Cake for 20 people: size, servings and budget

Let's start with the most important point:

don't choose your cake on diameter alone.

Why?

Because this:

20 cm across × 5 cm tall

and this:

20 cm across × 15 cm tall

are obviously not the same amount of cake.

With layer cakes, the extra height means you can cut thinner portions.

Some professionals give guidelines like these for their own creations:

These ranges are perfectly normal.

In fact, they show exactly why the phrase:

"A 20 cm cake = X people"

is far too simplistic.

For around 20 people, 18 to 20 cm in diameter is a common guideline for a layer cake that is tall enough.

Some cake designers work with, for example:

18 cm × around 12 cm tall

or:

20 cm × around 10 cm tall

to get close to twenty portions.

Other configurations exist.

One baker may prefer a slightly smaller diameter with more height, while another will go for a wider, shallower cake.

Key takeaway

For 20 people:

don't just ask:

"What diameter?"

Ask instead:

"Which format would you recommend to get 20 proper servings?"

Your baker knows their cake, its height and, above all, how they cut it.

Because diameter is only one dimension.

Picture two layer cakes seen from above.

They have exactly the same diameter.

But the first one is 8 cm tall.

The second one is 15.

The second one contains a lot more cake.

The size of the portions changes the result too.

A professional might cut:

thin slices

ideal at the end of a meal when guests have already worked their way through a starter, a main and the cheese board;

or:

generous slices

if the cake is the star of a birthday afternoon tea.

And, inevitably:

the more generous the slices, the fewer you get.

A layer cake is particularly practical for around twenty guests.

It gives you:

• plenty of height;
• a beautiful look;
• lots of personalisation options;
• several layers of filling;
• decoration that matches your theme.

For around 20 people, several professionals offer formats of roughly 18 to 20 cm in diameter, depending on the height.

For example, one professional guide states that a layer cake 20 cm across and 10 cm tall can provide around 20 to 24 standard portions, but fewer if the slices are more generous.

Another professional suggests 18 cm across and around 12 cm tall for 20 servings.

So there is nothing unusual about receiving two proposals with different dimensions for exactly 20 guests.

What matters is the number of portions the baker has actually planned.

Use:

The Taasty Cakes serving calculator

Number of guests: 20

→ Type of event → Type of cake → Portion size

Calculate my cake

Then:

Now that we have sorted out the portions, there is a far more pleasant question left:

what are we eating?

Ideal if you are looking for:

• a personalised birthday cake;
• a specific theme;
• a tall creation;
• modern decoration;
• a real "wow" moment on the table.

It is probably one of the most versatile options for 20 people.

→ Explore: The price of a layer cake

Are you celebrating:

an 18th?

a 20th?

a 30th?

a 40th?

A number cake works particularly well.

One thing to bear in mind, though: an age made up of two digits usually needs a different set-up from a single digit.

A "7" and a "27" do not, surprisingly, contain exactly the same amount of cake.

→ Read: Number cake — price, size and number of servings

For a themed birthday, you could go for:

• sport;
• travel;
• flowers;
• a character;
• films;
• gaming;
• animals;
• particular colours;
• the person's favourite hobby.

The cake can then be designed specifically for your event.

→ Read: The price of a custom cake

Looking for something closer to traditional French patisserie?

An entremets (a layered mousse cake) can be an excellent option.

Be careful, though, not to automatically reuse the dimensions of a layer cake.

An entremets is usually much shallower.

For the same diameter, the number of portions can therefore be very different.

Another interesting option:

a small decorative cake + cupcakes.

For example:

• a centrepiece cake for the candles and the photos;
• cupcakes to make up the rest of the portions.

This set-up can be handy when you want a beautiful centrepiece without necessarily ordering a very large cake.

Now for the question that always comes up eventually.

💸

How much does a cake for 20 people cost?

It depends enormously on the type of cake.

For a custom cake, prices may be calculated:

• per serving;
• per cake;
• according to the design;
• with extras for certain decorations.

Current public prices show how wide the gap can be: one cake designer lists, for example, €151 for a layer cake serving 20–22 people, while a Paris patisserie lists €190 for some made-to-order cakes for 20 people.

