The sizes people ask for most
How many people does a 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 or 12 inch cake feed?
The short answers, for a round cake 3 to 6 inches tall (two or three layers).
- 4-inch cake: 8 small servings, so it suits a smash cake or a small celebration.
- 6-inch cake: 12 people, at a party or a wedding.
- 7-inch cake: about 16 people at a party, 18 at a wedding.
- 8-inch cake: 20 people at a party, 24 at a wedding.
- 9-inch cake: 24 people at a party, 32 at a wedding.
- 10-inch cake: 28 people at a party, 38 at a wedding.
- 12-inch cake: 40 people at a party, 56 at a wedding. A 12-inch square: 48 or 72.
- 14-inch cake: 63 people at a party, 78 at a wedding.
Cake size chart: the pans to scale
The same scale for every pan, so you can see how fast a cake grows. A 12-inch round is only twice as wide as a 6-inch, but it feeds more than three times as many people.
Cakes 3 to 6 inches tall. Party slices about 1½ x 2 inches, wedding slices about 1 x 2 inches.
Round cake serving chart
Rounds are the default for birthdays and the building block of most tiered cakes.
| Round pan | Party servings | Wedding servings |
|---|---|---|
| 4 inch | 8 | 8 |
| 6 inch | 12 | 12 |
| 7 inch* | 16 | 18 |
| 8 inch | 20 | 24 |
| 9 inch | 24 | 32 |
| 10 inch | 28 | 38 |
| 11 inch* | 34 | 47 |
| 12 inch | 40 | 56 |
| 14 inch | 63 | 78 |
| 16 inch | 77 | 100 |
Party slices about 1½ x 2 inches, wedding slices about 1 x 2 inches, cakes 3 to 6 inches tall. *Wilton lists no 7 or 11 inch pan; those rows are estimates by cake area between the sizes either side.
Square cake serving chart
A square of the same width serves more than a round, because the corners are cake too. Square tiers also cut into tidy rows, so wedding servings climb quickly.
| Square pan | Party servings | Wedding servings |
|---|---|---|
| 6 inch | 12 | 18 |
| 8 inch | 20 | 32 |
| 10 inch | 30 | 50 |
| 12 inch | 48 | 72 |
| 14 inch | 63 | 98 |
| 16 inch | 80 | 128 |
Same slice sizes and height as the round chart.
Sheet cake serving chart
Sheet cakes are the cheapest way to feed a crowd: one bake, one decorating surface, straight cuts.
| Sheet pan | Party servings | Wedding servings |
|---|---|---|
| 7 x 11 inch | 24 | 32 |
| 9 x 13 inch | 36 | 50 |
| 11 x 15 inch | 54 | 74 |
| 12 x 18 inch | 72 | 98 |
Counts assume a filled cake 3 to 6 inches tall. A single 2-inch sheet layer gives about half.
How many people does a quarter, half or full sheet cake feed?
There is no industry standard for a quarter, half or full sheet, so ask for the pan size in inches. Most bakeries land close to these: a quarter sheet is about 9 x 13 inches, a half sheet 12 x 16 to 12 x 18, and a full sheet 16 x 24 to 18 x 26.
Sheet cakes from a bakery case are usually one 2-inch layer cut into squares, so they feed fewer people than the filled sheets in the chart above. Count 2 x 3 inch pieces for a generous slice and 2 x 2 inch pieces for a crowd.
| Sheet, typical pan | 2 x 3 in pieces | 2 x 2 in pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter sheet, 9 x 13 in | 19 | 29 |
| Half sheet, 12 x 18 in | 36 | 54 |
| Full sheet, 18 x 24 in | 72 | 108 |
Single 2-inch layer. Sizes vary by bakery; confirm the pan before you quote.
Tiered cake serving chart
For a tiered cake, add up the tiers. These are the stacks most often ordered, using the round chart above.
If the couple is saving the top tier for their anniversary, take it out of the count: a 6-inch top is 12 servings that never reach the guests.
| Round tiers | Party servings | Wedding servings |
|---|---|---|
| 6 + 8 inch | 32 | 36 |
| 6 + 9 inch | 36 | 44 |
| 6 + 8 + 10 inch | 60 | 74 |
| 6 + 9 + 12 inch | 76 | 100 |
| 8 + 10 + 12 inch | 88 | 118 |
| 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 inch | 100 | 130 |
Each tier 3 to 6 inches tall. Wedding counts assume the whole cake is cut, top tier included.
Party servings or wedding servings?
The number of servings depends on how the cake is cut, not just how big it is. A party serving is a slice about 1½ inches wide and 2 inches deep. A wedding serving is narrower, about 1 x 2 inches, because it is cut in rows from a tiered cake and served after a full meal.
Both assume a cake 3 to 6 inches tall: two 2-inch layers with filling, or one tall layer torted. A single thin layer under 3 inches gives about half the servings in the chart.
Ask which one the customer means before you quote. “Serves 40” as a party cake is a 12-inch round. As a wedding cake, a 10-inch square covers it with room to spare.
Does a 2, 3 or 4 layer cake feed more people?
Up to a point. The chart counts slices across the top of the cake, so height only matters at the extremes. Layers here are the usual 2-inch bakes, filled and stacked.
- One layer, about 2 inches tall: about half the chart, so a single-layer 8-inch cake feeds about 10 at a party.
- Two layers, about 4 inches: the chart as written. A 6-inch 2-layer cake feeds 12; an 8-inch feeds 20.
