Sheet Cake Guide (Batter Amounts & Servings)
I get a lot of questions about sheet cakes, so I’m sharing this sheet cake guide to help answer them all!
It lets you know exactly how much batter you need for different-sized sheet cakes, along with the number of servings.
How Big are Sheet Cakes?
First, let’s talk about how big sheet cakes are. There are 3 standard-sized sheet cakes that most bakers use, and they are commonly referred to as quarter sheet cakes (9×13-inches), half sheet cakes (13×17-inches), and full sheet cakes (16×24-inches).
Some pans vary by an inch or two, but these are the most popular sizes of pans I’ve encountered.
How Many Cake Layers Are Used to Make Sheet Cakes?
Before we tackle sheet cake batter amounts and servings, we need to consider how many layers a sheet cake is made with. A standard sheet cake is usually made with two layers of cake, a layer of filling or frosting, and is then covered with frosting.
However, for smaller occasions or less formal events, they can be made with a single layer and are simply topped with frosting. I account for both of these options below.
If you make a sheet cake with two layers, you can probably opt for smaller slices (2×1 inches or 2×2 inches). Likewise, if you make a single-layer sheet cake, you’ll probably want to cut larger slices (2×3 inches).
How Many Servings Are in a Sheet Cake?
Next, we need to figure out how big a cake we need based on the number of servings.
And a crucial piece of figuring that out is knowing the size of our cake servings!
What Is Considered A Serving Of Cake??
A standard slice of a wedding cake is about 4 inches tall (2 layers of cake with filling and topped with frosting), 1 inch wide, and 2 inches long.
And before you are completely shocked about a sheet cake being a wedding cake, it’s actually a lot more common than you’d think!
A lot of people have dummy cakes or small display cakes, and then they cut sheet cakes in the back to serve to their guests.
But this post isn’t just about wedding cakes! It’s also for cakes to be served at parties or events. Cake slices cut for parties are normally 2×2 inches or even 2×3 inches.
I wanted my chart below to work for a variety of slice sizes, so I’ve included all of these options!
How Many Servings Are in a Sheet Cake?
Below is a quick & easy chart to show how many servings are in different-sized sheet cakes based on different-sized slices.
If you have a slightly different-sized cake pan or want to cut slices that are a different size than I included above, fear not! You can use the following equation to calculate the number of servings:
((Width of pan * length of pan )/(cake slice width x cake slice length)
For example, the calculation for the number of large party servings (2×3 inches) in an 18×24-inch sheet cake would look like this:
(18 inches*24 inches)/(2 inches x 3 inches) = 72 servings
How Much Batter Do I Need to Make a Sheet Cake?
Now that we know the size of the cake we need, we can figure out how much batter we need to make! There are two ways to do this; one is more math-intensive, and one is a simple chart!
Method 1 – Calculating How Much Batter You Need With an Equation
This method is great if you love math, or if your cake pan size varies from the ones in my chart below. To figure out how many cups of batter you need, use the following equation:
((Width of pan * length of pan * height of layer)/ rise ratio)/cubic inches in one US cup
The rise ratio is how much the layer rises once it’s baked. My butter cake recipes have a rise ratio of 1x because they bake quite flat and don’t really rise much. A standard sponge cake has a rise of about 1.5x.
For example, to calculate the number of cups of batter I need to make a 2-inch tall, 13 x 18-inch sponge cake, it would look like this:
((13 inches*18 inches*2 inches)/1.5)/14.43inches3 = 22 cups
Method 2 – Sheet Cake Batter Chart Showing How Much Cake Batter Per Pan
If you’re not a big fan of math, don’t worry! I’ve included a chart below that does all the hard work for you.
My one caveat (that I mentioned above) is that certain recipes rise more than others. For example, my vanilla layer cake recipe (a butter cake that uses the reverse crumb method) rises less than sponge cake recipes, so I’ve also included a column with the calculations for it as well.
