In addition to the long-awaited culmination of the gala evening, the wedding cake is also a symbol of the sweet family life of the newlyweds. Naturally, almost every guest will want to taste a piece of this happiness. How to calculate a wedding cake for the number of guests and not go wrong with the desired delicacy? Our article will help you understand this issue.
Thinking through the design
Before choosing your wedding cake, decide on your wedding style. The cake will become the decoration of the wedding table if you think about the decoration first. The trend is geometric design, minimalism and complex handmade decor. Confectioners advise taking into account the wedding palette so that the cake does not stand out from the overall picture. The top can be decorated with classic figurines of the bride and groom, hearts or doves. But now couples more often order non-standard options: a projection on the cake with their photo or a backlit monogram.
Important:
Wedding cakes with massive decoration can look extravagant at a celebration in modern or rustic style. If you are not sure about the choice, prepare several photos of desserts and ask the organizer to choose the best one.
Table for calculating the weight of the product by number of people
So, now you have before your eyes certain information regarding the banquet. This is the number of people who will eat the delicious sweet.
This is the variety of menu provided at the banquet. Having two accurate data, using the table, you can easily independently calculate the size and dimensions of the main confectionery product of the wedding banquet.
| Number of guests | Cake weight (kg) | Possible tiers |
| 20 | 3 | 1 |
| 30 | 4 | 2 |
| 40 | 5 | 3 |
| 50 | 6 | 4 |
It is customary to expect an average of 100-150 grams per person. At the same time, be sure to make additional pieces. They can be either 1 or 2 kilograms. The weight of the additional pieces of cake will depend on whether you want to keep the sweetness for yourself afterwards to try in the morning.
Believe me, it's very convenient. Firstly, there is no need to think about what to cook on your first morning together. Secondly, your stomach will already be light and empty, so there will be a completely unusual opportunity to try sweetness on an empty stomach and appreciate its taste.
Choosing the filling
A wedding cake can be of any size and shape. In most cases, couples choose a round three-tier sponge cake with cream. Such wedding cakes are perfectly complemented by berries, decorations made from icing and mastic. For those who prefer lighter desserts, a soufflé cake is suitable. An open cake made from honey or nut cake layers looks best at an eco-style wedding. The confectionery product can also be decorated with fresh berries, airy cream and herbs.
Important:
When tasting your wedding cake filling, make sure the flavors work well together. Try not to overload the cake with different fillings and do not add a lot of cream. You shouldn’t choose too bright food coloring either, because you don’t want any of your guests to develop allergies. Here is a list of ingredients that are best avoided when ordering a cake:
• Rare exotic fruits.
• Citrus fruits in large quantities.
• Nuts.
• Honey.
• Flowers are allergens.
Which confectionery masterpiece should you choose?
Choosing the right treats for the sweet table is an art.
You can ask for help from a banquet organizer who has experience in wedding feasts. Confectioners who prepare such sweets every week can also help. Pay attention to fashion trends that will give you bright ideas for a wedding.
Before you finally determine the amount of sweets for your wedding banquet, decide whether the treat will be with or without mastic. Cream layers can be made of heavy sweet cream or light curd filling. The cost of the purchase also depends on this. Don’t make a mistake with your choice – this confectionery product will be remembered for a long time.
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We calculate the weight
Calculating the weight of a wedding cake usually occurs after the guest list has been approved. There is a formula according to which one person will need 100-120 grams of holiday dessert. However, confectioners advise taking extra and ordering at the rate of 150-200 grams per person. Thus, for every 10 people you need 1.5-2 kilograms of confectionery. Deadlines are running out, but you still don’t know the exact number of guests? Then when ordering a cake, round the weight up. It will be easier to calculate your wedding cake if you use a weight calculator. Keep in mind that more holiday dessert will be needed if you plan to give away the leftover cake or hold an auction. Some couples do not limit themselves to dessert, which is served at the end of the evening, and order a candy bar with different cakes. If you want a big cake and have only a few guests, order a cake with a false tier. Another option is a cake in the form of a pyramid of cupcakes. But only if they are not on the sweet table, because the main dessert of the evening should be the wedding cake.
Important:
In addition to calculating the cake for the number of guests, you should take into account the proportions of the confectionery product. The minimum weight for a three-tier cake is 5-6 kg, for a two-tier cake – 4 kg. Otherwise the dessert will look too small.
The number of tiers of the cake depending on its weight
If you want to order a three- or two-tier wedding cake, then first think about whether this will be appropriate for the calculated weight of the treat.
