Sheet Cake for 100

[chefandi]

I am making a grad cake for a friend and it needs to serve 100. I don't know what type of cake mix to use or where I get it that would serve 100! Any help?

[AD]

That sounds like a job for a caterer or professional baker. It sounds like it would take special ovens and equipment if you were making one cake. However, you may want to bake smaller cakes separately and freeze them as you go along. Then you could ice them before serving if you wanted. However, with all the time that would take, I would much rather leave the job to a professional.

[Jessica]

if you want to do it yourself, you could bake four 9X13 sheet cakes of the same flavor, set them on a large piece of clean cardboard, and frost them together in a large rectangle shape. You would somehow have to flip them over to get an even surface on the top of the cake.
Also, depending on the appetites of the guests, four might not be enough cake.
Have you considered cupcakes? 100 might sound like a lot, but you could do a batch or two a day and freeze. You could even frost them in the school colors and arrange in the shape of the graduate's name and '01.
However, if you are looking for something fancier, you might just want to order a sheet cake at your local bakery.

[schuh]

I'm never one to shy away from such a challenge! Here are a couple of thoughts.

I have a non-light recipe for Cinnamon Chocolate Sheet Cake that serves 24. It's kind of like the Texas sheet cake published in a past CL issue, with a heated chocolate/pecan frosting poured over the top. It's baked in a jelly roll pan, so it's really thin. It's awesome and it feeds a lot -- I make it when I'm feeding a big group. You could make two at a time in the oven -- just double the recipe twice. If you're thinking of a decorated cake, however, this won't do it.

OR... if you find a Wilton annual book, look in the back. It gives loads of info on the number of guests to be served from various cakes (tiered and not tiered), guides for cutting cakes, amounts of batter needed for certain pans, etc. I have one in front of me and would be happy to post more info if I knew what kind of cake you wanted to make. I get my Wilton books at Joann Fabrics -- I'd imagine they'd be at most craft stores. You could also get large pans there -- I love my sheet pan that is about twice the size of a 13 by 9 pan and takes two packages of cake mix. I once made two of those cakes to make a rectangular layer cake and I bet it served close to 100.

My cake decorating instructor was a fan of Duncan Hines cake mixes. Just look on the box, see how many servings it makes, and multiply.

[Jessica]

You also could do a few cakes--a central one to decorate and others to serve. I have seen this done at weddings.

[chefandi]

I am going to Culinary school so thats why I think she asked me, therefore I am not going to turn down an oportunity! I think that I can get the sheet pan at my local cake store. For the person who had the Wilton book, if you could post a recipe for chocolate cake that would be wonderful

[schuh]

Ummm, I believe Wilton also recommends Duncan Hines cake mixes! But I can post recipes for homemade frostings -- bakery, cholate buttercream, etc.

[Grace]

I just did a half sheet cake for my step-father's memorial service. I used a Wilton 1/2 sheet cake pan, and it takes 11 cups of batter (exactly 2 boxed cake mixes). To make a whole sheet cake, the Wilton site says to make two 1/2 sheet cakes and put them together and frost them (use the cardboard suggested above, but cover it with foil first). A 1/2 sheet cake serves 40-50, a full serves 80-100. Hope that helps. It's really not that much work at all if you use the box mixes (something I normally NEVER would do, but did this time because I was pressed for time) The cake came out beautifully, and even I thought it tasted good (I made a lemon one with Fluffy Lemon Frosting).



[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 04-24-2001).]

[Mbart]

I know you mentioned you wanted chocolate cake, but as an option I thought I'd mention this golden yellow cake mix I use. I have made a few smaller wedding cakes for bridal showers, and of all of the cakes I've made, this one gets the greatest raves. I never want to tell them it's actually a mix! But it was recommended to me by a professional cake decorator, and it's always been wonderfully moist and rich tasting.

It's the Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Recipe Golden cake mix, but the recipe you make is on the SIDE of the box, called, "Sock-it-to-me-cake. You're supposed to make it in a tube pan, but I just make it in layer pans, skipping the streusel and glaze, and instead frosting it with a buttercream frosting. It's wonderful!

Good Luck!

[chefandi]

Ok so I think what I need to know is how many box cake mixes I have to have to make a sheet cake for 100. I would rather not use box mix but I don't know if I am ready to try and make it all from scratch. Thanks

[Grace]

A 1/2 sheet cake pan (I don't know if they make full sheet cake pans) requires 11 cups of batter, which is exactly 2 boxed cake mixes. So a full sheet pan would be 4 boxed cake mixes.

[Chefmom]

Hi ChefAndi,
Actually, if you bake two 11x15 sheet cakes and make them into a "full sheet" like the bakeries sell, you may not have enough servings. I have made cakes in my home, with regular ovens and cake pans for many years. I prefer to use 2 1/2 cake mixes for the 11x15 cake, it makes a slightly thicker cake, which is my preference.

Wilton makes a 12x18 cake pan which will give you closer to an actual sheet cake size, you will get about 70-80 2x2-inch servings from this larger size cake (remember we are talking two 12x18 cakes put together for one large sheet cake).

When you make a cake this size, it is best to buy a plywood board and cut it about 4-inches all around larger than your cake. This is MUCH more stable than cardboard and easier to transport. Cover with decorators foil, available at cake supply stores.

Also, for what it is worth, you could make the two 12x18 cakes (which take 3 cake mixes each) and then fill and stack them. If you cut this two layer cake like a wedding cake, with thinner servings, you will easily get your 100 servings. To cut, cut across the length of the cake 3 inches in, then cut 25 servings from this strip. Repeat with the next 3 inches until you have finished. This is exactly 100 servings.

I have my recipes here: http://RecipeCircus.com/recipes/Chefmom/

Also, I don't like how cake mixes come out, you can check out the "Cake Mix Doctor" book or just simply try this formula for each cake mix:
1 mix, Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker
1 cup water
4 eggs
the amount of oil on the package, chocolate calls for 1/2 cup and french vanilla (my favorite) calls for 1/3 cup

Mix like on the box, the extra egg will give you a better crumb and the cake is more spongy, everyone I know who does a cake mix this way is VERY pleased with the results!!! Also, you will need about 3 or 4 batches of buttercream(based on 8c of powdered sugar per batch) for this size cake. Depending on how much decoration you are doing.

Good Luck! If you have any other questions, just ask, I have been doing cakes like this a home for quite awhile!!

Tami

where are you going to school!? I graduated in 1995 from IUP's Academy of Culinary Arts in Western Pa.