That does not mean every cake for 20 people costs between €151 and €190.

They are simply two examples of public prices that show how much the style of cake and the professional you choose affect the budget.

Example calculation

With a hypothetical price of:

€6 per serving

20 people comes to:

€120

At:

€8 per serving

it comes to:

€160

At:

€10 per serving

it comes to:

€200

Hence the value of asking for a quote that genuinely matches your project.

Working to a specific budget?

Use:

The Taasty Cakes budget estimator

Number of guests: 20

Type of cake: Layer cake

Personalisation: Simple / Medium / Complex

City: [city]

→ Estimate my budget

→ See available bakers

If you have exactly 20 guests, should you order exactly 20 servings?

Not necessarily.

Ask yourself three questions.

If so, plan reasonably generous portions.

With:

• cupcakes;
• macarons;
• fruit;
• petits fours;
• a dessert table;

guests will sometimes take smaller slices.

Because there is a subtle difference between:

"We've invited 20 people"

and:

"There will be exactly 20 of us."

A friend brings a plus-one.

A child wants a second slice.

Uncle Michael suddenly discovers a deep passion for pistachio ganache.

And your perfect calculation has just taken a bit of a knock.

Our advice

When the budget allows, plan a small margin rather than calculating down to the last crumb.

Some professionals recommend, for example, two or three extra portions to cover the unexpected.

Not necessarily.

The number of servings also depends on who you are feeding.

For a children's birthday party, portions can sometimes be smaller.

But don't automatically halve all the quantities.

It depends in particular on:

• their age;
• the time of day;
• the rest of the food;
• the type of cake.

For an afternoon party where the cake is the star, it is better to stay generous.

When the cake is served makes a big difference to how much you need.

Guests have already eaten.

Fairly thin portions may be enough.

The cake becomes the main event.

Slices will usually be more generous.

If ten other desserts are waiting next to it, portions can naturally be smaller.

That is precisely why a baker needs to know the context of your event, not just how many guests you have.

Here is the classic mistake:

taking a very tall layer cake and cutting it like a tart.

The result:

huge slices.

Very pretty.

Very generous.

And by the twelfth guest:

no cake left.

For tall layer cakes, professionals often use a cutting method that gives more even portions.

Some patisseries even provide their own cutting diagrams to get exactly 18–20, 24–26, 30–32 servings, and so on.

Before the event

So ask your baker:

"How should I cut the cake to get the 20 servings you've planned?"

Even better:

ask for a little diagram.

Your future self, knife in hand in front of twenty hungry people, will thank you.

With twenty guests, finding a flavour that absolutely everyone loves takes a touch of international diplomacy.

A few combinations that tend to please most people:

Vanilla – raspberry

Fruity and easy to love.

Chocolate – hazelnut

More indulgent.

Vanilla – red berries

Fresh and classic.

Chocolate – caramel

Very indulgent.

Vanilla – passion fruit

More exotic and tangy.

If you can't decide, ask the baker:

"What are your most popular flavours for birthdays?"

Their experience is invaluable.

→ Read: Which flavour should you choose for a birthday cake?

For a birthday, a layer cake remains particularly well suited if you want a personalised creation.

You can personalise:

• the colours;
• the name;
• the age;
• the theme;
• the flavours;
• the decoration.

For a milestone birthday — 18th, 30th, 40th, 50th — a number cake is also an excellent alternative.

For something more traditional, go for an entremets or a classic patisserie.

There is no universal "best" cake.

There is, above all, the cake that suits your event, your budget and your guests.

To get an accurate quote, avoid:

Hi, how much is a cake?

Give the details straight away:

Number of people: 20 Date: 14 November City: Paris Event: 30th birthday Style: layer cake Theme: white and gold Flavour: chocolate/hazelnut Budget: around €150 Delivery: to be confirmed

Add one or two inspiration images if needed.

No need to send the entire Pinterest board you've been building since 2019.

You now know what you need:

20 guests

a type of cake

a budget

a style

All that's left is to find the professional.

On Taasty Cakes, browse bakers and cake designers by city and by their creations, then send your request.

Find a cake near you