Wedding cake for 15-20 people
A wedding cake weighing 2-3 kg is suitable for a celebration to which 15-20 people are invited. It will be almost impossible to implement even in 2 tiers. And even if it is possible, cutting and serving it will be extremely inconvenient. All desserts up to three kilograms are best made in the form of a single-tier cake or in the form of individual cakes. In order for them to look as solemn as a cake, they can be placed on a beautiful bookcase.
Wedding cake for 30 people
Do you know how much a wedding cake for 30 people should weigh? Correct: 4.5 kg. This weight can already be played in two tiers. The lower tier is 2 kg, the upper tier is 1.5 kg. Or you can leave the main weight on the lower tier and make it more massive, and make the upper one small and decorative. The latter will be intended for the bride and groom.
Of course, you can make a wedding cake weighing about 5 kg single-tiered. Then it should be about 12-13 cm high, not including decorations. The pastry chef will also have to think about it! To prevent one tier from looking boring, you can decorate the cake with flowers or a beautiful inscription.
Wedding cake for 40 people
But a wedding cake for 40 people, which will weigh about 6 kg, can already be made in 3 tiers. It will look impressive and stylish. For such a dessert, you can use a variety of voluminous decorations, which, if the weight is small, would overload the cake itself. Do not forget that the weight of decorations is usually not included in the actual weight of the treat itself, even if we are talking about edible decorations, such as mastic flowers, birds, caramel beads, etc. Most often only children eat them.
Wedding cake for 50 people
A wedding cake for 50 people should weigh at least 7-7.5 kg. This is already quite a big wedding, which means the celebration will be appropriate. Taking out the holiday treats will be an important stage in the holiday scenario. He should look the part!
Think carefully about how to decorate your wedding cake. First, order at least 3 tiers. Secondly, consider the style of the cake. If the wedding itself is organized in a classic style and light colors, then the dessert can be covered with cream-colored mastic and decorated with caramel pearls, mastic flowers, etc.
A large wedding cake with open layers, as in the photo, lightly coated around the edges with white cream and decorated with white roses, peonies or other flowers to suit the style of the celebration, is also suitable.
We are discussing delivery
Please note that cakes with a creamy layer, fresh fruits and berries spoil quickly. Therefore, it is important to take care not only of delivery, but also of storage. Before ordering a wedding cake, find out the timing of the celebration and give it to the pastry chef. And don’t forget about a very important element – a backlit stand.
Important:
When a sweet treat has chocolate decoration, it is better to order delivery by the time the cake is cut. If your wedding cake has a large number of fondant decorations, it should be stored in the refrigerator until serving. Be sure to discuss this point with the restaurant manager.
Event host
Even those who do not like sweets usually do not refuse a wedding cake, because it has a symbolic meaning. Alina Kurkina
The cake is selected in such a way that it not only emphasizes the festive atmosphere, but also fits into the overall concept of the wedding. If the celebration is decorated in a certain style, then the tea party should correspond to it. For this purpose, decorations and shades characteristic of the chosen theme are used.
Serve the cake correctly
A wedding cake should be a dessert that guests will remember for a long time. There is an opinion that the greater the number of tiers in a cake, the more spectacular it is. We still advise you to choose the size and weight depending on the number of guests and the scale of the celebration. Instead of focusing on the size of the cake, think about background music, lighting and pyrotechnics.
Important:
The moment when the newlyweds cut the cake will certainly be included in the photographs. It will be a shame if you forget about a special knife and spatula and cut the cake with an ordinary kitchen knife. Prepare the set in advance and ask the organizer to make sure it is next to the cake when serving.
Author: Tatyana Veselova.
Photo: Maxim Koliberdin, Andrey Baida.
Effect of composition on weight
Meringue-based cakes are considered the lightest , but the lightness of the dough is compensated by the use of dense butter creams in such recipes.
Biscuit desserts with impregnation and light creams (butter, soufflé) belong to the middle category. Decoration of gelled or fresh berries increases the weight by 5-10% .
The heaviest are cakes based on dense cake layers (cake dough, dense biscuits) with mastic. Finishing with mastic adds 15-40% to the weight of the base cakes and cream (soufflé) . The satiety (calorie content) of baked goods also affects the final weight of the product.
Attention : some pastry shops calculate the weight and cost of the main part of the baked goods and the decorations on it separately from each other.
Inedible decor (flowers, ribbons, paper decorations) are not added to the weight of the cake, but are paid separately .
