The cake is one of the most time-honored wedding traditions, along with the wedding dress, the ceremony, and the bridal party. After all, the cake is one of the oldest traditions, along with the dress and the bridal party. Choosing the right cake for your budget takes work when so many factors are involved.
Cake price is determined by the complexity of the design and the flavor—the number of tiers and whether the cake will be delivered to the wedding venue.
What is the average cost of a wedding cake?
Thumbtack is an online service that matches customers with local professionals. The average wedding cake in the U.S. costs $350. Couples spend an average of $125 on their wedding cake, while those who spend more spend up to $700 or even over $1,000.
Cake Pricing Factors
Wedding cake pricing is based on many factors, just like the cost of all your wedding vendors. Here’s a breakdown of what determines the price.
- Time is a factor.
- Ingredients: Exotic ingredients and specialty cakes (such as vegan or gluten-free) will cost more.
- Flavor
- The size of the cake and how many tiers it has
- The level of complexity with the designs, colors, and style. (For instance, a cake with edible gold leaf or ombre frosting could increase the price.
- Type of frosting
- Delivery charges
- Customization
- Add-ons like cake stands/toppers are available for purchase or rental.
How to estimate costs
You need to know how many guests and cake slices you will serve to estimate the cost. You must make a piece of wedding cake for each guest if you’re having dinner with dessert. This will increase the cost of your cake because it will be more prominent. If you’re doing a whole Dessert Station or have family-style desserts, you can be sure that not everyone will get a piece of cake.
The slice sells most wedding cakes. According to Bakery My Day, in Dallas, the average price of a wedding cake in the U.S. is between $2.50 and $8 per slice. However, some designs are more labor-intensive or use specialty ingredients.
The more elaborate the cake is, the higher the price. The more detailed the cake, the more it will cost. Think of crazy shapes, custom sugar flowers, and fondant frosting. These will all be more expensive because they require more materials or labor. At Solvang Bakery, for example, fondant designs cost around $10 per slice, while other frosting finishes cost about $6.
How to estimate the right cake size
Below is a helpful guide to help you determine the size of a round, classic-tiered cake.
- 5-inch round: 8 Servings
- 6-inch round: 12 Servings
- Round 7-inch: 16 Servings
- Round 8-inch: 24 Servings
- 9-inch round: 16 servings
- 10-inch round: 38 Servings
- Round 11-inch: 47 Servings
- Round 12-inch: 56 Servings
- 13-inch round: 65 servings
- Round 14-inch: 78 Servings
- Round 15-inch: 89 Servings
What is Included in the Package and What Is Additional
It is best to speak directly with your Wedding Planner or cake designer to determine the exact price of your cake. Prices vary from cake designer to cake designer. The price includes the following.
- A design consultation
- Cake tasting
- The real cake
- Delivery
- Setup
You may need an estimate for a display, cake stand, or cutting utensils. Other things that need to be included are toppers or an additional top tier. You can ask your venue/caterer to supply the cake stand and any cutting utensils you may need to reduce costs.
How to cut wedding cake costs
There are many ways to save money on cakes if the dollar signs make you worry about your budget.
- Serve half servings: A simple fix is to serve smaller cake slices. If you want to do 200 people, you only need one cake. Most people only eat one or two bites of cake.
- Display Cake: A fake cake is used to take photos and for “cutting.” Then a separate sheet of cake will be provided for your guests.
- Choose Buttercream For the frosting, choose something more affordable, like Buttercream, instead of fondant. Fondant is an expensive option. You could save multiple dollars per piece.
- Simplify your Design: Instead of that multi-tiered, sculptural cake with gold foil on it that you were thinking of, opt for one or two layers and flavors such as chocolate or vanilla instead of Earl Gray with orange cream cheese.
- DIY The Cake: If you can, make it yourself. If you are up for the challenge, you can make the cake yourself or ask a friend to bake it. Consider ordering a cake from your favorite bakery and adding fresh flowers. You may not want to DIY your wedding cake, and the money you save might not justify it.