices: Cut the short side into three parts and the long side into five parts. This is a standard-sized piece of cake.
- For 20 Slices: Cut the short side into four parts and the long side into five parts. Use this cut when you need just a few extra pieces for all your guests.
Square and Round Cakes
Square and round baking pans make smaller cakes and come in either 8-inch or 9-inch sizes. This is a good choice for family dinners and small parties.
Square cakes are typically served in a single layer, with three or four cuts along each length to create square pieces. For round cakes, you can make it a single layer or bake two layers and spread icing in between. When making a double-layer cake, cut the pieces a little thinner so the serving isn't too large.
- Square Single-Layer Cake: 9 to 16 slices
- Round Single-Layer Cake: 8 to 10 slices
- Round Double-Layer Cake: 12 to 16 slices
Angel Food and Bundt Cake
These cakes are baked in special round cake pans with a hollow center. The standard angel food cake pan is 10 inches in diameter and fits the average cake stand. Bundt cake pans vary in size, and are often measured in cups: A 10-inch, 12-cup pan is the standard size. For both types of cake, expect to get 12 to 16 slices.
Cheesecake
Cheesecakes are thin and baked in either 9- or 10-inch pie plates. The standard serving size cuts cheesecake into 12 even slices. You can cut them a little thinner and get up to 16 slices out of one cheesecake.
Wedding and Tiered Cakes
Tiered cakes and larger sheet cakes are preferred for weddings because they're designed to serve a large number of guests. They're generally cut into smaller pieces as well. Calculating the number of slices you can expect from these cakes depends on the shape, size, and number of tiers.