Based on the recipe you use, you may want to use slightly more or less batter to make your cake layers the perfect height (once baked and leveled). This is why it’s important to test a recipe before making a large sheet cake.
Testing a recipe in advance helps you know the rise of the batter, so you can adjust as needed.
How Many Batches of Batter Do I Need to Make?
Now that you know how many cups of batter you need, the last piece of the puzzle is figuring out how many batches of batter you need to make.
To do this, you need to know how many cups of batter the recipe you plan to use makes.
If you’re not sure, you can also back into the amount using my cake batter calculator if you know the size and number of cake layers a recipe makes (i.e. 2, 9-inch butter cake layers use about 8 cups of batter).
One batch of my vanilla cake recipe makes about 10 cups of batter. So if I wanted to make a single-layer, half-sheet cake (16 cups of batter), I would need about 1.5 batches of cake batter.
General Tips for Making the Best Sheet Cake:
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper to easily remove your cake once it’s baked.
- Use flower nails/heating cores to help your sheet cake bake more evenly and quickly.
- Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Chill the sheet cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes before frosting the cake. This makes it a lot easier to frost.
- If your cake turns out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might’ve gone awry.
Making Sheet Cakes in Advance and Storage Tips
I highly recommend making sheet cakes in advance! It breaks the process up and lets you enjoy the decoration of the cake more. Sheet cake layers can be frozen for up to a month if stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Frosted sheet cakes can sit out at room temperature for 2 days (as long as they don’t have a perishable filling, contain fresh fruit, or use cream cheese frosting).
They can also be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to a month if stored in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Let Me Know What You Think of This Sheet Cake Guide!
I hope you found this sheet cake guide helpful! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
Please let me know if you have any questions I didn’t cover, or if you have any other tips or advice that would be helpful.
This is perfect! Thank you so much for posting this! ??
Of course! I hope you put it to good use Liz 🙂
This is such a wonderful tool! I did WAY too much math trying to figure all this out last year (I am NOT a math person unlike you Chelsea, haha) so this is amazing to be able to reference when I need it. Thank you for your hard work!!
Haha I’m so happy to hear that Amanda!! 🙂 Hopefully this makes it easier going forward!
Thank you! So helpful.
I’m so glad you find it helpful Lamar!! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this! I love your cakes so much ??
What brand of pans do you use for your sheet cakes?
You’re too sweet Randi, thank you!! I love USA pans and Fat Daddio pans! The brands sound silly but both make amazing pans. For quarter sheet cakes I love to use USA pans like these: https://amzn.to/4dfF3em
For half sheet cakes these are great (but note that they’re 12×18-inches, I can’t find the 13×18-inch ones!): https://amzn.to/44kXdr1
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Thank you!! I’m making my daughter’s wedding cake next year. I’ll b using your carrot cake recipe. It will be a small two tiered cake and so I will be making a sheet cake for slicing. Any tips on baking the carrot cake in sheet cake form would be greatly appreciated?
Thank you!!!
Aw I love that Kirsten!! You have one lucky daughter!
One batch will make 1, 9 x 13-inch cake layer that is about 2 inches tall.
Bake for 40-50 mins at 350 F / 175 C, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time can vary a lot based on the type of pan you use, if you use heating cores, and your oven. I recommend using heating cores (like these: https://amzn.to/3ShscwX) if you have them to help large cake layers like this bake more evenly and quickly.
You can also make 2, 9×13 inch cake layers that are about 1 inch tall. Bake them for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Hope that helps and that the cakes turn out great!
Love this! Planning grad party for mid June and dd wants me to bake?. This is a perfect guide?
I can’t you posted this right when I need it!! Thank you!!! <3
yesssss!!! Perfect timing 🙂 So happy to hear that Brittany!
Amazing and detailed
So happy to hear you liked this guide Nielle!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Do you have a recipe for white cake? I have tried a few but I never like how they turn outs I am not a professional baker but I have 3 full sheet cakes & a 6” round cake for the bride & groom to bake. I’m scared of messing this up.
