Re: Selling Cakes at a Food Faire

To start with, I would forget about free samples. You could not bake enough for even a small crumb for each passer by. I have seen fair goers asking to sample every item in a booth, only to walk away without making a purchase.

From what I have seen at cake sales, the most popular items are such cookies as chocolate chip, with and without nuts and oatmeal with raisins, plain sugar cookies, brownies, blondies and almost every kind of cupcake or muffin.

While such other goodies as carrot and banana breads would be a good sellers, too, the slicing is time consuming and the slices may dry out if it is hot that day.

Concentrate on making just a few things, the ones that are easiest for you and relax and enjoy the day.

Good luck, Margaret

To start with, I would forget about free samples. You could not bake enough for even a small crumb for each passer by. I have seen fair goers asking to sample every item in a booth, only to walk away without making a purchase.

From what I have seen at cake sales, the most popular items are such cookies as chocolate chip, with and without nuts and oatmeal with raisins, plain sugar cookies, brownies, blondies and almost every kind of cupcake or muffin.

While such other goodies as carrot and banana breads would be a good sellers, too, the slicing is time consuming and the slices may dry out if it is hot that day.

Concentrate on making just a few things, the ones that are easiest for you and relax and enjoy the day.

Good luck, Margaret

Four per person. Forget it. People are pigs at these things. And sampling will take time to keep filling your serving trays. BTDT. My advice would be to make and bake as much as you can of one or two things that you can comfortably transport. Your first year will be a learning experience. And if I read this right, you've got two days to prepare!! You'll get a feel for what is popular and you'll be ready for next year! :-) Can you contact any experienced sellers for what has been successful for them? Good luck and let us know what happens.

Like everyone said, forget the samples. You could bake for four days just to give it away as samples. If you are wanting to show off your wares, make whatever that might be, enjoy making it, and hope to sell some. If this is a money making venture, and it doesn't sound like it really is, make the usual chocolate chip cookies, chocolate anything, brownies, or do a web search for favorite recipes. It's a fact that most people like cookies and frosted brownies. I am not sure how many of what i would take.

Okay - just to let everyone who was kind enough to respond know what occurred today at the Faire -- it started officially at 10:00 a.m. and I was sold out by 2:00 p.m. -- I brought six trays of mini cakes and brownies -- I did notice that when children wanted to buy the brownies the parents would say "maybe the lady will give you a sample" routein

-- which of course I did. Anyway, the big sellers were the mini-cakes (cupcakes with attitude) and brownies. So, I broke even -- make some contacts and hope for the best -- great experience.

Which leaves us with burning questions... how often did samples turn into sales? How many people just walked up and said they wanted "one of those"? Was it worth it to offer samples?

And - do you think you can make money next time?

What did you take other than the mini-cakes and brownies?

Thanks, Mike

The last two words are the most important in your post: great experience.

It sounds as if you had an enjoyable day, no matter how hard you worked to prepare everything. Next year you will know what to make and how much and you will have an even better day...if you decide to participate again.

Thank you for letting us know. I know that you must be dead tired and would rather rest and relax than post to the news group. Margaret

Thanks to everyone for their input -- I just took mini-cakes and brownies and didn't bring enough trays of either -- I should have brought about four more trays of the brownies as they seemed to be the really big seller -- as for the samples I probably broke apart around

1 dozen brownies and as for those tasting same I would say about half bought either two mini-cakes and two brownies or all brownies -- but as stated I do think it was about half -- the next time I do this I shall put some sort of garland around the table so the "dear little ones" can't poke their finger in the cakes and/or brownies as they seem to love to do -- and mommy doesn't chastise them. Anyway, it was an enjoyable day and though tiring well worth all the efforts. And my appreciation again for your ideas.