Baker Questions: Pricing, Servings and Batter Scaling Answered
Five questions I get asked a lot. Each has a short answer, and a free tool or calculator if you want to go further. The free tools stay free.
How many servings are in a cake?
It depends on the slice. An 8 inch round gives 14 to 16 party slices (1.5 by 2 inches) or 24 to 25 wedding slices (1 by 2 inches). Quote the servings first, then the price. A tiered cake needs the same step for every tier: a 6, 8 and 10 inch stack is 78 servings in the guide.
How much batter do I need when I change pan depth?
Going from a 2 inch pan to a 3 inch pan takes about 50 percent more batter. Going from 2 inches to 4 inches takes double. The deeper cake also bakes differently: for 2 to 3 inches, lower the oven by about 25 degrees F and add 15 to 25 minutes.
How do I scale a loaf or muffin recipe to a different pan?
Start from the pan you have. A loaf pan holds a set volume, and a muffin tin takes a set fill. Work out how much batter the new pan needs, then adjust the bake time, because a different pan bakes at a different speed. The free chart lists five loaf pan sizes with their volumes, and three muffin tin sizes with batter fill, bake temperature and time.
Am I making any money on this batch?
Add up what the batch costs you: ingredients, packaging, and your time. Divide by the number you get out of it. If that cost is close to what you charge, you are working for almost nothing.
How do I price a cutout cookie order?
Cutout cookies cost more than they look. There is the dough, the icing, the decorating time, and the cookies that break. Price from the cost of the finished cookie, not from a grocery-store comparison.