Custom Cake Boxes

Sizing for Your Cakes

Cake boxes are usually square, and sized by the cake they hold plus room for a cake board. A 6 inch cake usually sits on an 8 inch (203 mm) board, so it needs a box about 210 mm square inside. An 8 inch round cake on a 9 or 10 inch board needs a box around 260 mm square, and a 10 inch cake on a 12 inch board needs about 310 mm. Height depends on the cake and decoration; a simple sponge needs much less than a cake topped with tall sugar flowers. Measure your tallest regular cake, including any topper, and add 20 to 30 mm of headroom.

Most bakers need two or three sizes to cover their range. Ordering the same design in each keeps everything consistent.

If you make cakes of unusual shapes, such as numbers, letters or hearts, measure the widest points and choose a box that fits the largest. A rectangular box is often more practical than a square one for number cakes.

Remember that cake boards are usually larger than the cake itself, so measure the board rather than the cake when sizing the base. The guide to measuring a cake for a box works through boards and toppers step by step.

• 6 inch cakes and bento-style bakes
• 8 inch cakes, the most popular size
• 10 inch cakes and large traybakes
• Tall boxes for stacked and tiered cakes
• Shallow boxes for cheesecakes and tarts

Windows, Lids and Inserts

A window in the lid lets customers see the cake without opening the box, which reduces handling and shows off your decoration. Windows can be square, round or shaped to match your logo. A one-piece box with a fold-over lid is quick to make up; a two-piece box with a separate lid is easier for tall cakes, as the cake can be placed on the base before the lid goes on.

Cake boards and cupcake inserts can be supplied with the boxes. A card insert with holes turns a cake box into a cupcake box when needed.

Windows reduce the strength of a lid slightly, so on large boxes we keep a wider border of board around the window to keep the lid firm.

Two-piece boxes also stack neatly when assembled, which is handy if you prepare boxes in advance for a busy weekend of collections, with bases ready on the bench.

Design Ideas That Work

Simple designs usually work best on cake boxes. A logo on the lid, your contact details on one side and a short message inside the lid are enough for most bakers. Some add a pattern around the sides or a band of colour. A sticker with the customer's name or the cake flavour can personalise each box without changing the print.

Remember cake boxes are often stacked, so the lid design is the most important part.

A short line inside the lid, such as storage advice or a thank you, is a small touch customers remember, and it costs no more to print than a plain inside.

Including your website or social media name helps customers find you again, especially after a party where many guests will have tasted the cake. Customers who carry the box home often ask for printed cake bags with handles in the same colours.

Food Contact and Handling

Cake boxes come into contact with cake boards rather than the cake itself in most cases, but greasy bakes and buttercream can still mark the board. A grease-resistant inner coating helps keep the inside clean and stops oil spreading into the outside print. Food-contact grade board is available on request for cakes that sit directly in the box.

Store flat boxes somewhere dry and away from strong smells, as board can absorb odours.

During warm weather, advise customers to keep boxed cakes cool and out of direct sun in the car, as heat can soften buttercream even inside a good box. Bakeries supplying cafés in volume sometimes switch to plainer bakery cake boxes in bulk for those orders.

Size the Box From the Board and the Topper

The two numbers that decide a cake box are the board, not the cake, and the topper, not the sponge. An 8 inch cake usually sits on a 10 inch board, so the base needs about 260 mm inside, and a cake with a 60 mm sugar flower on top needs 20 to 30 mm more height than a plain one. Measure your tallest regular order with its topper fitted, pick kraft or white, and decide on a window for the lid.

Two or three sizes with one logo keep each run larger and cheaper. Send the sizes, finish and quantity and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with boxes from £0.25 and minimums quoted per job. The free proof shows the print on the flat box. Production takes 4–7 working days after approval and tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses is free, taking 2–3 working days. Boxes with dented corners or misprints reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. We keep the artwork and sizes on file for reorders, and matching printed cake boards for the base can be added at the same time.