What is The Average Wedding Cake Cost?

The thing is, wedding cake price is determined by so many factors that estimating it accurately without requesting a quote from a baker is nearly impossible.

Wedding cakes are different from cakes served on any other occasion.

They tend to feature elaborate designs, often with complicated tiered construction and topped with real flowers or sugarcraft, which come at an extra fee.

But no two wedding cakes are the same. You should consider the guest count, cake shape, flavor, design, your region, your baker’s skill level, and additional services when setting your wedding cake budget.

Average Cost of a Small Cake

“Small” is a broad concept. The smallest wedding cake will likely be larger than what you would consider small on a regular day since even small weddings typically involve at least 30 guests.

Thus, we’ll consider any wedding cake with up to 14-inch diameter, a single tier, and weight up to eight pounds small. Tiered cakes can be small, too, if the weight of the cake doesn’t exceed eight pounds.

The average price of a wedding cake per slice is about $6, with the lowest being $1.50 and the highest exceeding $12. That’s a very wide range, but the truth is, size isn’t the only factor affecting wedding cake cost.

Based on the average value, a wedding cake containing 30 servings will cost you anywhere from $45 to over $360, with the average price being $180.

For a 50-serving cake, expect to pay from $75 to $600 depending on the flavor and design intricacy.

Average Cost of a Tiered Cake

Wedding is a special occasion, so many couples wish to amaze guests with a tiered wedding cake. Sometimes, tiers are a necessity – after all, you would need a 50-inch cake to fit 150 servings in a single tier.

Generally, two-tier cakes are perfect for weddings with 70-100 guests, whereas three-tier cakes are best for weddings with over 100 guests.

If your wedding is attended by over 160 guests, you may have to consider adding more tiers or serving two cakes.

Based on the average cost per slice of $6, you can expect to pay about $600 for a 100-serving tiered cake. However, it’s important to note that a tiered cake will always be more expensive than a regular cake with the same flavor.

The reason for this is the construction complexity. To create a tiered cake, the baker must perform calculations to ensure the cake is stable and the top tier won’t break the lower one.

Tiered cakes also often feature intricate decoration that can skyrocket the price.

Average Cost of Buttercream Cake

The two most popular wedding cake types are buttercream and fondant cakes. Each type has its pros and cons, but the flavor or look isn’t today’s topic. One important note is that buttercream cakes tend to be much cheaper.

The main reason for the price difference is that buttercream is easier to work with since it’s softer than fondant, and the baker can fix any issues if they occur.

Fondant, on the other hand, isn’t as forgiving as buttercream and requires more attention to detail.

Buttercream ingredients, in general, cost less than fondant, too – sugar, eggs, butter, and milk are basic foods found in every kitchen, whereas fondant is specialized icing typically used by professionals.

The average price of a buttercream wedding cake per slice is about $4, though you can find even cheaper options. So, for a 30-serving buttercream cake, you may pay about $120, whereas for a 100-serving cake, $400 or more.

Average Cost of Fondant Cake

The price of fondant cakes tends to fluctuate drastically depending on the region and specific baker. Some bakers only charge $0.50 extra per slice of fondant cake than for buttercream.

For example, if a 60-serving buttercream cake costs $240, a fondant cake of the same size would cost $270.

Bakers may offer such tempting prices to encourage more brides to choose fondant, as buttercream cakes are more popular due to their better taste. But that’s a rare case.

Most bakers charge two-three times more for fondant cakes than they do for buttercream cakes. So, if a 60-serving buttercream cake costs $240, a cake of the same size made with fondant would cost $480 or more.

The difference in the cost of ingredients isn’t the only reason for such a contrast in prices. Buttercream and fondant cakes also tend to have very different designs.

Buttercream cakes are usually quite minimalistic since you can’t make anything too complex with soft cream.

Fondant cakes typically have complex designs, for example, with molded or hand-crafted figurines and a flawlessly smooth surface or piping.

Fondant isn’t simple to work with, so any sophisticated decoration requests can soar the price sky-high.

Factors Affecting the Wedding Cake Price

The size and the choice between buttercream and fondant aren’t the only factors affecting the wedding cake price. A small cake covered in buttercream can sometimes cost more than a large fondant cake. “Why,” you may ask?

Well, the cake design plays a major role in its pricing. Buttercream cakes are usually cheap since they tend to be minimalistic, but not if you ask the baker to cover it with realistic marzipan roses or paint your portraits with edible acrylic.

Any decorations that require hours of craft and great attention to detail come with a hefty price tag.

The same applies to real flowers – they are pricey as is, and the baker will need to spend additional time isolating them from the cake’s edible part.

Typically, wedding cake design involves a lot of discussions and concept creation. This part of baker’s work is often neglected by couples wondering, “why are wedding cakes so expensive?”

Apart from the design of the cake itself, consider any add-ons such as cake toppers or stands. Basic add-ons may come for free, but if you opt for exquisite decorations, expect to pay more.

Your location also matters. On average, the most expensive places to get married and particularly to order a wedding cake are Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, California, and New Hampshire.

The lowest prices are observed in Arkansas, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

Talking about location, I should mention that your wedding cake will need to be delivered to the venue. Some bakers may offer this service, but it’s never free unless the venue is located really close to the bakery.

If you’re planning a wedding outside of town, the delivery may be rather expensive. However, choosing professional cake delivery is worth it – you don’t want your cake to start melting or the decorations to break in your car.

Another factor that may affect your wedding cake price is the tasting (or the lack of it). Tastings are useful as you get to try multiple wedding cake flavors and pick the truly best one, but they involve a lot of baker’s labor and time.

Lastly, be reasonable choosing your baker. Regardless of how tempting ordering a cake from a top tier, best of the best baker may be, you should consider your budget in advance.

Some lesser-known bakers may have just as high a level of skill but charge less.

How to Estimate the Cost

The wedding cake price range is so wide that many couples get even more confused regarding the necessary budget after finding it out than before that.

Thus, you may wonder how to estimate the wedding cake price specifically in your case.

First, you should determine the necessary cake size based on your guest count. Bear in mind that some guests may refrain from eating the cake, while others may request a second portion.

Wedding cake slices tend to be slightly narrower than regular party cake slices, about one inch wide. The required size also depends on the cake shape.

For instance, for a 50-guest wedding, choose a 12-inch round or 11-inch square cake.

You can use online calculators to determine the cake size accurately. The next step is to pick the flavor and design.

If you’re looking for rough estimation, multiply the number of portions by six on average for fondant cakes and by four for buttercream cakes.

If you’re looking for a more precise estimation, you should first find a local baker whose works you like.

Contact them, share your wishes and the necessary cake size, and request a quote – most bakers will issue a quote for free if you already have a design concept.

The cake flavor matters, too. Add from $0.50 to $2 extra per slice if you opt for any flavor other than classic vanilla buttercream.

Especially exquisite fillings may soar the price by over $5 per slice! That’s a common case with non-seasonal fruits and rare ingredients such as edible gold, ruby chocolate, or Iranian pistachios.

Don’t forget to add in the price of add-ons, cake tasting, and delivery.