Present Every Slice Beautifully With Custom Cardboard Cake Boxes
A beautifully decorated cake deserves packaging that matches its craftsmanship. Custom cardboard cake boxes are not just a container for transport. They are the first impression a customer receives before the reveal, and the last impression a recipient has before they start cutting. At Teal Packaging, we produce custom printed cake boxes engineered for structural integrity, food safety, and brand presentation, so your baked goods arrive in perfect condition inside packaging that reflects the quality of your work.
Our cardboard cake packaging is used by bakeries, patisseries, home bakers selling online, and catering operations. Whether you need windowed boxes for slice display, full-lid boxes for tiered cakes, or flat pastry boxes for single-layer formats, we produce every style to your exact dimensions and brand design. With a minimum order of 50 units, free design support, and free shipping to customers in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia, professional cake packaging is within reach for any bakery business.
Materials and Board Weights for Cake Boxes
Cake packaging must be food-safe, structurally sound, and capable of supporting the weight of the cake without bowing. Teal Packaging offers the following substrate options for custom cardboard cake boxes:
- 300 gsm to 350 gsm SBS (solid bleached sulfate) paperboard: The industry-standard choice for cake boxes. SBS board is bright white, food-safe, and suitable for CMYK and Pantone printing. It resists moisture reasonably well at standard room temperature and is the substrate most commonly used in bakery retail packaging.
- 350 gsm SBS with PE or clay coating: For cakes with cream, mousse, or fondant finishes where surface moisture contact is more likely, a light PE or clay coating provides an additional barrier layer.
- 400 gsm SBS board: Used for larger and heavier cakes where the base panel must support additional weight without sagging. Recommended for whole cakes over 1.5 kg.
- Kraft paperboard (280 gsm to 320 gsm): Natural kraft cake boxes suit artisan bakers, farmers market vendors, and brands with a rustic, handcrafted aesthetic. Unbleached kraft is food-safe and printable, and gives a distinctly warm presentation compared to white board.
- E-flute corrugated: For tiered or heavier cakes requiring additional structural support, E-flute corrugated cake boxes offer cushioning and rigidity that flat board cannot match.
All substrates are sourced from FSC-certified supply chains. Soy-based inks are the standard on every print run.
Customization Options for Cardboard Cake Packaging
Our free design support team helps you create cake boxes that communicate your bakery brand as clearly as your products do. Ever For related packaging needs, explore our mailer boxes.y element of your custom cardboard cake box is adjustable.
- Box style: Full-lid tuck top, windowed lid with PET or PLA film, auto-bottom for easy setup, side-open presentation boxes for display cakes, and flat pastry boxes for slices and individual portions.
- Window options: Die-cut windows with clear PET film for product visibility on cake slice boxes and cupcake boxes. Biodegradable PLA windows are available for eco-conscious brands.
- Printing: Full CMYK and Pantone spot color with soy-based inks. Bakery branding often incorporates warm tones, floral patterns, and handwritten-style typography, all of which print cleanly on our SBS substrates.
- Surface finish: Matte lamination for a soft, upscale bakery feel; gloss lamination for bright, high-contrast color; aqueous coating as the food-safe finish option that does not compromise recyclability.
- Foil and embossing: Gold foil stamping on bakery logos is a widely used premium touch. Embossed and debossed logo panels add tactile brand differentiation on the lid.
- Inserts: Cardboard cake boards, dividers for multi-slice boxes, and separator inserts for cupcake and macaron formats within the same box structure.
Standard and Custom Sizes for Cake Boxes
Cake box sizes are driven by the diameter and height of the cake inside. All measurements are listed as length x width x height in inches.
- 4 x 4 x 2.5 in -- individual slice or small pastry box
- 6 x 6 x 4 in -- 6-inch single-layer round cake
- 8 x 8 x 4 in -- 8-inch single-layer round or square cake
- 10 x 10 x 5 in -- 10-inch round cake or sheet cake
- 12 x 12 x 6 in -- 12-inch celebration cake with deep lid
- 14 x 10 x 4 in -- half-sheet cake box
- 16 x 12 x 4 in -- full-sheet cake box
- 6 x 6 x 8 in -- tall two-layer or tiered individual cake
If your cake is an unusual shape, such as sculpted, hexagonal, or tiered, share your dimensions and our structural team will design a box to fit correctly.
Sustainability in Cake Box Packaging
Bakery packaging generates significant volume, especially for high-turnover retail bakeries. Teal Packaging helps reduce the environmental footprint of your cake boxes through FSC-certified board sourcing, soy-based ink printing, and substrate selection that maximizes recyclability. Uncoated kraft and aqueous-coated SBS options are both accepted in standard curbside paper recycling without consumer sorting.
For bakeries committed to compostable packaging, uncoated kraft cake boxes without lamination c For related packaging needs, explore our cream packaging.an often qualify for industrial composting in regions where food-contaminated paper is accepted. Check with your local waste management provider for specific criteria in your area.
Pair your cake boxes with complementary food-safe packaging from our range: custom food boxes for a full bakery packaging lineup, and custom retail boxes for counter display and shelf-ready cake packaging at retail scale.
How to Order Custom Cardboard Cake Boxes
Our cake box ordering process is designed to get bakeries into production quickly, with the structural care that food packaging demands.
- Step 1 - Quote request: Provide your cake dimensions, estimated cake weight, box style preference, quantity (minimum 50 units), and any window or insert requirements.
- Step 2 - Structural dieline: We provide a dieline built to your exact cake box dimensions and style, ready for your artwork.
- Step 3 - Design and proof: Upload artwork or let our design team create a layout from your bakery brand assets at no charge. Digital proof provided and revised until approved.
- Step 4 - Production: Production runs complete in approximately two weeks from proof approval.
- Step 5 - Free shipping: Cake boxes are shipped free to the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Cardboard Cake Boxes
Are your cake boxes food-safe?
Yes. We use food-safe SBS paperboard and kraft substrates for all cake packaging. Soy-based inks are applied to the exterior only, with no direct food contact. For applications where the box interior may contact the cake surface, we recommend an uncoated interior or an interior food-safe liner, which we can specify and quote alongside the standard box.
Can cake boxes include a window for slice display?
Yes. Window boxes are a popular format for cake slices, cupcakes, and pastries. The die-cut window is covered with clear PET or biodegradable PLA film. PLA film is compostable and is a good option for bakeries with eco-focused packaging commitments. Window position and shape are fully customizable within the structural constraints of the box style. For related packaging needs, explore our eco-friendly kraft boxes.
What is the minimum order quantity for custom cardboard cake boxes?
The minimum order is 50 units per design. This makes custom printed cake boxes accessible for small-batch bakeries, home bakers growing an online brand, and specialty patisseries that want professional branded packaging without a large initial inventory investment.
Can I order different sizes in the same design at the same time?
Yes, but each size requires its own dieline and minimum order run. If your brand uses three different cake box sizes, each size is ordered as a separate SKU with its own 50-unit minimum. Combining multiple sizes in a single order can sometimes reduce per-unit design fees, so discuss your full size range at the quote stage.
How do I ensure the box fits my cakes correctly?
Provide the length, width, and height of your finished cakes in inches, including any decoration height above the cake surface. For round cakes, provide the diameter and height. We will design the box with appropriate clearance on all sides so the lid closes cleanly without pressing on decorations. For tiered cakes, describe each tier's dimensions and we will design a box with sufficient internal height.