Hi Lori,
I have an amazing white cake recipe I love, my WASC (white almond sour cream) cake!! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/wasc-cake/
And here is the link to the small batch version which makes a perfect little 6-inch cake: https://chelsweets.com/small-batch-wasc-cake-6-inch-cake/
I also call it my wedding cake recipe! One batch of batter can be used to make one 9×13-inch sheet cake. Bake it at 350 F for 40-55 minutes and use flower nails or heating cores to help the cake bake evenly if possible! Hope that helps, happy baking!
I love this I can’t Wait to bake my 1sts 1/2 sheet cake for a party we are having. The picture shows 2 fillings Can you tell me how they didn’t run together? Thank you for this great post
Hi Donna,
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that! I hope it turns out great!! The cake in the picture is my tuxedo cake, here’s the recipe: https://chelsweets.com/tuxedo-cake/
It’s filled with white chocolate and dark chocolate mousse, which can be spread on top of each other without running together. This recipe makes an 9×6.5 inch cake (a single quarter sheet cake cut in half to make the two layers), but can be double or tripled if needed! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hello,
I wanted to make a full sheet poke cake but am having trouble with the amount of batter
I have a full sheet pan with a 2 inch extender so my dimensions would be
18 x 26 and 2 inches deep and according to your math that would be 44 cups of batter?
Thank You,
Teri
Oh man that is one big sheet cake theresa!! If you want your cake layer to be 2 inches tall and you’re using a spongecake recipe, you are right! Some recipes vary a bit as they bake though, so the height can vary a bit. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Very helpful!! Thank you!!
So happy to hear that Lassona! Thank you for sharing 🙂
This is a detailed guide that breaks everything down for easier understanding. Thank you. I feel more confident in tackling sheet cakes.
If I’m making half a chocolate sheet cake, 2″ per layer (2 layers), how much cake batter and icing would I need?
This is so handy! Thank you ? But now you need to do a chart for sheet cake frosting!! Filled, no filling, and all sizes! Pretty please ? ??
Glad you found it helpful Patricia 🙂 Ugh I do need to work on that, Stay tuned!!
@Chelsweets, YES! I would love to know at least how many cups of frosting per sheet cake size so I can price it out properly
Hi Sue,
I LOVE a baker who thinks this way/prices things like that!!!
For a two-layer 9×13-inch sheet cake, I’d recommend the following amount of frosting:
•Filling between layers: 2 cups
•Frosting top and sides: 4 cups
•Piped border (top and bottom): around 1 to 1.5 cups extra frosting
In total, you’ll want around 7 to 7.5 cups of frosting to comfortably fill, frost, and pipe a decorative border on both the top and bottom edges of your two-layer 9×13-inch sheet cake.
And for a two-layer 12×18-inch sheet cake:
•Filling between layers: Around 3 cups
•Frosting top and sides: Approximately 8 cups (this cake is quite large, so coverage is important!)
•Piped border (top and bottom edges): Add another 1.5 to 2 cups
In total, you should plan on about 12.5 to 13 cups of frosting.
It’s always good to have a little extra frosting—better safe than sorry! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsea!
Making my very first 1/2 sheet cake (two layers) for a friend’s mother’s 100th birthday and super nervous mostly about the amount of your carrot cake batter to place in my x 18 x 12 x 2” 1/2 sheet pan.
If I want two layers and you say I would need 40 cups of batter is that 20 cups in each separate pan or 40 in one and it cut one to make two?
Help please?Thanks in advance
HELP!!! I have been asked to bake and decorate a baby shower cake for about 30 people. I am planning to do a one layer half sheet vanilla cake. I prefer to use cake mixes and doctor them up a little. so, how many boxes of cake mix do I need< Pillsbury boxed cake mixes are 15.25 ounces, while others are 1
.25 oz.. I will use Pillsbury. Also- how much homemade frosting will I need just to cover top and sides? I will make extra for the decorating. Please HURRY!! Thanks, Terry T., Dallas, TX
You will need to make one batch using the doctored recipe you like to use, measure how many cups of batter you have, then you’ll be able to use this guide! Sadly I don’t know the volume of every cake mix batter, I usually use my own recipes. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I will be making sheet cakes to serve alongside of the actual wedding cake at my daughter’s wedding. What do you suggest to freeze them and transport them in? 4 half sheet cakes. Thank you.
