Regular vs. Scalloped Cake Boards: A Selection Guide for Precisely Matching Your Baked Products
For anyone who loves baking or bakers who do it for work, picking a cake board isn’t easy. It’s not just a steady base for the cake, but also something that makes the cake look better. When you need to choose the right cake board for your baked goods, whether it's a simple Scalloped cake board or a Regular cake board—buying from good cake board manufacturers (especially cake board factories in China) can make your later choice much easier. Which cake board is best for what you bake? This article will talk about three important points: - How well it looks with the cake - How much weight it can hold - If it’s worth the money If you think about different baked things, how you use them, and how much money you have, we’ll give you a useful way to choose. This makes sure your cake board and your baked things really get a "1+1>2" effect.
1. Aesthetics and adaptability: Choose a “visual partner” based on product style
Different baked things have their own special styles. The edge design of the cake board must match the product’s style—this keeps them from looking bad together and makes the product more attractive. The difference in how regular and scalloped cake boards look is basically a choice between being simple and being decorative. So you need to pick the right one according to what the product is for.
(1) Regular Cake Boards: Suitable for "Minimalistic" and "Detailed" Products
The core advantage of regular cake boards is that they don't steal the show, allowing the product's details to take center stage. This makes them particularly suitable for two types of baked goods:
First are simple-style baked goods. Take the famous online Basque cheesecake, for example. Its smoky cheese flavor and soft, runny filling are what make it special. If you pair it with a white or light wood regular cake board, this plain background lets people focus on how the cake feels in their mouth. Another example is Japanese raw milk rolls. They have a soft cake base with light, smooth cream inside. When matched with a beige regular cake board, they create a fresh and natural feel. This perfectly shows the "simple but nice" style of Japanese baking. But if you use a wavy-edge cake board for these kinds of treats, it would take attention away from the cake itself. This makes their simple, clean look less appealing.
Another type is baked treats with many small decorations. For example, cream cakes with chocolate chips, chopped nuts or fresh fruit, or fondant cakes with fancy frosting designs. A regular cake board has straight sides—it makes a neat line for the eyes, so those small decorations stand out more. Take a "forest-themed" cream cake. It has matcha cream inside and has blueberries, raspberries, and mint leaves on top. If you put it on a dark green straight-edge cake board, the straight sides make the fruit’s colors and the cake’s layers easier to see. But a wavy-edge cake board would blend with the cake’s natural decorations when you look at it, and that would look messy.
Also, regular cake boards are good for putting different baked things together. For example, when you put small cakes, muffins and cookies in an afternoon tea set, using a regular cake board makes the display look neater. It won’t be messy like wavy-edge ones (their edges aren’t straight). This makes regular cake boards great for big displays—like in cafes or during company coffee times.
（2）Wavy-Edge Cake Boards: Suitable for Products with a "Sweet" or "Ceremony" Style
Wavy-edge cake boards look nice on their own. Their curved edges can make baked goods feel romantic and sweet. So they’re great for treats that need a special or sweet feeling.
First, there are baked goods for special occasions. Birthday cakes, wedding cakes and holiday-themed cakes are common ones. For example, take a small 6-inch kids’ birthday cake. It has cartoon frosting decorations and colorful buttercream on it. If you pair it with a pink wavy-edge cake board, the curved edges match the fun, kid-friendly parts of the cake. This makes the "birthday mood" feel stronger right away. Similarly, think about wedding cakes. A multi-layer white fondant cake with a gold wavy-edge cake board works well. Under lights, the curved edges make soft patterns. This adds a fancy feel to the cake and fits the wedding’s romantic theme. If you use a regular cake board for these cakes, it would look too plain. It won’t meet what people expect for a "special feel."
Second, there are sweet-style baked goods. Like strawberry cream cakes, mango mousse cakes, and limited-edition cherry blossom cakes—these treats are all about being sweet and fresh. A flexible wavy-edge cake board can make this nice, sweet look even better. For example, a strawberry cream cake has red strawberries and white cream. If you pair it with a red wavy-edge cake board, the wavy pattern on the edge looks like a “strawberry skirt”—it adds a little cuteness. And a cherry blossom mousse cake? It has light pink mousse and cherry blossom petals on top. Pair it with a light pink wavy-edge cake board. The soft, curved edges make the cake look gentle and lovely. This fits the romantic feel of cherry blossom season perfectly.
