How many servings in an 8 inch round cake?
A two-layer 8 inch round cake (about 4 in tall) gives 20 party servings, or 24 wedding servings, by Wilton’s chart.
How to work it out
- 8 in round 20 = 20 servings (party slices, Wilton chart)
- Batter: 8 cups ÷ about 4 cups per box of mix = 2 boxes
The 8 in round is the standard birthday cake: two layers, frosted, candles on top. Cut in wedges like a pizza, it serves eight to twelve. Cut the way Wilton’s chart assumes, it serves twenty.
Adjust for your project
- With the other slice size
- 24 servings
- Batter to bake it (approx.)
- 8 cups
- Boxes of cake mix (at 4 cups of batter each)
- 2 boxes
By cake or tier
| Cake or tier | Party servings | Batter |
|---|---|---|
| 8 in round | 20 | 8 cups |
Servings by slice size and height (cakes as above)
| Slice size | Servings | Batter to bake it (approx.) | Boxes of cake mix (at 4 cups of batter each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party slices | 20 servings | 8 cups | 2 boxes |
| Wedding slices | 24 servings | 8 cups | 2 boxes |
Why 20 and not 10
Wedges from the center are big — an eighth of an 8 in cake is a hefty slice. Wilton’s serving chart assumes party slices about 1½ × 2 in and 4 in tall, which comes to 20 for an 8 in round. Wilton’s round-cake method gets there by cutting a circle 2 in in from the edge, slicing that outer ring into pieces about 1½ in wide, and cutting what is left in the middle into small wedges.
| How you cut it | Pieces from an 8 in, 2-layer round |
|---|---|
| 8 big wedges | 8 |
| 12 wedges | 12 |
| Wilton party slices | 20 |
| Wilton wedding slices | 24 |
Taller and shorter cakes
Wilton’s rule is that a cake 3 to 6 in high gives the same servings — so a three-layer 8 in cake still serves 20 party slices, just taller ones. A single 2 in layer gives half, about 10. For a crowd, going up in diameter adds far more than adding layers: a 10 in round gives 28 party servings and a 12 in round gives 40.
- Batter: Wilton lists about 4 cups for one 8 in layer, so about 8 cups for two — roughly two boxes of mix at the low end of Wilton’s 4 to 5½ cups per box.
- Party of 10 kids: an 8 in round cut in 12 wedges is plenty.
- Party of 20 adults: an 8 in round cut Wilton’s way, or a 10 in round cut in wedges.
Building it into a tiered cake? How many servings in a 2 tier cake. A sheet instead: how many people does a 9x13 cake feed.
Different size? Use the full Cake Serving Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Round cake pans (6, 8, 10 in)Mid-range price
A graduated set of 2 in deep rounds builds most two- and three-tier cakes. The serving charts assume 2 in deep pans.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Heavy-duty paper plates (bulk)Budget price
Sturdy plates that do not fold under a scoop of baked beans. Get small ones too for dessert.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
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Frequently asked questions
How many servings in a 6 inch round cake?
12 party servings, or 12 wedding servings, for two layers.
How many servings in a 10 inch round cake?
28 party servings, or 38 wedding servings.
How many servings in an 8 inch square cake?
20 party servings, or 32 wedding servings.
Other common sizes
- How many people does a half sheet cake feed — about 36 (one layer, party slices)
- How many people does a 9x13 cake feed — about 18 (one layer, party slices)
- How many servings in a 2 tier cake — 50 wedding servings (6 + 10 in rounds)
Sources
- Wilton — Cake baking and serving guide (opens in a new tab) — Party (about 1½ × 2 in) and wedding (about 1 × 2 in) servings for 4 in high cakes by pan shape and size; 3–6 in high cakes give the same servings, under 3 in half; batter per layer.
- Wilton — Wedding cake guide (opens in a new tab) — Wedding servings for 2-layer tiers; an average 2-layer cake mix yields 4 to 5½ cups of batter; fill pans ½ to ⅔ full.
- Wilton — How to cut a round cake (opens in a new tab) — Cut a circle 2 in in from the edge, slice the ring into about 1½ in pieces, repeat, and cut the 6 in center into 12 wedges.
- Iowa State University Extension (AnswerLine) — Graduation party tips (opens in a new tab) — A half sheet cake serves 24–50 and a full sheet (18 × 26 in) 48–100, depending on 2 × 3 in or 2 × 2 in pieces. (Iowa State’s guide gives the half sheet as 13 × 18 in; this site uses Wilton’s 12 × 18 in half-sheet pan.)