Are you hosting a gathering or a party and wondering how much pound cake to make for your guests?
This question is indeed key to a successful event, which is why I’ve put together today’s guide.
You don’t want to overestimate portions and end up with too much cake than you know what to do with. At the same time, underestimating the amount of cake can turn the whole thing into a disaster.
To avoid such scenarios, you need to carefully plan ahead. Keep reading to find out how to figure out the right number of pound cakes for your event and to view some examples for reference.
How To Calculate A Serving Of Pound Cake
The most important step in calculating how much pound cake you should make for guests is to know how many servings you can get from one pound cake.
The thing is, the number of servings depends on two factors:
- The size of the pound cake you’re working
- The size of the slice you intend to serve
To get the first factor out of the way, let’s consider the typical cake slice sizes for different events:
- For smaller events such as dinners and birthday parties: A piece of cake would be around 3 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 5 inches high. That’s an approximate weight of four ounces.
- For larger events such as weddings: A cake slice would be around 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 4 inches high. That’s a weight of about three ounces.
Now, let’s take a look at a few of the most common pound cake sizes and their corresponding estimated servings:
- An 8-inch pound cake weighs around 2 pounds. This means it can serve about 8 people in smaller events and 10 people in larger events.
- A 9-inch pound cake weighs around 3 pounds. This means it can serve about 12 people in smaller events and 16 people in larger events.
- A 10-inch pound cake weighs around 4 pounds. This means it can serve about 16 people in smaller events and 22 people in larger events.
- A 12-inch pound cake weighs around 6 pounds. This means it can serve about 24 people in smaller events and 32 people in larger events.
- A 16-inch pound cake weighs around 10 pounds. This means it can serve about 40 people in smaller events and 52 people in larger events.
These calculations are based on a round-shaped pound cake.
If you’re working with a square-shaped pound cake, you may be surprised to know that the same size in inches serves almost twice as many people.
For example, an 8-inch squared pound cake can serve 12 to 13 guests at a small event or between 15 to 16 guests at bigger events.
How Much Pound Cake Do You Need For 10 Guests?
When serving pound cake to ten guests, a single 8-inch or 9-inch round pound cake should be enough.
The 8-inch cake makes for eight 4-pound slices. If you cut smaller pieces or consider the fact that not every guest will want cake, then you’re set for 10 servings.
If you don’t want to risk it or you want to be prepared for some guests asking for seconds, a 9-inch cake makes for twelve 4-pound slices or more if needed.
How Much Pound Cake Do You Need For 20 Guests?
If pound cake is your only dessert option and you’re serving 20 guests, then you can’t go smaller than a 10-inch round pound cake. It makes for about sixteen 4-pound slices in smaller events and twenty-two 3-pound slices in larger events.
Alternatively, you can make two 9-inch pound cakes to serve twenty-four 4-pound slices, or two 8-inch pound cakes to serve about twenty 3-pound slices.
How Much Pound Cake Do You Need For 25 Guests?
When you pass the 20-guest mark, you should rely on weight measurements when calculating how much pound cake to make.
If you’re serving 25 people, then you need at least 5 pounds of cake for 3-ounce portions or 7 pounds for 4-ounce portions. This is assuming each guest will have only 1 slice.
Now, how many pound cakes do these numbers correspond to?
For smaller events (larger pieces), this means:
- Four 8-inch pound cakes
- One 9-inch and one 8-inch pound cakes
- Two 10-inch pound cakes
- One 12-inch pound and one 8-inch pound cakes
For larger events (smaller pieces), this means:
- Three 8-inch pound cakes
- Two 9-inch pound cakes
- One 10-inch and one 8-inch pound cakes
- One 12-inch pound cake
How Much Pound Cake Do You Need For 50 Guests?
If you’re serving 50 people, then you need at least 9 pounds of cake for 3-ounce portions or 12 pounds for 4-ounce portions. This is assuming each guest will have only 1 slice.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, today’s guide will leave you with an effective answer for how much pound cake to make for your guests. Take your time planning to guarantee enough dessert for everyone!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.