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How Much Wedding Cake Is Needed If Serving Different Desserts?

Knottie58db04277ec3fdbfKnottie58db04277ec3fdbf member
10 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper
in Wedding Cakes & Food Forum
Hi!

So we're doing a brunch wedding with approximately 150 people, and the main star of our dessert show are donuts and cinnamon rolls. We planned to have one tier of cake just to cut and (selfishly) we each want to eat a piece. However... we don't plan to have a cake large enough to serve the masses. So my question is... Should we get the smallest tier of cake possible and not have it as an option for anyone else at all? Or should we get a cake large enough to offer 50 or so slices... Thinking not everyone will want a slice because of the donut and cinnamon roll options? Or is it tacky to only offer a handful of slices? On that note, I don't want to order a ton of donuts and cinnamon rolls, and a cake large enough for everyone and have a crazy amount of sweets leftover... We definitely want to cut a cake, but want the other desserts to be the main options. Help!
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Re: How Much Wedding Cake Is Needed If Serving Different Desserts?

  • MRDCleMRDCle member
    500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper
    I agree with @artbyallie - at brunch I wouldn't consider donuts and cinnamon rolls dessert - definitely get enough cake for everyone to have a piece. If you're worried about wasting extra see if you can bring take out containers to send people home with the leftovers.  
    InLoveInQueensartbyallieMesmrEweahoywedding
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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
    Seventh Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    I agree that you should have cake for everyone, or cake for no one (not even you and your FI). I wouldn't eat a donut or cinnamon roll (and like @artbyallie said I'd probably think it was part of the main brunch spread) but I would eat cake. I get you don't want a ton of leftovers, but I do think you should have enough cake for all your guests who might want it.
    artbyallieahoywedding
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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
    Moderator 10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary
    Your instinct is correct - having cake only for yourselves is tacky. 

    Most people look forward to having cake at weddings. Donuts and cinnamon rolls are not as popular, but moreso things people might want to taste. If I were you, I'd get enough cake for everyone, 100 donuts and 100 cinnamon rolls. Sure, you will have leftovers. But you can get take-home boxes (even with your names and wedding date on them if you want) and the dessert bar can also serve as a favor of sorts. 
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    artbyallieahoywedding
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  • nicgetsknottednicgetsknotted member
    250 Love Its 10 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Just remember…too much is always better than not enough when it comes to wedding food. You don't want this to be the thing people remember, and getting shafted on cake definitely sticks with people.

    If you are serving cake you could probably drop the donuts, as they are kind of the same thing. You could also see if whoever is making the cinnamon rolls could bake an extra large one for your cutting, then you can serve small ones to the guests, as long as they are the exact same taste/quality.

    Sounds delicious btw!
    MesmrEweahoyweddingSP29cindylover711
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 Houston member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    Everyone should get a slice of cake. And anything you "cut" needs to be made available to all the guests. They should not be expected to watch you cut something that is only for you, because the cutting sets up expectations that it will be served to all.

    You could offer the donuts and cinnamon rolls as favors in take-home boxes.
    InLoveInQueensahoywedding
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  • lovesclimbinglovesclimbing Alaska member
    Seventh Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited October 2017
    artbyallie said:
    Knottie58db04277ec3fdbf said:
    Hi!

    So we're doing a brunch wedding with approximately 150 people, and the main star of our dessert show are donuts and cinnamon rolls. We planned to have one tier of cake just to cut and (selfishly) we each want to eat a piece. However... we don't plan to have a cake large enough to serve the masses. So my question is... Should we get the smallest tier of cake possible and not have it as an option for anyone else at all? Or should we get a cake large enough to offer 50 or so slices... Thinking not everyone will want a slice because of the donut and cinnamon roll options? Or is it tacky to only offer a handful of slices? On that note, I don't want to order a ton of donuts and cinnamon rolls, and a cake large enough for everyone and have a crazy amount of sweets leftover... We definitely want to cut a cake, but want the other desserts to be the main options. Help!
    The bolded is the key word here. Don't be selfish at your wedding. The reception is a thank you to your guests for coming to watch you get married. You need to offer them anything you yourself are going to have. Also, donuts and cinnamon rolls at brunch are, IMO, not even dessert but part of the main spread that just happen to be sweet. I promise plenty of people will eat either a donut or cinnamon roll and cake. I would.

    ETA: my gif game is bad on mobile. insert embarrased hand raise gif here. 

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  • MesmrEweMesmrEwe member
    Knottie Warrior 2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    Having been the guest "Shafted" of cake on at least FOUR occasions, let me say, that's the ONLY detail I remember from those weddings because each and every freaking time the person sitting next to me took one bite, shrugged, and got up and left the table without eating the rest because they were either "full" or diabetic (doesn't matter their reason, I was stiffed out of cake and hungry!)...  I don't care of it was the lousiest cake on the planet, the fact I didn't get any is what made me PO'd.  Then there was the time at one that served half the guests 4-layer (1x3x5) raspberry lemon filled cake while the rest of us got a 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2" piece of unfilled aluminum pan kiddie cake, when for $25 more all of us could have gotten the filled cake.  Or the time the B&G had a multi-layered filled cake for the cutting and the rest of us got cupcakes...

    At a brunch, I consider pastries, cinnamon rolls, and donuts part of the main course.  Yes, have cake for ALL of your guests! 
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    InLoveInQueensahoyweddingcharlotte989875Jen4948
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  • ahoyweddingahoywedding member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary First Answer
    PPs have it covered. Offer enough cake for everyone, or don't have it. 

    One wedding I went to had several flavors of cake, and it was from this absolutely amazing bakery. They had enough cake that each guest got a piece OF EACH FLAVOR. I don't think that's necessary (even though it was delicious), but everyone should have a dessert of the same "level."
    charlotte989875InLoveInQueens
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