Hi Rachel,
That sounds like such a special project—what a sweet way to help celebrate your daughter’s big day! ? For freezing, I recommend wrapping each cooled cake layer tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and storing them flat in the freezer. You can do this up to a few weeks in advance!
For transport, I’d use sturdy half sheet cake boxes or flat bakery boxes with a non-slip mat or grip liner underneath to keep them from sliding. If they’ll be frosted in advance, you might also want to freeze them slightly before the drive so they’re nice and firm—just be sure to let them come to room temp before serving!
Wishing you all the best with the wedding prep—your daughter is lucky to have you!
Hi Chelsey, I will be making a three layer red velvet sheet cake or cakes for a wedding for 150 guests that the guests will not see, but the venue will be cutting the cake/cakes and serve to the guests. Would you recommend making the layers in 1/4 sheet pans or 1/2 sheet pans and then assemble the three layers? Thank you so much, I truly appreciate it!
Hi Lena,
That sounds like such a fun and special project! For serving 150 guests, I would recommend using half sheet pans (13×18 inches). They’ll give you bigger layers, which will make assembly a little easier and more efficient when you’re stacking and cutting for a large group. Three layers from half sheet pans will make a beautiful, tall cake that slices nicely into lots of servings! What’s awkward is an 13×18 inch sheet cake has 116 wedding-sized servings, so I’d recommend making a half sheet cake and a quarter sheet cake, just to guarantee you have enough slices.
Just be sure to trim the edges if needed for clean sides, and you might want to use a sturdy frosting or filling to help keep everything stable. You’ve got this—it’s going to be amazing!!
@Chelsweets, Hi Chelsie! Thank you for responding so quickly! Yes, I was going to use the 13×18, thank you. The kitchen at the venue will be slicing the cakes. In case they slice larger slices, I was thinking 3 cakes, too much? Thank you! P.S. You are the sweetest!?
Hi Lena,
A 13×18 cake is already pretty generous, but if you’re worried about bigger slices (totally depends on who’s doing the cutting!), having an extra cake definitely gives you peace of mind. Worst case, you’ll just have leftovers — and I don’t think anyone will complain about that 😉 Thank you for the kind words, you’re the sweetest too!! Hope your cakes turn out great!
I have to make a 12×18 carrot cake my pan is at least 3in if not higher in depth. Do I put 22 cups of batter? And how long would I bake it for?
Hi Susan,
A 12×18-inch pan that’s 3 inches deep is a big one—so yes, you’re right that it holds about 22–24 cups of batter if you want a nice tall cake! If you’re making a single thick layer, I’d recommend baking it low and slow: around 325°F, and it could take anywhere from 50 to 75 minutes depending on your oven. I’d start checking around the 50-minute mark by inserting a toothpick in the center—if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, it’s ready!
To help it bake more evenly and a little faster, you can place one or two heating cores or even metal flower nails (inverted) in the center of the pan before adding the batter. They help conduct heat into the middle of the cake so it cooks through more evenly without overbaking the edges. You can also wrap the outside of the pan with baking strips for even more consistent baking.
Hope that helps—your carrot cake is going to be amazing!
Hi! Does the baking time change if I make this a 12 x 18″ instead of the original pan size the recipe calls for? Ex., I’m planning to use your vanilla layer cake recipe, but I’m using a 12 x 18″ pan. Do I leave the oven temp at 350F, and do I need to adjust the baking time?
