Hold a bake sale: recipes, tips and ideas

Name: Christians Against Poverty UK
Price range: $

Illustration of a person holding a pink mixing bowl and spatula, with a green background and coin and heart shapes surrounding them

Let’s raise some dough for charity!

A bake sale brings people together and turns simple ingredients into something that can change lives. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or more of a ‘packet mix and hope for the best’ person, a bake sale is a brilliant way to raise money for charity.

From choosing what to bake to setting up your own stall, you’ll find everything you need here, including fundraising tips, resources and recipes.

Step-by-step: how to run a successful bake sale for charity

Step 1: Choose your bake sale style

Start by deciding what kind of bake sale you want to run. Will it be a one-off table after church, a workplace coffee break or a community event with lots of people involved?

Step 2: Get your free fundraising resources

Now that you’ve decided to bake for charity and you’ve got all the details sorted, it’s time to order your free fundraising resources to help you promote your event and spread the word before it takes place!

Step 3: Get baking (or buying!)

Whether you’re baking from scratch, using family recipes or bringing shop-bought tasty treats, it all counts. We’ve included some of our favourite baking recipes further down this page to inspire you.

If baking isn’t your thing, you could ask friends or colleagues to help you bake and donate treats, or buy and decorate simple items like cookies or buns.

Step 4: Set up your stall

Now that you’ve got your fundraising resources and you’re ready to host your bake sale for charity, it’s time to set up your stall. Make sure you include signs next to your bakes to describe any allergen advice and prices so that your customers know how much each cake, cookie or bun costs. If you’re accepting cash, you’ll also need a float to give change.

Ready to get baking?

Get your free baking resources here

Star Baker Cleo!

Cleo poured her heart (and a lot of flour!) into a marathon baking session for CAP. After spending a full weekend whipping up a staggering 190 chocolate chip cookies, she sold them to supportive friends, family and neighbours. Thanks to her hard work and the community’s sweet tooth, she raised an incredible £144.50! We’re so grateful for Cleo’s dedication and the generosity of everyone who contributed to this total.

Bun sale fundraiser, Cleo, stood with cookies that she baked to raise money for CAP

I baked American style cookies to raise money for Christians Against Poverty. CAP helps people out of poverty, which is important to me because nobody should have to go without food or live in a cold home.

Star Baker Cleo