Edible Image Size for a Bento Cake
Print a 3.5 inch (89 mm) circle to leave room for a piped border on a 4 inch bento cake, or 4 inches to cover the whole top. Go down to 3 inches if the border is thick.
Print at3.5 in (89 mm)
Free to design, no account needed. Print files come with a CakeyTops membership — 7 days free, then £4.99 a month.
Sizes at a glance
| Use | Print size | Per A4 | Per US Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a piped border About a quarter inch all round for piping | 3.5 in (89 mm) | 6 | 4 |
| Edge to edge Sold as a bento topper | 4 in (102 mm) | 2 | 2 |
| A thick border | 3 in (76 mm) | 6 | 6 |
Why this size
Bento cakes are small, and the piped border is part of the look — the image is usually the middle, not the whole top. A 3.5 inch circle leaves about a quarter inch all round for piping.
Suppliers also sell full 4 inch bento toppers for a clean, printed-edge look with no border.
How to put an edible image on a bento cake
- 1
Smooth the top
Crumb-coat and smooth the top of the cake so the image lies flat. - 2
Apply to buttercream or sugarpaste
Lay the image straight onto fresh buttercream, or brush a little water on a sugarpaste (fondant) top first. - 3
Pipe the border last
Pipe round the edge after the image is on — the piping hides the edge of the sheet.
Tips that save a sheet
- Bento orders often come with cupcakes: a 3.5 inch circle and 2 inch cupcake circles can share one sheet.
- Writing a message? Leave the top quarter of the image plain and pipe the words on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size edible image for a 4 inch bento cake?
3.5 inches (89 mm) with a piped border, or 4 inches edge to edge.
How many bento toppers fit on a sheet?
With a 6 mm cutting gap: at 3.5 inches, 6 per A4 sheet and 4 per US Letter sheet; at 4 inches, 2 per A4 sheet and 2 per US Letter sheet.
Sizes checked against: Cakey Bake — 4 in bento toppers · Custom Edible Sheets size guide. Sheet counts come from the CakeyTops editor itself.