How Much Buttercream for a 6 Inch Cake?
About 3.5 cups (758 g) of buttercream fills, crumb-coats and covers a three-layer, 4 inch tall 6 inch round cake with a smooth finish. Allow 2.1 cups for a thin, naked finish and 5.8 cups if you are piping rosettes or ruffles.
You need about758 g · 3.5 cups
For a 6 inch round, 4 in tall, three layers filled, smooth finish.
By finish
| Finish | Grams | Cups |
|---|---|---|
| Thin Coat Crumb coat / naked cake | 448 g | 2.1 |
| Medium Standard smooth finish | 758 g | 3.5 |
| Thick Generous frosting layer | 1033 g | 4.8 |
| Piped / Textured Rosettes, ruffles, etc. | 1240 g | 5.8 |
By height and layers
| Cake | Grams | Cups |
|---|---|---|
| Two layers, 4 in tall | 624 g | 2.9 |
| Three layers, 4 in tall | 758 g | 3.5 |
| Four layers, 6 in tall | 1070 g | 5 |
What to make
For about 758 g of American-style buttercream (a 1 : 2 butter to icing sugar recipe), beat together:
- 247 g butter, softened — about 1 cups
- 476 g icing (powdered) sugar — about 4 cups
- 28 ml milk
- 7 tsp vanilla extract
Beat the butter until pale, add the sugar in two or three goes, then the milk and vanilla. Make it the day before if you like — bring it back to room temperature and beat again before using.
How the amount is worked out
The calculator measures the surface you are covering — the top, the sides and one filling layer between each sponge — and multiplies it by how thickly each finish is spread. It is calibrated against published amounts: an 8 inch two-layer cake needs about 4 to 4.5 cups to fill, crumb-coat and finish. Make a little extra for the bowl and the spatula.
Other cake sizes
Topping it?
A 6 inch cake takes a 5 in (127 mm) edible image. See the 6 inch cake size guide, or open that size in the topper editor — free to design.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much buttercream to crumb coat a 6 inch cake?
About 1.3 cups (290 g) for a thin crumb coat over the top and sides of a 4 inch tall 6 inch cake, not counting the filling.
How much buttercream for a two-layer 6 inch cake?
About 2.9 cups (624 g) to fill between the two layers and cover the cake with a smooth finish.
How much icing sugar do I need for buttercream for a 6 inch cake?
About 476 g (4 cups) of icing (powdered) sugar with 247 g of butter, for the smooth-finish amount of about 758 g of buttercream.
Worked out with the same model as the buttercream calculator, so this page and the calculator always agree. CakeyTops calculators are free to use with no account.