Cake Box Sizes Chart for Round, Sheet, Tiered and Cupcake Boxes

Every bakery box size comes down to three measurements: the board under the product, the tallest point of the decoration, and the inside dimension of the box. Get one wrong and the lid flattens the piping, or the cake slides into the wall on the first turn out of the parking lot.

A cake box should match the cake board, not the cake. Most bakers use a board 2 inches larger than the cake, so a 6 inch cake sits on an 8 inch board in an 8 x 8 inch box, an 8 inch cake goes in a 10 x 10 inch box, and a 10 inch cake in a 12 x 12 inch box. Box height is the tallest point of the cake, board and toppers included, plus clearance so the lid never touches.

Box sizes are written as length x width x depth, where depth is the height. For custom boxes these are normally inside dimensions, because the product sits inside. The outside of the box is always larger by the thickness of the board, which matters when a box has to fit a shelf, a display case or a shipping carton.

Cake Board vs Cake Drum: Why the Base Sets the Box

The base under the cake decides the box footprint, and the two common bases behave differently.

A board the same size as the box floor cannot shift. A board 1 inch smaller than the floor leaves room to slide, and that sliding is what scuffs the sides of a cake in transit.

Round and Square Cake Box Size Chart

The 2 inch rule gives 1 inch of board on every side, enough for a piped border. The 4 inch rule gives 2 inches per side, which suits heavily decorated cakes, cakes with fruit or flowers around the base, and cakes that need a firm grip when lifted. Square cakes follow the same chart using the edge length.

What Size Box Do You Need for an 8 Inch Cake?

An 8 inch round or square cake on a 10 inch board needs a 10 x 10 inch box. On a 12 inch board or drum, it needs a 12 x 12 inch box. The footprint is the easy part. The height depends on how the cake is built:

• Single or two layer cake: a standard depth cake box suits most of these. Measure first if the top has tall piping.
• Three or four layer cake: needs a tall box. Measure from the bottom of the board to the top of the cake.
• Double barrel cake: a cake roughly twice the height of a standard layer cake needs a tall box or a box with a deep lid.
• Cake with toppers, sugar flowers or candles: measure to the highest point of the topper, or pack the topper separately and fit it on arrival.

If you sell several heights in the same diameter, a two piece box with a separate base and lid, or a tall box with a removable insert, lets one footprint carry every cake in that size.

Sheet Cake Box Sizes

Sheet pan sizes vary between bakeries, so measure your own pan before ordering. Commonly cited sizes are 9 x 13 inches for a quarter sheet, 11 x 15 or 12 x 18 inches for a half sheet, and 16 x 24 or 18 x 24 inches for a full sheet. Apply the same board rule:

Sheet cakes are heavy and flat, so the base must stay rigid when the box is lifted from the ends. A box that bends in the middle cracks the cake along its center line.

Tiered Cake Boxes

A tiered cake moved fully stacked needs a box sized to the bottom tier’s drum and tall enough for the full stack. Many bakers instead box each tier separately and stack at the venue. In that case, size each box to that tier’s own board. Tall and heavy tiered cakes are where paperboard stops being enough; a corrugated box keeps its shape under the weight. See the corrugated boxes range for heavy cake cartons.

How Do You Choose a Cupcake Box Size?

Cupcake boxes are sized by count, cavity spacing and height. The base of the liner is only the starting point, because the frosting on top is usually wider than the base.

Liner sizes vary slightly by brand, so measure the cupcakes you actually bake.

To size the box:

1. Measure the widest point of a finished cupcake, frosting included. That sets the cavity spacing.
2. Multiply by the insert layout and add the wall clearance to get the footprint.
3. Measure from the bottom of the liner to the top of the frosting peak. That sets the box height.
4. For tall swirls, choose a taller box or a box with a raised window lid so the frosting never touches.

Cupcake boxes with inserts cut for your count and liner size are at custom cupcake boxes.

Cookie, Macaron, Donut, Pastry and Pie Box Sizes

For cookies, see custom cookie boxes, and for macarons, custom macaron boxes.

Box Material by Size and Weight

Size and weight decide the material as much as style does.

Butter rich pastries and buttercream can mark plain board, so ask for a grease resistant coating or a liner when the food touches the box.

How to Measure Before You Order

1. Measure the board or drum for length and width, not the cake.
2. Measure the tallest point, including the drum, decorations and toppers.
3. Decide on inside dimensions and confirm the supplier quotes inside size.
4. Check the outside size against shelves, display cases and any shipping carton.
5. Order a sample and test one finished product before the full run.

Common Sizing Mistakes

• Measuring the cake instead of the board.
• Forgetting the height of the drum.
• Using a standard cupcake insert for minis or jumbos.
• Ordering by outside dimensions and finding the product does not fit.
• One oversized box for every cake, which lets smaller cakes slide.

Once the size is set, moving the cake is the next risk. See how to transport a cake for the drive, and how to ship cookies for parcel delivery. For every bakery box style in these sizes, browse custom bakery boxes.

Frequently Asked Questions