Cake Sizes and Shapes

Most of us associate cakes with the classic tall round layer cakes we’ve feasted on at birthday parties. Less festive, but easier because they require no assembly, are flat sheet cakes. To make a round layer cake, you can cut one cake into two or three or even more layers using a serrated knife—slicing more than two layers takes a little practice—and put filling in between, or you can bake two layer cakes and cut each of these in half or in thirds. Most of the cake recipes given here are for one, or sometimes two, 9-inch round layer cakes—the size cake pan found in most home kitchens— typically 1 to 1½ inches thick.