Hi Kristi,
Great question — It depends on how many batches of batter you plan to make. My vanilla cake recipe makes 10 cups of batter, and you need 16 cups for a pan that size. If you make one batch, you can keep the oven temp at 350°F, but the baking time will be shorter since a 12 x 18″ pan spreads the batter out more than the typical round cake pans, your cake will bake faster and more evenly. I recommend checking it around the 25-30 minute mark. However, if you make a 1.5x or 2x batch, it may need 40+ minutes depending on your oven and how full the pan is. You’ll know it’s ready when the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Hope that helps and that your cake turns out beautifully!
Is a 2 inch deep sheet pan considered one layer?
Hi Valerie,
It is! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Amateur baker here!
I usually make my girls birthday cakes using standard cake pans of different sizes. Then make several stacked tiered layers. Covered in fondant and decorated.
This year for my soon to be 9 year old b-day party… I’m going to make a few popcorn bucket cakes. I came across the idea of using a sheet pan, then cutting the rounds out of that. Which I will be using a 4″, 6″, and 8″ round to then stack, taper and shape.
My question is how much batter do I use for a 22″x16″ pan with maybe a 1 1/2 – 2″ depth? I am so confused about this. I have zero idea how to calculate this. I will be baking several sheets seeing how I will be making at least 3 of these cakes for a large crowd.
Hi Star,
Totally get the confusion — sheet pan sizing can be so tricky! A 22”x16” pan with a 2” depth holds about 20–24 cups of batter, depending on how full you want to fill it (I’d go with around 20 cups if you’re aiming for a single, level layer). One batch of my vanilla cake makes about 10 cups, so you’ll likely need to double the recipe for each pan. Just keep in mind that baking time will be a bit longer with more batter — start checking around the 40–45 minute mark. You’ve got this, and that’s going to be an epic cake!!
Hi Chelsey. How do we set ourselves apart from Supermarkets that make a lot of sheet cakes? What are some marketing strategies? Thank you. I found all of this information to be very helpful!
Hi Nancy,
Hi! I’m so glad you found the info helpful! When it comes to standing out from supermarket sheet cakes, lean into what makes your cakes special — think custom designs, unique flavor combos, or high-quality ingredients. People are drawn to a personal touch and a story behind the cake! For marketing, I’d focus on sharing behind-the-scenes content, glowing customer reviews, and showing how your cakes are made with care (not mass-produced). Social media is huge for this — reels, before-and-after photos, and time-lapse videos can really showcase your value. You’ve got something unique to offer, and people will see that!
Hi! I’m still unclear about one layer vs two. Won’t a two layer cake serve more because smaller pieces can be cut? Thanks!
Hi Ellen,
Great question, and you’re totally right to think about how the number of layers affects servings!
For sheet cakes (especially 9×13″), a single-layer cake is usually the standard when people talk about servings. It’s easier to slice and serve, especially for casual events or parties. A two-layer sheet cake will definitely serve more generously (taller slices!) but not necessarily more people, unless you intentionally cut the pieces smaller to stretch the servings.
So yes, if you’re comfortable slicing smaller pieces of a taller, two-layer cake, it can serve more people. It really comes down to how big you plan to cut the slices and the occasion you’re serving it for! Hope that helps 🙂
Hello.
I’m looking into making a quarter sheet cake and it will be 2 layers. I’ll be using 9×13 pans that are 2″ deep. The recipe I’m going to test out makes 3 6″ rounds that rise to between 1 1/4 & 1 1/2″ tall. I’m getting confused on how many cups of batter to add to my pan, filling it 1/2-2/3 full. Sponge vs butter cake. Difference? My cake is butter based and I’d ideally like the baked layer(s) to be at least 1 1/2″ tall. Any advice or thoughts are appreciated.
Hi Paula,
You’re asking all the right questions! Let’s start with your batter volume. If your recipe makes three 6? rounds that each bake up to about 1¼–1½” tall, that’s roughly 6–7 cups of batter total (since one 6? round usually takes about 2 cups of batter to reach that height). So one batch likely gives you just under enough to fill one 9×13 pan halfway.
