Need Ideas For A Silent Auction Cake.
Decorating By ecb8r2 Updated 1 Nov 2013 , 9:02pm by hbquikcomjamesl
So I'm going to donate a cake for a silent auction...what theme/design would make you want to spend lots of money? I was thinking maybe a barrel or crate with a bottle of wine. My sister suggested something fall themed, since it's in November. Any other ideas of something that would be eye catching and gender neutral?
AYou have to remember that people don't buy cakes without an occasion to celebrate! It is hard to get most people to pony up the dough when their child is graduating, or having a birthday, or even a grandchild.
What are these big spenders supposed to doing with this big cake? Invite 40-50 of their closest friends over, spur of the moment to celebrate the occasion of a big purchase? Who does that? And it sounds weird, and sort of like something people don't do, right?
My suggestion would be to make 1 or 2 each of a few 8" desset cakes. Make them amazing, but not too exotic, so lots of people want them. Classics. Tiramisu, yellow with chocolate, white with strawberry, chocolate with cookies and cream, red velvet cream cheese, and such. Whatever your specialties are.
AI've done this twice. Both times the cake didn't do well. $40-50 for cakes that would have been about $200. Anna's right....unless its a cake walk, it's kinda weird.
Now, I send gorgeous photos. Maybe even a few cake dummies. Auction a gift certificate. That will being more money because they can plan for an awesome cake.
Well a barrell or a bottle of wine is not a huge cake. When I was doing woodworking I donated a set of cornhole boards to one of these and they sold for $300 when they are valued at $175. People are more generous when it is for charity (and usually drinking) I agree don't do any huge cakes but your original ideas will sell well, depending on the income level of the crowd. But whatever it goes for it is a good cause and you are very sweet to do it.
I've done this twice. Both times the cake didn't do well. $40-50 for cakes that would have been about $200. Anna's right....unless its a cake walk, it's kinda weird.
Now, I send gorgeous photos. Maybe even a few cake dummies. Auction a gift certificate. That will being more money because they can plan for an awesome cake.
I completely agree with this one. I did a big fundraiser for someone with brain cancer and someone donated a cake. No one wanted to buy tickets and no one wanted to buy the cake itself. At the end of the day, we just gave it to the woman we did the fundraiser for. Gift certificates are a much better and less time consuming option. They always do well and people can use them when needed. You could always make a cake for the event so people can try your cake and spark interest in the gift certificate.
I completely agree with this one. I did a big fundraiser for someone with brain cancer and someone donated a cake. No one wanted to buy tickets and no one wanted to buy the cake itself. At the end of the day, we just gave it to the woman we did the fundraiser for. Gift certificates are a much better and less time consuming option. They always do well and people can use them when needed. You could always make a cake for the event so people can try your cake and spark interest in the gift certificate.
I was planning on doing a cake and also having a few gift certificates as well. I just want to make the cake eye catching and show off what I can do so that the certificates will do well.
I agree with the idea of the gift certificate, and you should definitely make a dummy cake so the can see how amazing your cakes are also.
I agree, not many people would need a cake on the spot, but many can think of an upcoming event for which they are going to have buy a cake. I have done a number of silent auctions, where the item up for bids is a custom cake to be made at a future date. An album with some of my cake photos is displayed. Sometimes I have cookies or cupcakes for sale as samples (the money goes to the charity). A dummy cake would probably be very impressive, too, but I have not done that. Also displayed is a printed sheet with the details. It states the maximum number of servings, the maximum number of tiers, expiration date, disclaimer that not all dates may be available, and also the maximum distance that I will deliver. I also establish the starting bid (usually 75.00) with the organizers so that it will be worth the effort, and I won't be making a cake for 10.00. (The value of the cake can be taken as a donation on your taxes so get a receipt). If no one bids, then you are off the hook. Several times a cake was paid for and never even claimed. For a 40 serving max cake the donations have been 125.00 - 150.00, and usually the cake does not need to be that big. I enjoy doing it because it helps a good cause, and I may get to do a cake design that my own circle of family and friends would not request (I am a hobby baker).
I've only ever done one, but I did a voucher/certificate for up to a certain amount, (it was a cause that's extremely important to me, so I made sure it was worth enough to cover a large wedding cake). I also contributed to the catering, which meant people could taste my baking, and that seemed to be a big help. I highly doubt it would have gone for what it did if people hadn't been able to taste.
So the samples idea would be a good one, as long as the auction allows it.
The lady who ran the auction said it did better than anytime they had sold an already-made cake. That had nothing to do with me being any better than the other baker that previously donated, she was pretty amazing, it was just an easier option for people.
It ended up going for 110% of what the certificate actually was, she said usually the pre-made ones went for maybe 50% of what they were worth.
I didn't do a dummy, good idea though if you have one on hand, I just had a portfolio there.
I paid $30 for a cherry pie at auction once many many years ago. I was so excited to eat it...left the room and came back and my large puppy pulled it off the counter and devoured the whole thing. Bad puppy
I agree. Nice work. Far more ambitious than anything I've ever done (even the shortbread cookies I made in the likeness of ink-stained wood display type, last year).
This is the first I've seen of this thread; if I'd seen it earlier, I'd have suggested something along the lines of "MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark, all the sweet green icing's flowing down . . ."
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