Wedding cakes - how much?

Tondella

Hi folks,

dithered about putting this on the old style board but thought this might be the better place ...

I'm making my own wedding cake and nowhere can i find info on how much cake to make for x many guests. We're inviting 70 and will be serving the cake (fruit cake) as dessert and so would like to allow for somewhat substantial portions. Given that our 8" square trial cake was demolished by four of us in three days over christmas what sort of sizes should i be going for?

(The design is for a three tier cake, square layers, traditional fruitcake)

black-saturn

I dont know if youve noticed but after a wedding you only get a tiny wafer thin slice of cake. Therefore I think 3 tiers for the amount of people you have got is around enough.

Maybe you could go into a cake decorating shop (not a bakers as they will want to do it for you) and ask advice.

Or see if anyone can help you on here:

http://www.cakecentral.com/

purplepurple

I'd echo what black-saturn has said about asking in a cake decorating shop... they will probably be able to hire out the cake tins, cake stand and knife as well as giving you advice... I know our local one does!

I know that a friend of mine that got married had a 3 tier (12", 8" and 6") and that was plenty for 78 guests... good luck with the wedding!

rainee

might be cheaper to get a cake stand on ebay new.
we were quoted £15 plus deposit for hire bought ours for £26 and plan to resell afterwards so shouldn't cost us as much

Tondella

Thanks you lot, I hadn't thought about hiring out the cake tins, that's an excellent idea, the cake stand is provided by the venue although I want to stack the layers directly onto each other and so it'll be a simple stand.

I'd like to give folks more than a sliver as it will be served instead of dessert - and there's some big lads who'll get upset if they don't get their pud!

hitchins

I got my wedding cake from M&S for three tiers its cost about £65.00! Got my cake stand off e-bay, but that was a bit costly. But can't fault the M&S cakes!!

http://www2.marksandspencer.com/foodmagazine/foodservices/food_ordering/cakes/index.shtml

carol_a_3

I made my own wedding cakes, I remember having a 10" cake at the bottom with a 6" at the top and then another 8" one "out the back" to cut up and share out. I was nervous about stacking up three tiers.

We didn't eat the top one. We had about 100 guests. Good luck with it.

leni

You'll need to "dowl" the cake so that it can support the upper layers of cake without sinking!

also, are you having different flavours?

and this site http://www.butterflydesign.co.uk/wedding.asp will tell you how much cake feeds how many people!

hope that helps!

Tondella

Thanks guys, this is all excellent and exactly what i was looking for. We have considered the M&S option, but really wanted to have a crack at making our own and when it turned out so well this Christmas both me and OH are really looking forward to taking it on ourselves. Of course if it all goes pete tong then we can pop along to M&S the week before
Leni, that site is spot on thanks and pretty much agrees with what carol_a did for her wedding. The cake will be all traditional fruit but (on my brother's insistance) there'll be a victoria sponge out back for faddies! I'm a big chocolate fan but I like that fact that with fruit you can make it in advance; i don't fancy having a massive mud cake on my to-do list the week before the wedding!
How does one "dowl" a cake? - do you think I'll get away with three layers sat directly on top of each other or should I do as carol_a did and keep one tier out back? I'd really love to have the full three tiers together.

calleyw

I only had a very small and moneysaving wedding as we where really skint at the time.

We only had 12 guests but my mum who makes fab fruit cakes made it for me. Do you have any friends or Mum or MIL or other relative who could make the cake for you as a present.

Less hassle for you to worry about up to and on the day.

Have a great day.


Yours

Calley

Tondella

calleyw wrote:

I only had a very small and moneysaving wedding as we where really skint at the time.

We only had 12 guests but my mum who makes fab fruit cakes made it for me. Do you have any friends or Mum or MIL or other relative who could make the cake for you as a present.

Less hassle for you to worry about up to and on the day.

Have a great day.


Yours

Calley

Hi Calley, no sadly since my grandmother passed away I'm the only one who bakes, but actually I really enjoyed making it, and it doesn't concern me to have to make it myself as it can all be done months in advance (more time to feed with brandy too!) We've got Sainsbury vouchers to pay for the ingredients too.