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Sizing guide · Last updated November 10, 2026

Sheet cake sizes: quarter, half and full sheet dimensions and servings

A quarter sheet cake is about 9 x 13 inches, a half sheet about 12 x 18 and a full sheet about 18 x 24. Cut into 2-inch squares, they feed 24, 54 and 108 people. Bakeries don’t share one standard, so this guide gives the real pan ranges, a planner that draws your pan and counts the pieces a knife can actually cut, and the size to bake for 25 to 150 guests.

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Key takeaways
  • Quarter sheet: 9 x 13 in, 18 pieces at 2 x 3 in or 24 at 2 x 2 in.
  • Half sheet: 12 x 18 in, 36 pieces at 2 x 3 in or 54 at 2 x 2 in.
  • Full sheet: 18 x 24 in, 72 pieces at 2 x 3 in or 108 at 2 x 2 in.

Quarter, half and full sheet cake sizes

quarter sheet, in inches9 x 1318 pieces at 2 x 3 in, 24 at 2 x 2 in
half sheet, in inches12 x 1836 pieces at 2 x 3 in, 54 at 2 x 2 in
full sheet, in inches18 x 2472 pieces at 2 x 3 in, 108 at 2 x 2 in

Sheet cake cutting calculator: how many pieces from your pan?

Pick your pan and the piece size you promise. The drawing is to scale, with the cuts where they go, and the count only includes whole pieces at least that big.

Sheet pan
Piece size

54 pieces

6 rows of 9. Cut evenly, each piece is about 2 x 2 in.

That’s 5 cuts down the length and 8 across.

This pan divides evenly, so the area count of 54 holds.

Counts are the top of the cake, so they hold for a single layer or a filled cake. Pans are drawn to the same scale.

Sheet cake sizes chart

The pans bakeries actually sell as quarter, half and full sheets, in inches and centimetres, with the pieces each one cuts into.

SheetPan (in)Pan (cm)2 x 3 in pieces2 x 2 in pieces1 x 2 in pieces
Quarter8 x 1320 x 33162452
Quarter9 x 1323 x 33182454
Quarter9½ x 1324 x 33182454
Between11 x 1528 x 38253577
Half12 x 1630 x 41324896
Half12 x 1830 x 463654108
Half13 x 1833 x 463654117
Full16 x 2441 x 616496192
Full18 x 2446 x 6172108216
Full18 x 2646 x 6678117234

Pan sizes from WebstaurantStore’s sheet cake guide. Counts are whole pieces from straight cuts, each at least the size in the heading.

Why charts say a 9 x 13 feeds 29 and your knife says 24

Most sheet cake charts divide the pan’s area by the piece’s area. A 9 x 13 is 117 square inches, a 2 x 2 piece is 4, so the chart prints 29. But 9 inches only takes four 2-inch strips, with half an inch left over, and 13 inches takes six. Four rows of six is 24.

You can’t serve the leftover strips as 5 extra pieces, so you either cut 24 slightly bigger squares (about 2¼ inches) or cut smaller ones to reach the number. Pans that divide evenly, like 12 x 18 and 18 x 24, come out the same either way. The quarter sheet, the 11 x 15 and the 13 x 18 baking-sheet half are where the area count overpromises.

When a customer asks for 29 servings from a quarter sheet, that’s the moment to say so, before the party runs short.

Is a 9 x 13 pan a quarter sheet?

Yes, close enough. WebstaurantStore lists quarter sheets from 8 x 13 to 9½ x 13 inches, and the 9 x 13 home pan is the one most people own. A half sheet runs from 12 x 16 to 13 x 18, and a full sheet from 16 x 24 to 18 x 26.

Two things blur the names. A “half sheet pan” in a restaurant kitchen is a 13 x 18 baking sheet only an inch deep, made for cookies and sheet pan dinners, while a bakery’s half sheet cake is often 12 x 16 or 12 x 18 and 2 to 3 inches tall. And the cake board is bigger than the cake: ULINE’s half-sheet board is usable at about 18¾ x 13¾ inches. So when a customer orders a half sheet, write the pan size in inches on the order.

Up nextOne layer or two: does it feed more people?

One layer or two: does it feed more people?

