How much frosting do I need for a cake?
Here's your complete cake frosting guide.
Cake math can be hard. Calculating the size of your cake and the amount of frosting you need, then finding the right recipe to match, can quickly become exhausting and confusing.
But we’re here to make your life easier! First, use the chart below to determine how much frosting you need for the amount of cake or cupcakes you’ll be decorating. Need a specific recipe? Go to the next chart, which provides recipe yields so you can choose the right frosting for you.
And of course, you can always double or triple a frosting recipe (or halve it) to accommodate your needs — dying to use Coffee Frosting, but need it to decorate 4 dozen chocolate cupcakes? Just double it.
Baker’s tip: We always recommend erring on the side of too much frosting, instead of too little. It will make your life easier and provide more room for error while decorating. And if you have leftovers, they can easily be frozen for the next time you make a cake. To do so, transfer to a freezer storage bag, press to eliminate air and seal tightly; frozen frosting will keep, frozen, for up to three months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
| Frosting Amount | Cake* | Cupcakes** |
| 1 1/2 cups | single-layer cake | 1 dozen cupcakes |
| 2 1/2 cups to 2 3/4 cups | 9" x 13" cake | 15 to 18 cupcakes |
| 3 cups | 9" x 13" cake | 18 to 24 cupcakes |
| 3 1/2 cups to 4 cups | 2-layer cake | 2 dozen cupcakes |
| 4 1/2 cups | 2-layer cake | 24 to 30 cupcakes |
| 5 cups to 5 1/2 cups | 3-layer cake | 30 to 36 cupcakes |
| 6 cups | 4-layer cake | 3 dozen cupcakes |
| 7 cups | Two 2-layer cakes One 9" x 13" layer cake | 4 dozen cupcakes |
*unless otherwise specified, refers to an 8" or 9" round cake
**about 2 tablespoons frosting per cupcake
| Frosting amount | Frosting recipes |
| 1 1/2 cups | Maple Buttercream Frosting Whipped Caramel Frosting |
| 2 1/2 cups to 2 3/4 cups | Quick Buttercream Frosting Chocolate Ermine Frosting Ermine Icing (Cooked Flour Frosting) |
| 3 cups | Cream Cheese Frosting White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting |
| 3 1/2 cups to 4 cups | Fluffy White Buttercream Frosting Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting Coffee Frosting German Buttercream Vegan Swiss Buttercream |
| 4 1/2 cups | Super-Simple Chocolate Frosting Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting |
| 5 cups to 5 1/2 cups | Swiss Buttercream Seven-Minute Frosting |
| 6 cups | Lemon Buttercream Frosting |
| 7 cups | Italian Buttercream |
Baker’s tip: For bigger batches of frosting, such as recipes that yield 6 or 7 cups, be careful doubling the recipe depending on your mixer capacity (which typically start at 4.5 quarts). For very large batches of frosting, we recommend using an Ankarsrum stand mixer — which can handle up to 7.4 quarts
Now that you’ve got your frosting covered, brush up on your decorating skills with the below resources:
- How to assemble and frost a layer cake
- How to crumb coat a cake
- How to use a pastry bag
- How to frost cupcakes for any skill level
Cover photo (Chocolate Ermine Frosting) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
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