How Much Does a Wedding Cake Cost? The 2025 Average Revealed
A wedding cake plays a huge part in your wedding. Not only is it a centrepiece at the wedding reception, but also acts as a talking point — with the added benefit of your guests getting to eat it too.
But exactly how much a wedding cake costs depends on a lot, from the number of tiers to the flavour. You may want an elegant, traditional fruit cake, or a towering chocolate explosion — the choices are endless.
In this post, we’ll take a look at everything to do with the cost of a wedding cake, including the average cost, what can affect the price, and what type of cake you might expect for your budget.
What’s the average cost of a wedding cake?
In our ultimate wedding budget breakdown for South Africa, we found that the average cost of a wedding cake ranges from R3,000 to R15,000. That said, what you’ll actually spend can vary widely depending on your preferences.
If you’re working with a smaller budget, a simple two-tier vanilla sponge with minimal decoration is often the most affordable option. On the other hand, if you’re dreaming of a showstopping four-tier cake with multiple flavours, handcrafted sugar flowers, or custom detailing, you’ll need to budget quite a bit more.
| Number of Tiers | Affordable | Moderate | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | R3,000 – R5,000 | R5,000 – R6,500 | R9,000 – R10,000 |
| 3 | R5,000 – R6,500 | R6,500 – R9,000 | R12,000 – R13,000 |
| 4 | R6,500 – R8,000 | R9,000 – R10,500 | R15,000 – R16,000 |
Keep in mind, choosing a DIY approach might involve compromises in quality or design.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a fully custom-designed wedding cake, be prepared to spend well over R20,000 — even for cakes with fewer tiers. That’s because you’re paying for true artistry, expert craftsmanship, and a highly personalised experience. A bespoke cake often involves months of planning, consultations, and design revisions to get every detail just right. Once the design is finalised, the actual decorating process can take several days, especially if it includes handcrafted sugar flowers, intricate piping, or sculpted elements.
How much should you pay for a wedding cake?
How much you should pay for your wedding cake is down to what works for you — there is no right or wrong answer. If a wedding cake is something you want to include as a formality (or to appease Grandma), then you may want something small purely for the sake of your photos and to give your guests an extra dessert (once again, appeasing Grandma). In fact, if you’re not big on tradition, you don’t need a wedding cake at all. Something fun and unexpected — like a pie, a stack of doughnuts, or even a wobbly jelly tower — can work just as well and make for a memorable talking point among your guests.
Do bespoke wedding cakes cost more?
Yes, a bespoke wedding cake will cost considerably more than a ‘generic design’, as we’ve already touched upon above, due to the amount of time it takes the cake maker to design and make a one-of-a-kind cake which also doubles as a showstopping work of edible art. This could include having to create new techniques, sourcing new cake moulds, or crafting sugar models and patterns.
Store-made cakes are also made in large batches and often frozen before they’re bought, whereas bespoke cakes are freshly made. It can still be a lovely cake to both admire and eat, but a bespoke cake adds that unparalleled touch of quality, and so naturally comes with a premium price tag.
How many tiers does your wedding cake need?
Traditionally, a wedding cake will have three tiers, but that’s not to say that your cake should stick to this. It’s your wedding, and if you want your cake to have two tiers (or 14 if you’re so inclined — you do you) then there’s nothing stopping you.
The only thing to be mindful of is how many guests your cake may need to feed. The more guests you have, then if you plan on letting everyone have a slice the bigger it’ll need to be.
What about novelty cakes?
If you love cake but aren’t too attached to tradition, a show-stopping novelty cake can make the perfect centrepiece. While a classic three-tier cake is sure to impress, choosing a novelty cake shaped after something special to you adds a unique, personal touch. Whether it’s a mountain to symbolise your love of hiking, a carousel to reflect your love of fairs, or a stack of books for the bookworms out there, the creative options are limitless while still keeping it elegant. Just remember, novelty cakes take more time and detail, which can increase the cost — but they’re absolutely worth it for the wow factor.
Another fun option is serving cupcakes, which can be customised to match your wedding theme and are always a hit with guests!
Does the number of decorations affect the cost of a wedding cake?
Wedding cake prices can climb quickly depending on the number and complexity of sugar decorations you include. For example, a ready-made sugar flower might cost around R150, while custom-designed sugar blooms — like detailed peonies or roses — can add R800 or more to your final price, especially if they’re crowning each tier.
If you’re looking to save, consider using fresh or artificial flowers instead. Both options can look just as beautiful and cost significantly less, all while still giving your cake that wow factor.
What other factors can affect the cost of a wedding cake?
When it comes to your wedding cake, there are plenty of factors that will affect how much you’ll pay. The following are the most important:
- Tiers: The more tiers there are, the more your cake will cost.
- Location: Where your cake maker is based will definitely affect the cost. Bakers located in major cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban typically charge more than those in smaller towns or rural areas. This is often due to higher overhead costs, greater demand, and the premium placed on well-known city-based vendors. If you’re on a tighter budget, it may be worth exploring talented bakers outside the big cities — just be sure to factor in transport or delivery fees.
- Design: A more complex or intricate cake design will take more time and skill than a simple or more subtle design, bumping up the cost.
- Techniques: The techniques involved are another potential variable in the cost, for example, whether the cake will be hand-painted, or airbrushed with stencils, or whether it needs to be sculpted free-hand, or is of a simpler shape.
- Toppers: Cake toppers offer a cute way to personalise your cake, but can take a lot of time to craft, especially if they’re bespoke.
- Flavour: A basic sponge cake will be more affordable than luxurious triple chocolate or alcohol-soaked fruit cake.
- Dummy layers: If you want more tiers but not necessarily more cake, dummy layers will lower the cost by (though not always by as much as you might think).
- Ingredients: If organic or premium ingredients are important to you then you’ll need a budget to reflect it. Ingredients for the decoration will also add to the cost – for example, if there’s sugar, buttercream, chocolate or even fresh flowers.
- Stand: A basic cake stand will be more affordable than one that’s extravagant.
- Delivery and setup fees: If delivery and setup take a long time, especially for large and elaborate cakes, then expect to pay a little extra.
What else should you bear in mind?
You’ll be the first to slice your cake, but don’t expect to have to cut every guest a slice yourself. When speaking to your catering team, ask them exactly how you want your cake to be sliced. If you have a fruit cake, the denseness and richness mean you don’t need to be overly generous with size like you might with a more delicate sponge. Another way to ensure a better cost-per-slice ratio is with square slices instead of wedges.
When it comes to taste, vanilla, chocolate and lemon are the most popular wedding cake flavours, and luckily they’re also among the cheapest. A fruit cake made with fresh fruit will be more expensive, but as we mentioned above, its intense (and more acquired) taste means it’ll go further. Also, rolled fondant and marzipan will cost more, as they take more time to smooth and can tear easily if not applied carefully.
What about dummy layers?
Dummy layers are a smart way to add height and grandeur to your wedding cake without breaking the bank. These faux tiers, made from styrofoam and covered in the same icing as the real cake, are indistinguishable to your guests. If you’re envisioning a five-tier cake but only need enough servings for 70 people, adding one or two dummy layers can achieve that dramatic effect without the extra cost or weight of additional cake. While the dummy layers themselves are affordable, keep in mind that intricate decorations and detailing will still drive up the overall price.
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