Bake sale ideas

A bake sale lives or dies on three things: what you bake, how you price it and whether people can see what's on the table from ten feet away.

Everything here works for a school PTA table, a workplace fundraiser or a village hall morning, and most of it costs nothing to implement.

There's an allergen and food-safety section near the end, because schools will ask.

Bakes that always sell

• Brownies, cut small. The highest margin item on any table.
• Rocky road and millionaire's shortbread - no baking skill required, sells at £1.50 a square.
• Cupcakes with a topper, the easiest thing to price and the easiest to carry.
• Traybake sponge cut into twenty-four - one tin, one hour, twenty-four sales.
• Flapjack, for the people pretending it's healthy.
• Cookies sold in threes in a bag rather than singly.
• Cake pops and krispie cakes for the children's pound coins.
• Scones with a small pot of jam and cream, at a premium price.
• Savoury: cheese scones and sausage rolls, which sell to everyone who's skipped the sugar.

No-bake and last-minute options

• Rocky road, chocolate tiffin, cornflake cakes.
• Chocolate-dipped strawberries or pretzels.
• Decorate shop-bought cupcakes with toppers - completely acceptable and nobody minds.
• Bags of homemade honeycomb or fudge.
• Popcorn bags for the children's table.
• Jars of overnight oats or granola for a workplace morning sale.

Pricing a bake sale

• Whole pounds only. Change slows the queue and eats the takings.
• £1 for small items, £1.50 to £2 for a slice, £3 for a slice and a drink.
• Bundle: three cookies for £2 raises more than £1 each.
• Put a 'suggested donation' sign next to the tin - people give above it more often than below.
• Take contactless. Card donations run consistently higher than cash.
• Half price at the last half hour, then whole cakes for a fiver. Never bin leftovers.

Setting up the stall

• Bunting or a banner along the front. It doubles the number of people who stop.
• Height matters: use upturned boxes under a cloth so bakes aren't all at table level.
• Big, clear price signs readable from the queue.
• Cake stands and tiered plates for the centrepiece items.
• One person on money, one on serving. Never combine the roles.
• A float of £30 in coins, counted before you open.
• Napkins, bags and a bin. All three get forgotten every time.
• Table confetti or a cloth to hide the trestle table underneath.

Allergens and food safety

• Label every plate with the main allergens - nuts, gluten, dairy, egg.
• Keep a written ingredients list beside anything homemade.
• Mark nut-free items clearly and keep them at the opposite end of the table.
• No cream-filled items sitting out in a warm room for hours.
• Homemade food sold at occasional charity events is treated differently from regular trading, but schools usually have their own policy - ask before the day.
• Bring tongs. Nobody wants to see hands in the brownies.

Selling out by midday

• Open at the busiest footfall moment, not when you're ready - drop-off, break time or lunch.
• Post a photo of the table in the group chat the moment you open.
• Sell the showstopper by the slice, not whole, and put it at the front.
• Sample plate of broken pieces, free - it lifts sales noticeably.
• Announce the total raised so far halfway through. People buy more when the number is close to a round figure.
• Have a 'buy a cake for the staff room' option for people who don't want to eat one themselves.

Shop thank you cards

Cards for volunteers and organisers

Thank you and well done cards, blank inside, posted first class.

How to write it so it lands

• Ask for bakes on a signup sheet with named slots - a general plea produces eleven Victoria sponges and nothing else.
• Dress the table. Bunting and a cloth are the cheapest sales uplift available.
• Thank contributors publicly and by name the same day, and send a card to whoever organised it.

Where to shop next

• Macmillan Coffee Morning ideas
• Bake sale ideas
• Red Nose Day ideas
• Children in Need ideas
• Charity fundraising ideas
• Buy party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Cake toppers
• Table confetti
• Pin badges
• Thank you cards
• Work party ideas
• Celebration ideas
• Celebration cake ideas and toppers
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What sells best at a bake sale?

Brownies, rocky road, cupcakes and traybakes. Anything that can be eaten standing up with one hand and priced at a round pound sells fastest.

How should you price a bake sale?

Whole pounds only: £1 for small items, £1.50 to £2 a slice, or £3 for a slice and a drink. Bundle deals and a card reader both raise the average spend.

Do you need to label allergens at a charity bake sale?

Good practice is to label the main allergens on every plate and keep an ingredients list beside homemade items. Schools and workplaces usually have their own policy, so check before the day.

How much can a bake sale raise?

A school or office bake sale with twenty contributors typically raises £150 to £400. A raffle alongside it usually adds as much again.