A 9x13x2″ pan holds about 14–15 cups of batter total (filled to the brim), so you’ll want to fill it with around 7–10 cups of batter for optimal rise (that’s about ½ to ? full).
If you want each layer to be at least 1½” tall, aim for about 8 cups of batter per layer, and bake two layers separately for clean stacking. I’d recommend doubling your current recipe and divide it between your two 9×13 pans. That should give you two sturdy layers that hit the height you’re aiming for!
You mentioned the recipe is butter-based, which I love for this! It’s easier to level, stack, and decorate without worrying about it collapsing or drying out as easily. I hope that helps, and that your cake turns out amazing!! Happy baking 🙂
This is awesome, and very thorough. I love the breakdown and examples. Thank you so very much!
Hi Eletrea,
You’re so welcome!! I’m really glad the breakdown was helpful, sometimes those extra details make all the difference. Thanks for the kind words 🙂
I was scanning quickly however I didn’t see any mention of using boxed cake mixes. No worries surly I’m not that inept. The rose nails were an excellent idea as the half sheet cake is usually half baked. Thank you for figuring this all out and yes I hated math
Hi Judy,
You’re not inept at all! Boxed mixes can definitely be used with this. Most standard boxed cake mixes (like Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, or Duncan Hines) make about 4 to 5 cups of batter once you add in the eggs, oil, and water. I’d recommend making a batch of whatever brand/ type you use and measuring how many cups of batter it has just to be exact. It’s annoying to do once, but once you’ve done it you’ll be set for the future!
And the flower nails are such a helpful trick for even baking in larger pans. I’m so glad that tip came in handy, and trust me, you’re not alone in hating the math part of cake scaling! Happy baking 🙂
Hello!
My nephew loves sprinkles so much he asked me to bake his cake with them inside. So, I’ll be using your delicious Funfetti Cake recipe. Just to make sure I get it right, how many batches should I make for a double layer full sheet cake? Triple the recipe maybe? Thanks so much!
Hi Mariel,
That sounds like the perfect cake for him, sprinkles make everything more fun! A standard full sheet cake is usually 18×24 inches, and since you want two layers, you’ll need quite a bit of batter. My funfetti cake recipe makes about 10 cups of batter. A single layer full sheet (18×24) needs around 20 cups, so for two layers you’ll want about 40 cups total. That means you’ll need to make the recipe 4x (each batch is 10 cups).
I’d recommend making two double batches to make the process easier. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Hi Chelsea, I’m making a sheet cake for a big birthday. I’d like to make 2 carrot cakes (2 layers each) in four 9”x13” pans, then place them side by side to make a 13”x18” cake, and fill and frost it. Do you think I need a cake drum or is a cake board enough? Do you think this will work? Thank you!
Hi Camille,
Yes!! That will totally work, and it’s going to look amazing for a big birthday!! Here’s what I’d recommend:
Structure & Support: Go with a cake drum, not just a thin board. A 13”x18” cake made from four stacked 9x13s is heavy once filled and frosted. A thin cardboard cake board will likely bend or buckle, especially when you’re moving it around. A drum is thicker (usually ½”) and sturdy enough to support all that weight. If you can’t get a drum, you can DIY by stacking/gluing 2–3 cake boards together and wrapping in foil for strength.
Assembly Plan: Bake your four 9×13 carrot cakes. Level them if needed so they sit flat. Place two side by side on your drum, add filling, then stack the second two on top. Fill in the center seam with extra frosting to disguise the join before doing your crumb coat and final coat.
Chill time: Carrot cake is super moist, so chilling the layers before stacking will make them sturdier to work with.
Transport: If you need to move it, keep it chilled until you go. It’ll help the frosting hold and make the cake less wobbly.
Serving: A cake that size easily serves 60+ people depending on how big you cut the slices.
Your plan is solid, just upgrade your base to a drum for peace of mind 🙂 Hope that helps, happy baking!