- Three layers, about 6 inches: still the chart. An 8-inch 3-layer cake feeds 20 at a party, with taller slices.
- Four layers, 7 to 8 inches: taller than the chart covers. Quote the chart number. If you plan to cut each tall slice in half, you can count more servings, but agree on that with the customer first.
What size cake for how many people?
Work backwards from the guest count. Round up, not down: a cake that runs out is remembered longer than one with leftovers.
| Guests | Party cake | Wedding cake |
|---|---|---|
| 10 to 12 | 6-inch round | 6-inch round |
| 20 | 8-inch round | 8-inch round |
| 30 | 10-inch square or 6 + 8 inch tiers | 9-inch round |
| 40 | 12-inch round | 10-inch square |
| 50 | 11 x 15 sheet | 9 x 13 sheet or 10-inch square |
| 75 | 16-inch round or 8 + 10 + 12 inch tiers | 14-inch round |
| 100 | 6 + 8 + 10 + 12 inch tiers | 6 + 9 + 12 inch tiers |
Cake by the pound: how many people does it serve?
Some customers and bakeries talk in pounds instead of pans. The rule is one division: servings = cake weight ÷ slice weight. A pound is 16 ounces, so a 3.2-ounce party slice gives 5 servings per pound and a 2-ounce wedding slice gives 8.
Mayfair Bakery rates its cakes at 5 servings to the pound (3.2 oz a slice), and Publix sizes its wedding cakes on a 2 oz slice. A pound is not a pan size, though: weigh one finished cake from each of your pans once, and you can quote in either unit. Then put the hours behind it through the cake pricing calculator.
| Cake weight | Party servings (3.2 oz) | Wedding servings (2 oz) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | 5 | 8 |
| 2 lb | 10 | 16 |
| 3 lb | 15 | 24 |
| 5 lb | 25 | 40 |
| 10 lb | 50 | 80 |
| 20 lb | 100 | 160 |
How many pounds of cake for 25, 50, 100 or 150 guests?
Divide the guest count by 5 for party slices or by 8 for wedding slices, and round up. If the couple is saving the top tier, Mayfair adds 2 to 3 pounds to the total.
| Guests | Party slices | Wedding slices |
|---|---|---|
| 25 guests | 5 lb | 3¼ lb |
| 50 guests | 10 lb | 6¼ lb |
| 100 guests | 20 lb | 12½ lb |
| 150 guests | 30 lb | 18¾ lb |
Price by the serving, then check the cake
Once you know the servings, the price is one multiplication away. At $5 a serving, an 8-inch round for a party is $100 and a 6 + 8 + 10 inch wedding cake is $370.
Just do not let a per-serving rate hide the work. A 9 x 13 sheet and a 9-inch round feed similar numbers, but a stacked, fondant-covered tier takes hours the sheet never will. Run the real ingredients and hours through the free cake pricing calculator, and if it comes out higher than your per-serving price, trust the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many servings are in an 8-inch round cake?
About 20 party servings or 24 wedding servings, for a cake 3 to 6 inches tall. A single thin layer under 3 inches gives about half that.
How many people does a 7 inch cake feed?
About 16 people with party slices or 18 with wedding slices, for a round cake 3 to 6 inches tall. Wilton’s chart skips 7-inch pans, so that is an estimate between its 6-inch (12) and 8-inch (20) counts.
How many people does a 4 inch cake feed?
About 8 small servings for a 4-inch round two layers tall. In practice it is a cake for two to four people, or a first-birthday smash cake.
How many people does a half sheet cake feed?
A half sheet, about 12 x 18 inches and 2 inches tall, feeds about 36 with 2 x 3 inch pieces or 54 with 2 x 2 inch pieces. A quarter sheet (about 9 x 13) feeds 19 to 29, and a full sheet (about 18 x 24) 72 to 108. Sizes vary by bakery, so confirm the pan.
How many people does a 9 x 13 cake feed?
About 36 people with party slices (1½ x 2 inches) or 50 with wedding slices (1 x 2 inches), for a filled cake at least 3 inches tall.
How many people does a 3-tier cake feed?
A 6, 8 and 10 inch round stack serves about 60 at a party or 74 at a wedding. A 6, 9 and 12 inch stack serves about 76 or 100. Subtract the top tier if it is being saved.
Why does a wedding cake serve more people than a party cake?
Wedding slices are cut narrower, about 1 x 2 inches against 1½ x 2 inches for a party slice, because they are cut in rows from tiers and served after a meal. The same cake yields more of them.
Does cake height change the number of servings?
Cakes between 3 and 6 inches tall cut into the same number of servings; a taller cake just gives taller slices. So a 2-layer and a 3-layer 8-inch cake both feed about 20 at a party. A cake shorter than 3 inches gives about half the servings in the chart.
How many pounds of cake per person?
About 3.2 ounces, a fifth of a pound, per guest with party slices, or 2 ounces, an eighth of a pound, with wedding slices. That is 5 party servings or 8 wedding servings per pound of cake.
How many pounds of cake for 50 guests?
About 10 pounds with 3.2-ounce party slices, or about 6¼ pounds with 2-ounce wedding slices. Add 2 to 3 pounds if a top tier is being saved for later.
How much should I charge per serving?
Many home bakers start around $4 to $6 a serving for buttercream cakes and charge more for detailed fondant or sugar work. Check your own number with the cake pricing calculator, which counts your ingredients and hours.
Sources
Details were checked against public sources on October 21, 2026. Confirm current prices, policies, or provider instructions before relying on them.