When using complex decorations made of chocolate, mastic paste, or marzipan, their weight is chosen in such a way that the delicate cakes do not “float” under load . Experienced confectioners usually separate such decorations into a separate tier or mount them on special stands in the body of the cake.
Figures that are difficult to make are available for an additional fee..
Additionally : What should be the cake for a bachelorette party ? How to choose an inscription? Alternatives to traditional dessert. More details about this can be found at the link .
When calculating the cost of a wedding dessert depending on weight, you need to remember :
- The more complex the design, the more expensive the product will cost . The initial price of cakes and cream can be increased two to three times only due to decoration;
- the cost of the stand is either included in the final price , or its rental is paid;
- A model with an individual design costs 3-5 times more than standard options.
Let's count!
First, let’s determine what components the cake contains: sponge cake, cream, impregnation, layers such as jelly, berries, ganache, nuts, caramel, etc.
Each such component will have its own calculation rules.
Biscuit
In order to determine the weight of the biscuit, you need to convert all the components of the dough into grams.
The number of eggs in recipes is usually indicated in pieces, with the exception of technical dessert cards for professional confectioners. Here it will be useful to remember that manufacturers mark eggs depending on their weight into 3 categories: C2 - small, the weight of one such egg without a shell is 40-45 g, C1 - medium, the weight of an egg without a shell is 45-50 g, C0 - large, egg weight without shell: 50-57 g.
Based on this, we convert the number of eggs according to the recipe from pieces to grams.
Additional Tips
Before you calculate your wedding cake, you need to consider that it is better to order with a reserve rather than back to back. Even if there is some leftover cake, it can be put aside until the second day of the wedding or distributed to those friends or relatives who could not come to the wedding. The following nuances should also be taken into account.
- There may be people at the wedding with allergies or diabetes - these need to be subtracted from the total when calculating weight. However, they may also ask for a piece to take with them for their relatives, so it’s worth deciding on this point in advance.
- If the cake is multi-tiered, then sometimes the top part weighing about 0.5 kg is left for the newlyweds so that they can enjoy the sweet in a relaxed atmosphere after the banquet. In this case, the weight of the remaining tiers is calculated.
- It is worth determining how many men, women and children will be at the celebration. Despite the fact that many people think that girls eat little, they still have a sweet tooth, so there is no need to reduce their portion.
- Children usually fill up on the main menu, but may ask for a piece of cake to take home, but for men you can reduce the portion if they are indifferent to sweets.
Recommendations for choosing filling:
* Most importantly, everything in the wedding cake should be made from high-quality and fresh ingredients;
* As a rule, the choice of filling for a birthday cake is one of the most controversial issues. Here everything depends on the taste wishes of the newlyweds - of course, you shouldn’t forget about the guests (it’s unlikely that most of them will like something too exotic). It’s impossible to please everyone, but there is a list of the most popular fillings that are worth using. The main thing is to avoid too bold combinations of products
Be careful about the presence of nuts and kiwi in the recipe - many people are allergic to these products
* If you want a cake with several fillings, please note that they must be combined with each other. This point can be clarified with the pastry chef, but to be more confident, we recommend that you order a tasting set with the selected flavors. He will dispel all doubts.
*Particular attention should be paid to the cream - it should not be too fatty and rich. Wedding cake - the easiest dessert possible
It is recommended to use whipped cream, parfait, yogurt, berry or lemon cream as a filling - all this will help avoid the “overload” of the dessert.
* Even if you have chosen one filling, order a small cake to try. Make sure your expectations match reality.
* To make it convenient to cut your dessert in front of guests, it is better to choose fillings that can simply be cut with a special cake knife. It is not too spicy, so cutting some of the fillings risks ruining the whole cake.
All about the wedding cake - summary
If choosing a cake or preparing its ceremonial presentation seemed like a complicated procedure, don’t worry. By ordering your wedding organization from us, you can enjoy your day without worrying about every detail. We will take care of all aspects related to the delivery, storage and preparation of the cake, and you will only need to traditionally cut off the first pieces of this fabulous dessert. And even if the newlyweds cannot know everything about the wedding cake and traditions, we will make your holiday unforgettable, it will be your happiest day!
Where does a wedding menu begin?
The first thing on the menu is alcoholic drinks. Surely any couple begins to think in advance about how much and what kind of alcohol to buy. You can calculate how much alcoholic beverages you will need based on the following data:
Be sure to take into account the age category of the guests, gender (men most often drink stronger drinks, women prefer champagne or wine) It is also necessary to take into account the time of year in which you are going to have the wedding (if the weather is cold, then the guests will prefer stronger alcohol) How long will the banquet last (as a rule, the standard duration of this kind of celebration is approximately 6-7 hours) Another point is drinking and non-drinking guests (it is very important to take into account how many people will be from one category or another)
The most convenient way to decide on the amount of alcohol before planning the menu for a wedding banquet is to make a list of guests and ask each of them what they prefer to drink and whether they drink at all.
