How Many Layers In Each Wedding Cake Tier?

by Gretchen
(Sacramento, Ca)

How many layers in each wedding cake tier are there typically?

Hi Gretchen, usually two to three layers but sometimes more. I generally stick to two because the cake is firmer and more stable. At least I feel more comfortable with two versus three or more. There is such a thing as a 7 layer cake. That would be 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of filling I believe. I would not want to deliver that wedding cake.

The chocolate layer cake above is two layers of my chocolate cake recipe with a layer of my chocolate mousse recipe filling.

Here are a couple of posts about layers. This one is about layers for a 4 tier cake and goes into some details about height, cutting and filling the layers.

Here is another about the 7 layer cake. This one happens to be a carrot cake question.

Here is another relevant post on cutting cake layers

Hope this helps :-)

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Tiered Wedding Cakes

by Phyllis
(Peoria, IL)

Photo courtesy of The Knot

A tiered wedding cake question.

I will be making my daughters wedding cake. She wants a 3 tiered 16", 12", and 8" round buttercream with buttercream fondant. Is it best to have each tier two 2" cakes or one 3" cake? I thought perhaps if I did a 3" layer then I may be able to do 4 tiers to create the same look.

Hi Phyllis, Congratulations on your daughters marriage! I suggest you stick with each tier being (two 2 inch cakes with a filling.) Your cake will be easier to handle and more balanced.

Is this your first cake? If so you may want to do a 14, 10 and a 6 inch cake and then make some extra cake on the side. How many people are attending? The smaller 14-10-and 6 inch wedding cake serves 125. The difference between the two sized tiered wedding cakes for storage and delivery etc is huge. Please let us know how it goes and show us a picture of your finished cake on the wedding cake stories page.

Angled Tiered Wedding Cakes

I have a question about angled tiered wedding cakes and am hoping you can help. It will be a three tier angled wedding cake. I need to know what size pans to use so I know how much fondant I need. I am having issues with the top pan corners hanging over the edges of the bottom pan. I don't know what sizes to use.


Hi I just took a look at my Wilton cake pans. You will have to start with a large base. The 16 inch is the one that I have here. If you use the 16 inch cake pan then the one in the center will need to be a 10 inch pan. The top tier will have to be a 4 inch. I would take the 6 inch cake and cut it down to size.

What happens when you angle them is that a 12 inch pan becomes 16 inches in width from corner to corner and the 6 inch becomes a 10 inch from corner to corner. So always figure a 6 inch difference when buying baking pans for this purpose.

Hope that helps. Feel free to upload a picture at my wedding cake photos. when you are done or send it to me via email and I will post it for you.

3 Tiered Cake

by Lan
(Louisians)

Hi! I have a request for a 3 tiered cake to feed 75 people. Can you tell me the best sizes for that. Also do they count the top tier in the amount if people they are feeding?
Thanks so much

ANSWER
Hi Lan,
Here is a link to my wedding cake servings chart on my wedding cake prices page. For that amount of people you will be ok with a 12 inch bottom tier, an 8 or 9 inch middle tier and a 4-6 inch top.

If you want to give them generous amounts then go with a 14 inch bottom tier, a 10 inch middle and a 6 inch top.

No the top tier is not counted in the amount of servings for a wedding cake. That will go home with the bride and groom. Make sure that you have a cake box for them to take it home in. The cake in the photo above is a 3 tiered cake with a 12 inch base and an 8 inch center cake with a 6 inch top.

Have you decided on the cake flavors yet? If not then check out all of the delicious ones on this website. Here are the wedding cake recipes

Also you will find all of the wonderful cake filling recipes that I use for my wedding cakes and the icing recipes

If you would like to add your wedding cake photos to the website we would love to see your finished cake.

You can also enter the Wedding Cake Contest for a chance to win a Flirty Apron and a Gift coupon for $25 towards a the Cake Stackers.

Thank you very much for vsiting Wedding Cakes For You and asking a great question. Good luck with your 3 tiered cake.