Giving Back Through Baking: My Experience at the Federated Charity Bake Sale
Three weeks ago, I was contacted by my friend's wife, Phoebe, who works at the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. She was organizing a government-hosted charity bake sale to raise funds for 21 charities supporting patient services, medical research, and health education across Ontario.
Initially, Phoebe asked if I could donate any leftover baked goods. Since my business operates on a made-to-order basis, I rarely have extras. But having just completed my pastry course, I saw this as a great opportunity to practice my skills while contributing to a meaningful cause. Instead of leftovers, I decided to bake a fresh selection: a batch of cream puffs, two batches of madeleines (Honey Vanilla and Lavender Lemon), two dozen fruit tarts, and a dozen chocolate mousse plant cakes.
The bake sale was scheduled for Thursday, May 23, at 10:00 AM, so I started baking on Tuesday morning. I prepped tart shells, baked madeleines, chiffon cakes, and cream puff shells. On Wednesday, I focused on the mousse, two types of pastry cream, and dipping the madeleines in lavender-infused chocolate. With limited hands, I worked through the night and finished all eight boxes of pastries just before midnight.
Originally, my friend planned to pick them up Thursday morning, but due to Toronto’s weekday rush hour traffic, he decided to come by at 12:30 AM instead. By midday, Phoebe messaged me with amazing news—all my baked goods had sold out! I’m beyond grateful for everyone who supported the bake sale.
This experience was more than just giving back to the community—it was a valuable lesson in planning and large-batch production. To ensure freshness, I tackled elements with a longer shelf life first and saved the cream-based and mousse items for the final stretch. I also learned that baking in bulk requires longer oven times due to increased moisture in the oven from the dough.
It was exhausting but incredibly rewarding, and I’m proud of myself for pulling it off. Moments like these remind me why I love baking—bringing people together through food while making a difference.
