Cake sale for school - how much do I bake?

[Fullofpudding]

Hi, I've been asked to have a stall at a fete. I am a hobby baker and have no experience of selling to the public. I have all the necessary insurance and certificates etc.

My problem is I don't know how much product to bake. It'll be cupcakes and brownies etc.

Anyone on here got any experience that could help me. Thanks.

I'm a hobby baker too and did a stall at our local village Christmas fair - virtually sold out.

I sold a bit on the cheap side but wanted it to go!

£2

Triple choc brownies x 2 32
Millionaires shortbread x 2 32
Bakewell blondies 16
Choc orange cupcakes 12
Vanilla cupcakes 12
Red velvet cupcakes 12

£1.50
Lemon drizzle traybake 20
Coffee walnut traybake 20
Brandy fruitcake squares 12
Hummingbird traybake 20
Dorset apple traybake 16
Gingerbread traybake 20

A few snaps!

I'd suggest a few no bake options to reduce your cooking time and boost your volume quick and easy, you can also draft in little helpers if you have any hanging around.

kids love rocky road and cornflake cakes, the more stupid they are with stuff added the better, so go crazy with marshmallows, broken up kinder bueno, malteasers and they'll fly off the stall.

www.goodto.com/recipes/tag/no_bake-cake

Are you providing all of the cakes or are other parents providing the cakes and you're staffing the stall?

There's going to be a refreshment stall that will also be selling donated cakes (it's normally me that donates them!!) but this is the first time I'll have my own stall.

Are others providing cakes / helping to run the stall?

If others are also helping then I would bake a couple of trays of brownies, as they're always popular.

If it's just you I would decline. It's a huge amount of work, time and cost to prepare and run an entire stall, especially if you're not seeing any of the profit.

Did that cover your costs?

Tbh I'd just join that rather than doing a stall all of your own. It's going to be hard to sell the cakes at a price that would cover the cost of making them Inc. Your time cost.

I get the profit. I just have to pay the £15/20 to have my stall there. The want more outside stalls hence why they've asked me.

Is it for people to eat there and then or take home?
I find the half size loafs work really well - date and walnut, chocolate chip etc. If they’re uniced they’re especially easy to wrap and transport (I use special paper cases then wrap in cling film.

If you make them fresh you can freeze ones you don’t sell

But I agree you might find when you factor in ingredients, power, and your stall pitch fee it’s not worth it!

Fab baking. I would purchase these as a gift for someone.

I'd be making things like this so they can be taken home if needed.

This isn't my pic but something along those lines.

Yes, took about £350, profit around £250. A lot of work but I love the buzz. I see it as a hobby with some pocket money, its not a job!

Thank you! I make mixed boxes for friends at Christmas/birthdays. I have a food safety rating and had a little postal brownie business during lockdown. I now take quite a bit to work - my meetings are well attended!

Watch your packaging costs, they can mount up. I used mini Kraft carriers, lined with a napkin.

I also would like to do it as a little sideline. Maybe for fetes and Xmas fairs. I'm definitely going to give it a go but just don't want to make too much/too little. I belong to a few local
Facebook groups so I'm sure I'd sell on anything left. Also people keep telling me to do it so I'm going to give it a go!

I agree with more “take home” options e.g loafs and scones. PTA stall will be focused on little things for kids so maybe you could do more grown up versions , you still can slice lemon or chocolate loaf if you see that this is necessary. Brownies will be very good as they could be taken home. So it’s worth to think about packaging.
There are two approaches: a lot of cheap things or more fancier expensive stuff but less. I think yours should be the latter one.

That looks good I'd pay £3 for that

That's amazing!

Nahwhale I was thinking of £3 but just got to factor in the costs of the cases etc.

I think you can get better prices if you can make the whole thing look quite luxury / artisan...I look out for pretty vintage cake plates and wicker trays etc at car boots etc.

Make sure you label the ingredients if contains nuts!