No. Servings come from the top of the cake, so a filled two-layer sheet cuts into the same number of pieces as a single layer; each piece is just taller. What changes is the piece size people expect. A tall, filled sheet is usually cut into party slices of 1½ x 2 inches: Wilton counts 36 from a 9 x 13 and 72 from a 12 x 18 that way, and the planner above gives the same numbers.

A single 2-inch layer from a supermarket case is the cake that gets cut into 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 squares. Price the layers in your hours, not in the serving count.

What size sheet cake for 25, 50, 75, 100 or 150 people?

Pick the piece size first, then the pan. Round up: a sheet that runs out is remembered longer than one with leftovers.

Guests2 x 2 in pieces2 x 3 in pieces
2511 x 15 (35 pieces)Half sheet, 12 x 16 (32)
50Half sheet, 12 x 18 (54)Full sheet, 16 x 24 (64)
75Full sheet, 16 x 24 (96)Full sheet, 18 x 26 (78)
100Full sheet, 18 x 24 (108)Full 18 x 24 plus half 12 x 16 (104)
150Full 18 x 24 plus half 12 x 18 (162)Two full 18 x 24 plus a quarter 9 x 13 (162)

How to cut a sheet cake into even pieces

Even pieces are what make the count true. This is the order that keeps the edges clean.

  1. Chill it first. A cold cake cuts with straight sides and less crumb on the frosting.
  2. Mark before you cut. Lay a ruler along the long side and nick the frosting at every row, then do the short side. The planner’s piece size is where the marks go.
  3. Make the long cuts first. Run a long knife the full length of the cake for each row, pressing down rather than sawing.
  4. Then cut across. Wipe the blade with a warm, damp cloth between cuts so the frosting doesn’t drag.
  5. Lift the corner piece out first. Once it’s out, a thin spatula slides under the rest without breaking them.

How much to charge for a sheet cake

Price by the piece, then check it against the work. If you charge $3 a piece, a half sheet cut into 2-inch squares is 54 pieces, or $162; cut into 2 x 3 pieces it’s 36, or $108. Write the piece size on the quote so both of you mean the same cake.

A per-piece price can hide hours, though. Run the ingredients, boards and decorating time through the cake pricing calculator, and if it comes out higher than your per-piece number, trust the calculator. For round and tiered cakes, the cake serving chart has the same counts by pan.

Questions, answered

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Details were checked against public sources on November 10, 2026. Confirm current prices, policies, or provider instructions before relying on them.

How big is a half sheet cake?

Usually 12 x 18 inches, though bakeries sell half sheets from 12 x 16 to 13 x 18 inches, 2 to 3 inches tall. Ask for the pan size in inches before you order or quote.

How many people does a half sheet cake feed?

A 12 x 18 inch half sheet feeds 54 people with 2 x 2 inch pieces, 36 with 2 x 3 inch pieces, or 72 with 1½ x 2 inch party slices. A smaller 12 x 16 half sheet feeds 48, 32 or 64.

What are the dimensions of a full sheet cake?

About 18 x 24 inches, with bakeries ranging from 16 x 24 to 18 x 26 inches. A full sheet pan is too big for most home ovens, so home bakers often bake two halves and join them under the frosting.

How many does a quarter sheet cake feed?

A 9 x 13 inch quarter sheet cuts into 24 pieces of 2 x 2 inches or 18 of 2 x 3 inches. Charts that divide the area say 29, but a 9-inch side only takes four 2-inch rows.

Is a 9 x 13 pan a quarter sheet?

Yes. Quarter sheets run from 8 x 13 to 9½ x 13 inches, so the standard 9 x 13 home pan is a quarter sheet cake.

How many pieces are in a full sheet cake?

An 18 x 24 inch full sheet cuts into 108 pieces of 2 x 2 inches, 72 of 2 x 3 inches, 144 party slices of 1½ x 2 inches or 216 wedding slices of 1 x 2 inches.

What size sheet cake do I need for 50 people?

A 12 x 18 inch half sheet cut into 2-inch squares gives 54 pieces. For bigger 2 x 3 inch pieces you need a 16 x 24 full sheet (64 pieces).

Does a two-layer sheet cake feed more people?

No. The number of pieces comes from the top of the cake, so two layers give taller pieces, not more of them. Filled sheets are often cut into smaller 1½ x 2 inch party slices, which is where the higher counts come from.

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