Afternoon tea parties are covered in detail in another article.

ELLEN'S KITCHEN DESSERTS FOR 100 GENERAL INFORMATION FOR DESSERT BUFFETS A Viennese-style mixed dessert reception for 100 people includes 5 ten inch cakes, 5 pounds of small cookies and bars, and a dozen dozen (144) individual pastries. Try to select desserts that do not need oven or refrigerator space. If you have 3 or more desserts, consider having one chocolate and one light, low fat or low calorie. To control serving size, you MUST cut or portion out desserts before allowing people to help themselves. Squares or other small servings can be cut and placed into fancy muffin paper cups (fold to size) or doilies. Arrange on pretty trays. At a dessert buffet with many choices, most people take more than one That is why the sizes are "dainty"; bars and cookies just a few bites, for example. People like coffee or tea with their desserts. See the Beverages for 100 page. To serve a dessert a la mode (small scoop of ice cream) requires 4-5 half gallons ice cream for 100 servings. To serve apple pie with cheese, allow 5 pounds of cheese. Ice cream socials and sundae bars have their own page now here.
Option 1 Round pies and cakes	16 8” pies OR 10 to 12 10" deep dish pies OR 10 round 2 layer cakes OR 16 round 1 layer cakes OR 12 cheesecakes (recipe using 15 pounds of cream cheese)
Option 2 Sheet cakes and cobblers	2 full sheet cakes OR 4 -10 1/2 x 15 "1/2 sheet" cakes or large trifles OR 8to 9 9 x 13 cakes or cobblers
Option 3: small family desserts or potluck desserts	16 regular small family desserts (8 inch square pans, for example) OR 9 large family desserts (9x13 pans, for example)
Option 4 Three dessert choices, equally popular	6 each (40 regular servings each) of 3 desserts Cut these into smaller servings, as people try more than one
Option 5 tiny desserts	Cookies, assorted tiny bars, truffles, small bakery items, mini cream puffs, little cheese cake squares, tea cakes If 4 or fewer kinds, 1 each per person: if more kinds, 2-4 pieces per person (people try all with several, but only favorites with many)
OPTION 6 Frozen desserts, custards	13 half gallons of bricks 14 half gallons bulk To serve another dessert ala mode, purchase 4 to 5 half gallons ice cream Information for a complete Ellen's Kitchen Sundae Bar
Option 7 Viennese style mixed desserts for 100	5 ten inch cakes PLUS 5 pounds of small cookies and bars PLUS a dozen dozen (144) individual pastries.

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More about cake serving sizes

When you see several numbers or different numbers for the number of pieces in a certain size cake, the lower number is a generous "party serving""such as a birthday cake) or dessert size piece, while the highest number is what to expect for the little pieces cut from a wedding cake. It is up to you, depending on your plans, to choose to "round up" or "round down" when deciding which number to use in planning your cake servings. Consider the rest of the meal, whether or not you expect all your guests to eat cake, or if other desserts will also be served.

Size of sheet cake Number of servings full sheet 18x26 70-110 96 2x2" wedding cake size pieces, cut 8x12 or 48 dessert size cut 6x8 half sheet 12-13x18 single layer 40-60 48 2x2" wedding cake size pieces, cut 6x8 or 24 dessert size cut 4x6 half sheet 12-13x18 double layer Typical groom's cake, AKA "kitchen cake" 80-120 quarter sheet 9x13 24 2x2" wedding cake size pieces cut 4x6 or 12 dessert size cut 3x4 or 15 dessert size cut 3x5

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Commercial cake layers Number of servings Layer shape and depth 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 3" deep round 6-9 10-15 16-24 22-33 30-45 4" deep round 8-14 15-25 30-39 45-56 65-77 4" deep petal 6-8 9" 14-20   32-38 15" 48-62

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