Also, wavy-edge cake boards can help new bakers hide small mistakes. If the cake’s sides aren’t totally smooth, or if a little cream spills out around the edges, the curved edges of the wavy board can smartly cover these problems. This makes the final cake look nicer—and that’s really helpful for people who just started baking.
Load-bearing adaptability: select the "safety base" according to the product weight
How much weight a cake board can hold decides if your baked things are safe when you make them, move them, or show them. Baked goods with different weights and types need the cake board to hold very different amounts of weight. So you should think about how much weight regular and scalloped boards can take—and also think about how heavy your baked thing is and what it’s made of. This way, your baked things won’t get broken because the base (the cake board) isn’t strong enough.
(1)Regular Cake Boards: Suitable for Medium-Light and Flat Products
The flat surface of a regular cake board spreads force more evenly. That’s why it’s especially good for supporting medium-light and flat products. And it’s especially suitable for two types of products:
One is medium-light single-layer products. For example, single-layer cream cakes, cheesecakes, and chiffon cakes—they weigh 0.5 to 1.5 kg. Take an 8-inch cheesecake: it weighs about 1.2 kg. A 3mm thick cardboard straight-edge cake board will work for this. Its flat surface spreads the weight evenly, so the cake board won’t bend even after you put it in the fridge. But a wavy-edge cake board of the same thickness might not spread the weight evenly. This could make the cake lean a little.
The other type is flat multi-layer products. For example, a two-layer cream cake (it weighs about 1.8-2.2 kg total) needs the smooth edges of a regular cake board. This makes sure the top and bottom layers line up correctly, so they don’t get out of place because of uneven edges. Take a two-layer chocolate cream cake. Use a 10-inch regular cake board for the bottom layer and an 8-inch one for the top layer. First, line up their edges, then connect them with chocolate glaze. This makes the whole cake more stable. But if you use a wavy-edge cake board for the top layer, its bumpy edges might stop the top layer from sitting firmly. That makes the cake more likely to fall apart.
Also, regular cake boards fit better into cake boxes. So they’re great for products that need to be moved often. For example, for cakes ordered on food delivery apps: when you put a regular cake board into the box, it stays close to the box’s sides. This way, it doesn’t move much when being delivered. For a 1.5kg cream cake, this stops problems like the cream getting squashed or the fruit moving around. (II) Corrugated Edge Cake Boards: Suitable for Medium-Weight and Decorative Products
Corrugated edge cake boards might not spread weight evenly because they’re curved. But better materials—like thicker ones or mixed materials—let them work for medium-weight and decorative products. Specifically, these products are:
Another type is multi-layer ceremonial cakes. For example, a three-layer wedding cake (total weight about 3-4kg) – it’s best to use plastic or double-layer corrugated cardboard wavy-edge cake boards. These cakes are often displayed at weddings, so they need to look good. Plastic ones (like gold or silver) can hold over 3kg, and their shiny metal look makes the cake feel more fancy. Double-layer corrugated cardboard ones (made by stacking two layers) can hold up to 3.5kg. And the paper material fits better with the cake’s soft style.
Another type is multi-layer ceremonial cakes. For example, a three-tiered wedding cake (weighing about 3-4kg total) – use plastic or double-layer corrugated cardboard corrugated-edge cake boards. These cakes are usually shown at weddings and need to look good. Plastic ones (like gold or silver) can hold over 3kg, and their shiny metal look makes the cake feel more fancy. Double-layer corrugated ones are two layers stacked together – they can hold up to 3.5kg, and the paper material fits better with the cake’s soft style.
Note that when choosing corrugated cardboard, pay attention to the corrugation size: smaller corrugations (0.5-1cm between peaks) are tighter and hold more weight than larger ones (1.5cm or more between peaks). For cakes over 2.5kg, choose corrugated cardboard with smaller corrugations. This avoids edge bending caused by wider corrugations.
