Cake box mockup and dieline

The flat dieline

Cake box: what to know

A cake box has to carry soft cream and decorations without the lid touching them, and look good enough for a birthday. It is set up here at 250 x 250 x 150 mm with an oval window.

• Size to the cake board plus 5 to 10 mm, and set the height from the tallest decoration plus 10 to 20 mm.
• Bakeries often keep one box per cake weight (0.5 kg, 1 kg, 2 kg). Measure your boards before fixing the sizes.
• A window lets the customer check the message on the cake before leaving the counter.
• For tall or tiered cakes, a separate base and lid, or a taller box, is easier to load than a tuck lid.

Parts of a bakery box with window

A bakery box is a one-piece box with a hinged lid, a window in the lid and a front that tucks in to close. It folds up flat at the counter, protects a cake or pastries on the way home, and the window shows what is inside without opening it. The same box is used for cakes, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, pastries and mithai.

Base

The floor of the box. Size it to the cake board or the tray, not the cake.

Walls

Front, back and sides. The front wall takes the lid tuck.

Lid

Hinged at the back, with the window. The main print area.

Window

A cut-out in the lid, rectangle or oval in the studio, covered with clear film in production.

Tuck flap

The front edge of the lid that tucks in to close. Some bakery boxes use corner lock tabs instead.

How to size it

1. Measure the cake board or tray, not the cake: the board is what has to fit flat on the floor.
2. Add 5 to 10 mm on length and width so the board slides in and lifts out without touching the walls.
3. Measure the tallest decoration (candles, toppers, piped cream) and add 10 to 20 mm for the height.
4. Pick the window shape in the studio and check the closed box in the 3D view.

Materials and finishes

Food-grade white paperboard, 300 to 350 gsm

Most cake and pastry boxes. Prints bright and stays stiff.

Food-grade kraft paperboard

A natural, home-baker look.

Finishes

Clear window film

Keeps dust off and shows the product. Fitted by the box maker; the studio shows only the opening.

Matte varnish or lamination

Protects the print from finger marks and cream smudges.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sizing to the cake instead of the board: the board does not fit, or slides around.
• Too little height for cream and toppers: the lid touches the decoration and spoils it.
• A window so large that the lid loses its stiffness. Keep at least 15 to 20 mm of board around it.
• No grease barrier under butter cream or ghee sweets. Use a food-grade board or liner under the food.

How to make it in the studio

1. Open it. Press Customise this cake box. It opens in the 3D studio at 250 x 250 x 150 mm.
2. Set the size. In the Size panel, choose whether you are entering the Inside or Outside size, then type your measurements. The other one is shown underneath.
3. Add your design. In the Design panel, upload your logo or artwork: it goes on the front first. Pick other faces to add colours, text or images to each.
4. Check it in 3D. Turn the pack around, and use the Flat to Closed slider to watch it fold. Switch to the Dieline view to see the artwork on the dieline.
5. Download. The Download panel gives you the PDF dieline to send your printer first, then mockup images for your store or social posts.
6. Get it made. If you want a quote, send the design to packitmama from the Download panel, and we will reply personally.

Questions