According to the rule, alcoholic drinks are purchased per 10 people. That is, for ten people you will need to buy:
- Wine 4-6 bottles
- Champagne 2-3 bottles
- Vodka 3-5 bottles
Based on this, it is much easier to determine how much alcohol you will need. Here's an example:
The wedding banquet will be attended by 50 people, the duration of the event will be 6 hours. It follows that for such a number of guests you will need:
- 20-30 bottles of wine (there should be a few more bottles of red)
- Vodka 15-20 bottles
- Champagne 10-15 bottles
Most often, champagne is consumed either on the way to the banquet, or only at the beginning of the banquet, so given this fact, champagne can be limited to only the newlyweds. The most important thing is that when purchasing alcoholic beverages, you do not forget about two special bottles of champagne. The first of them opens on the wedding anniversary, and the second when the child is born. When purchasing drinks, do not forget about non-alcoholic products.
Here the calculation is completely different. It is worth taking into account the important factor that juices should have a maximum volume; they will be poured from packages into special containers; mineral water should be of two types, with and without gas. Don’t buy juices of different flavors, limit yourself to two, that will be enough
When purchasing juices, it is important to consider what dishes will be on your holiday table. Remember, if there are a large number of vegetable and fish dishes, you buy mostly juice, meat dishes - mineral water is perfect for them
Now it's time to talk about dishes
It is important to take into account the fact that the maximum number of dishes should not exceed six
It is also very important to pay attention to the combination of dishes offered to guests; they should complement each other. Don’t forget about the design of the dishes; it’s worthwhile to diversify their color scheme.
What should you consider when creating a banquet menu?
When calculating the amount of food at a banquet, it is important to ensure that the tables are not empty. It is convenient to serve salads in portions, and hot dishes and vegetables on shared trays. Plan a special menu for children's meals and vegetarians
Children eat little, but drink more juices and sparkling water. Vegetarians prefer vegetables and fruits to meat and fish. Buy cake and alcohol yourself. This will save your budget. Arrange to pick up the remaining dishes and alcoholic drinks after the holiday. When creating a menu, take into account the season. In summer, guests drink more wine, lemonade and juice. In winter, soups, hot snacks and strong alcohol are popular.
Delivery, storage and preparation
It is better to entrust the delivery of such fragile cargo to a confectionery shop. Firstly, they know exactly under what conditions and in what packaging the cake you have chosen needs to be transported. Secondly, if something happens to it during transportation, the confectioner will bear full responsibility for it and will be able to correct the damage in time. To reduce all the risks associated with storing the cake, you can order delivery at a specific time, 2 hours before serving.
But even in this case, you should take care of storing the cake in advance, even at the stage of planning the menu for the banquet. Cakes with fresh berries, fruits, cream and white chocolate are especially demanding when it comes to storage. From the moment of delivery until the official cutting ceremony, the cake must be refrigerated. Therefore, you need to leave free space there in advance. Such that the cake will fit, especially if it is multi-tiered. In addition, you need to make sure that fish, meat or other products that can transfer their smell to the delicate dessert will not be stored near the cake.
If the cake requires additional assembly, then it should begin 2-3 hours before its ceremonial serving. The pastry chef will need a special place where he can work quietly. Therefore, you need to take care of such a place in advance by discussing this issue with the banquet manager. Immediately coordinate with the pastry chef so that after collecting the cake, he instructs the waiters about the features of serving and cutting it.
How much will a cake cost for 50, 100, 150 people?
How much will we pay for the whole cake if we want to prepare a wedding for 50, 100 or 150 guests? The standard assumption is that a kilogram of cake should be enough for 10 servings. However, it is worth remembering that some guests, especially those who love cake, will eat more than one serving. When deciding on the size of the cake, you also need to consider what the cake decor will be.
| Number of guests/Cake version | Classical | Elegant | Extravagant |
| 50 people | 5000-10000 rub. | 10,000-20,000 rub. | 14,000-15,000 rub. |
| 100 people | 5000-20000 rub. | 10,000-40,000 rub. | 15,000 60,0000 rub. |
| 150 people | 20,000 or more | 40,000 rubles or more | 60,000 rubles or more |