3.Cost adaptability: Choose a cost-effective solution based on budget and sales volume
(1) Regular Cake Boards: Suitable for Low-Cost Needs and High-Sales Scenario
The cost advantages of straight-edge cake boards lie in their simplicity of production and flexible procurement, making them particularly suitable for two types of users:
The first type is small bakeries and individual hobbyists. These users typically sell fewer than 50 cakes per month and have limited budgets. The low unit price of regular cake boards effectively controls costs. For example, an 8-inch regular cardboard regular cake board costs approximately 0.3-0.5 yuan per sheet. If 30 cakes are sold per month, the cost of the cake board is only 9-15 yuan. By contrast, a wavy-edge cake board of the same size costs approximately 0.5-0.8 yuan per sheet, bringing the monthly cost to 15-24 yuan, a 60% increase. For small shops or individuals with limited profit margins, straight-edge cake boards can reduce operating costs without sacrificing basic functionality.
The second type is high-volume daily products. For example, cafes’ "daily baked mini cakes" and supermarkets’ pre-made cream cakes—they have high sales (10-20 pieces per day) and low prices (15-30 yuan each), so you need to control the cost per product. regular cake boards are cheap, and they meet the needs of "safety" and "basic aesthetics" without eating into profit margins due to high costs. Take a 20-yuan mini cake: a regular board that costs 0.3 yuan only accounts for 1.5% of the total cost. But if you use a wavy-edge board (costing 0.6 yuan), the cost ratio jumps to 3%—which will significantly hurt profits in the long run.
(2) Wavy-edged Cake Boards: Suitable for "High Premium" and "Low Volume, High Profit" Scenarios
Though wavy-edged cake boards cost more, they can make products look nicer and help sell them at a higher price—so they’re suitable for two types of users:
One type is bakeries that focus on ceremonial products. For example, shops that sell birthday and wedding cakes—these products cost 150-500 yuan each. Here, consumers care more about looks and a sense of ceremony than cost. Take a 300-yuan wedding cake: it might use a 1-yuan gold wavy-edge cake board—this is just 0.3% of the cake’s total cost. But the "luxury" feel of the wavy edges makes the cake more appealing than competitors’ products. It could even let you raise the price by 5-10% because of its nice look, which finally boosts profits. Using straight-edge cake boards, though, would make the product less competitive—and you might lose potential customers.
Another category is limited-edition holiday products. For example, limited-edition cakes for Christmas or Valentine’s Day usually have small daily sales (5-10 pieces), but consumers are willing to pay more for the festive vibe. Take a Valentine’s Day "Love Mousse Cake" – pair it with a red wavy-edge cake board. The patterned edges match the heart shape, boosting the romantic feel. Even though this cake board costs 0.3 yuan more than a straight-edge one, the extra cost is easily covered by the cake’s price premium (20%-30% higher than regular cakes). It also makes the product feel more "holiday-exclusive."
Also, buying in bulk can lower the cost of wavy-edge cake boards. If you buy 500 or more each month, some suppliers can cut the unit price of an 8-inch cardboard wavy-edge cake board to 0.4-0.5 yuan. This closes the price gap with straight-edge ones. For medium-sized bakeries with steady sales, this lets them keep costs in check while getting the nice look of wavy edges.
4. Summary: Three steps to lock the right cake board
Choose between regular and wavy-edge cake boards—no need to worry about "which is better." Find the perfect match in three steps:
First, consider the product style: If your product is minimalist, detailed, or intended for everyday use in bulk, choose a regular cake board. If your product is ceremonial, sweet, or for holidays or birthdays, choose a wavy-edge cake board.
Second, consider the product weight: If your product weighs ≤1.5kg and is a single-layer, flat board, choose 3mm thick regular cardboard. If your product weighs 1.5-2.5kg, choose 4-5mm thick regular corrugated cardboard or wavy-edge cardboard. If your product weighs >2.5kg, choose wavy-edge corrugated cardboard or plastic board (preferably with a small wavy pattern).
Third, consider your budget and sales volume: If your monthly sales are ≤50 units and you’re on a tight budget, choose a regular cake board. If your products are priced high (with room for a premium) or your monthly purchase volume is ≥500 units, go for a wavy-edge cake board. The charm of baking is in paying attention to small details. Though tiny, cake boards can be a hidden plus. Whether it’s the simplicity of straight edges or the lively look of wavy edges, the best choice for your product is the one that fits your needs. Let the cake board be a perfect match, not an extra decoration—so every baked good is both safe and nice-looking.
Post time: Sep-17-2025