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When you’re planning a corporate event, offering food and drink to guests is an important aspect of hospitality. In addition to serving a main meal, you also want to allow for some sweet treats at the end of the event. You may be wondering, “What quantities should I plan for desserts? What portion sizes work best?”
Below, we’ll take the mystery out of determining dessert portions for corporate events. Remember, it’s not one-size-fits-all.
A Few Considerations Before You Begin…
Keep in mind that several factors can impact portion sizes and food quantities. These factors include the duration of the event, the type of food you’re serving, and the number of guests you expect.
When it comes to desserts, you’ll want to consider the following:
- Type of service: During a formal, sit-down event, you can better control portion sizes for your desserts. For a self-service or buffet-style event, you’ll need to offer more generous portions per person.
- Duration of event: For shorter-length events, portion sizes can be smaller because guests have less time to eat. If your event will be longer, guests may return to your dessert buffet for seconds.
- Guest preferences: Consider your guests’ dynamics and preferences when planning your dessert selections. For example, if your guests will have certain dietary restrictions, you may need to adjust portion sizes accordingly for some desserts compared to others.
Catering Portions for Desserts
We’ve put together some general guidelines to help you determine how many desserts you need per person for a corporate event. The food quantity lists below will give you a starting point, but keep in mind that each specialty event is unique and may require additional planning.
- Cake: 1-by-2-inch slice per person for a multi-layer cake
- Cupcakes: 1 standard-size cupcake per person or 2-3 mini cupcakes per person
- Cookies: 1 to 3 cookies per person
- Pies and tarts: 1 slice of a large tart per person or 1 mini tart per person
Mind the Numbers With Mini Desserts
Mini desserts remain popular choices for events. A good guide for corporate dessert portions is three to four mini desserts per person. This figure could change if you’re not planning to serve a full-size dessert as well, such as a cake.
Also keep in mind that mini desserts may need to be ordered by the dozen or half dozen. So, if you choose to serve mini tarts, mini cream puffs, macarons, and cake truffles, that’s four dessert options times one dozen of each type to equal 48 pieces in total, which should serve approximately 12 to 16 people.
Make Your Special Event Sweet with Frost
Whether you’re hosting a business meeting, conference, or corporate retreat, make it a sweet one with the help of Frost Artisan Bakery. Call us today to speak with a member of our team. We’ll be happy to help you plan a dynamic dessert presentation that aligns with your event’s purpose and budget.
