I'm not worried about this particular instance, it is merely an example. However, if I continue to offer this to friends and friends of friends, I want to make sure it isn't a no-no. Lets start by saying while I work in the baking industry, I don't work at or own a bakery, nor do I have a permit to make food commercially from my home (don't boo-hiss just yet!).

My BFF asked me to make cupcakes for a baby shower she is throwing for her sister. She is going to go shopping with me and purchase the ingredients and then help me decorate too. She asked me what I wanted as payment for this and I said nothing, but I asked her to instead make a donation, in her own name (or the baby's name), to a charity organization I have been interested in helping, and provide me a copy of the receipt.

Since there is no exchange of funds, is there anything terribly sketchy about this? I usually have a guest or two at friend's events that ask me if I would make something for someone other than the friend hosting the event and I always say no, because I make all of my stuff for friends/family for free as it is not legal otherwise. But this I would def. consider continuing, if it was unlikely to get me into trouble. Thoughts?

Your baking with a friend. I see nothing wrong with it. Even the donation isn't in your name... Nothing wrong with it at all.

No exchange of funds = no commercial transaction = no problem.

Baking for friends or family is not an issue in my book! Thats how most start off, right? What I do when baking for fam/friends is instead of payment i just have them buy the ingredients.

Sweet! I assumed she couldn't give me money to buy the ingredients but I wasn't sure if her purchasing them herself would be alright. I also didn't know if the "strong suggestion" (and request of a receipt) for her charitable donation would be a problem. I would love to raise more funds for charity this way.

i absolutely love this idea, i see no problem at all to me you and your friend are just baking cakes together, nothing illegal in that and the idea that your charity gets something out of it is fantastic good luck it is a realy lovely gesture

Maybe support the local food bank or soup kitchen, that would be a really nice "food" related charity.

love the idea of a food related charity. am wondering why you request a receipt?

All of my cakes are done for donations to a charity/non-profit.

The client chooses the charity, I tell them the retail value of the cake, they do an online donation & e-mail me the receipt no less than 48 hrs. before delivery OR I bring a money order made out to the charity (which they copy and/or keep the receipt from) and they give me the cash equivalent, mailing off the money order ASAP.

I require a receipt in the amount that I've determined is the value of the cake because I absolutely must know that the donation has been made or else there is NO CAKE.

I also tell the person the value of the cake because, sadly, for many people, left to decide for themselves, they'd actually think that a $50 donation would be "more than enough" for a 3 tier cake. For that amount, I'LL make the donation and NOT go to the trouble of making the cake

Rae