@Chelsweets, thank you so much for your specific advice. It’s everything I needed to know. I first followed your instructions when I made my first tiered cake and here you are walking me through my first sheet cake. I’m grateful!
Hi Camille,
This just made me smile so big!! 🙂 I’m so honored to have been part of both first!!
Hi Chelsie, thank you so much for all your great tips. I have to make Red Velvet wedding sheets cakes with cream cheese frosting. They will be 1/2 sheets cakes with 3 layers each cake and the layer are about 1 inch each then with the cream cheese between and on top. I was wondering for about 150 guests if this is their only dessert about how many inches should each cake be sliced/cut and about how many 1/2 sheets do you think? Thank you, Lena
Hi Lena,
That sounds like such a beautiful (and delicious!!) wedding cake plan! For serving, a standard serving size for wedding cake is about 2×1 inches, but you can do 2×2 inches if it’s the only dessert.
A 1/2 sheet cake (12×18”) will give you about 54 servings if cut that way (12” ÷ 2” = 6 rows, 18” ÷ 2” = 9 rows ? 54 slices).
For 150 guests, you’ll want at least 3 half-sheet cakes (3 × 54 = 162 servings). That gives you a little buffer in case slices are cut slightly larger.
If the layers are 3 inches tall with frosting, that’ll be a really nice serving size and definitely feel like a full dessert portion for guests.
So I’d say: bake 3 half sheets (layered as planned) and you’ll be in a great spot. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Your pricing spreadsheet spoke to me. I am an Accounts Payable Specialist and I love baking and bake often for people, but am always stressed when it comes to pricing my cakes.
When I price as I should I get so very stressed to make the ‘perfect’ cake that all the joy if baking is lost, But when I underprice the cake then I feel bad also. Plus as an AP person I always think my price is too high.
I’ve actually hesitated on advertising my service because of the whole pricing verse perfection dilemma 🙁
Hi Vanessa,
I’m so happy to hear you loved my pricing spreadsheet and that it helped 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Hi! Can you confirm what the conversion would be for 9×13 recipe to a 12x17x2 pan please?
Hi Cassidy,
Yep! Let’s do the math. A 9×13-inch pan has a surface area of: 9 × 13 = 117 sq. inches
A 12×17-inch pan has a surface area of: 12 × 17 = 204 sq. inches
So then we divide 204 ÷ 117 = ~1.74, meaning your 12×17×2 pan holds about 1.75× the volume of a 9×13. I’d recommend multiplying your batter recipe by ~1.75× to fill a 12×17×2 pan, or you can also just multiply by 2 to keep things simple.
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Love this! What about filling? Your white chocolate mousse for a half sheet cake?
Yes my white chocolate mousse is amazing inside sheet cakes!!!!! That would be delicious 🙂
Chelsea, just had to send you another big thank you for your great advice. I made my 12x 18 three layer carrot cake filled with cream cheese buttercream and your pineapple filling (pina colada cake), SMBC filling and it was magnificent. Photo is posted on your blog. Ended up making 3 cakes and each recipe was split into two 9×13 pans. Since my layers were less than an inch tall I decided on the three layers. On your advice my husband fashioned a 1/4” plywood board for my cake board to sit on. It needed it as the cake was so heavy he had to lift it from the fridge. It fed all 54 guests with leftovers. So delicious! Thanks again!
Omg that is one jumbo cake Camille!!!!! It sounds absolutely delicious, I am so happy everyone loved it!! Cakes that big are SO HEAVY!!!! I’m honored my advice was helpful, thank you for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Thank you so much this saved my head a lot of work late this evening that I don’t have the head space for right now.
Hi Lisa,
You’re so welcome!! I’m really glad it helped make things a little easier, especially on one of those no-more-brainpower kind of evenings. Thank you for sharing!!
I have made smaller ice cream cakes, but are planning on making a sheet ice cream cake at church to feed between 80 – 100 people. What do you think it is the best way for me to go. Use 1 big pan or split the pans? Your advice would be much appreciated. I want to use box cake mixes.
Thank you,