Cake Sale Shopping List

A cake sale needs more than cakes and a table. You will need serving equipment, clear allergen and price information, drinks supplies, payment equipment and a way to keep food covered and cool. Plan quantities around your expected visitors: for 50 customers, prepare roughly 60–75 portions if people may buy more than one slice. Check dietary requirements before shopping, and allow at least 3–5 days to collect missing equipment or confirm volunteer supplies.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Foldable tablesqty 6
Chairsqty 12
Tableclothsqty 6
Display standsqty 8

Tableware

Reusable dessert platesqty 120
Reusable dessert forksqty 120
Coffee cupsqty 80
Tea glassesqty 40
Teaspoonsqty 80
Cake serversqty 6
Cake knivesqty 6
Serving spoonsqty 8

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Kitchen knivesqty 6
Cake boxesqty 40
Food storage containersqty 12
Coolersqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 6
Water jugsqty 4

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Payment terminal
Cash box
Extension cordsqty 2

Decorations

Sales banner
Price signsqty 20
Allergen cardsqty 30
Table decorationsqty 6

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Cleaning clothsqty 12
Dishpanqty 2
Soap dispenserqty 2

Catering

Groceries
- Wheat flour - 5 kilos
- Granulated sugar - 3 kilos
- Powdered sugar - 1 kilo
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Eggs - 60 pieces
- Whole milk - 6 liters
- Whipped cream - 3 liters
- Baking powder - 6 sachets
- Vanilla sugar - 12 bags
- Vanilla extract - 2 bottles
- Cocoa powder - 500 gram
- Dark chocolate - 1 kilo
- Milk chocolate - 500 grams
- Almond flour - 500 gram
- Cornstarch - 500 grams
- Salt - 1 pack
- Cinnamon - 1 jar
- Apples - 3 kilos
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Bananas - 2 kilos
- Berries - 1 kilo
- Strawberry jam - 2 jars
- Apricot jam - 2 jars
- Colorants - 1 set
- Cake decorations - 6 packs
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Coffee creamer - 4 packs
- Sugar sticks - 250 pieces
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Orange juice - 6 liters
- Lemonade syrup - 2 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 6 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Paper napkins - 300 pieces
- Cardboard takeaway boxes - 50 pieces
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 2 bottles
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls

Tips

For 50 customers, provide around 60–75 cake portions and enough cake boxes for at least 10–15 takeaway orders. Extra boxes are easy to overlook when most cakes are served on plates.
Plan 2–3 drinks per visitor if the sale runs for two hours. Count coffee cups, tea glasses, teaspoons, water jugs, thermos flasks and coolers separately so one drink station does not run short.
Prepare one price sign and one allergen card per cake or clearly marked cake section. Put labels out before opening; trying to identify ingredients while customers are waiting causes delays and mistakes.
Test the payment terminal, cash box and extension cords at least one day before the sale. Bring a backup payment method and enough change in small notes and coins for the first hour.
Set up a hygiene area with waste bins and cleaning cloths before displaying the cakes. Keep spare containers or covered boxes available so unsold portions can be protected during transport and storage.

Frequently asked questions

How much cake do I need for a cake sale?: For 50 expected customers, plan around 60–75 portions. This allows for people buying more than one piece and leaves a small margin without requiring a large surplus.
How many cake boxes should I buy for a cake sale?: For 50 customers, start with 10–15 cake boxes if most portions will be eaten on site. Add more if the sale is mainly takeaway or if customers are likely to buy whole cakes.
How many drinks do I need for a cake sale?: Allow 2–3 drinks per visitor for a two-hour sale. For 50 visitors, that means approximately 100–150 servings, including coffee, tea and water.
When should I prepare cake sale labels and allergen cards?: Prepare them at least one day before the sale, then check each label when the cakes arrive. Keep the ingredient and allergen information next to the matching cake before doors open.

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