A seasonal theme can work well too. For example, ask for summer desserts or fall-inspired treats. A movie or book can be a fun theme as well. For example, request Harry Potter-inspired baked goods. You can even use a color for the bake off’s theme. For example, ask for baked goods that feature red ingredients.
It’s also important to decide if participants will bake their entry at the venue or bring a finished product to the event. Having participants bake on site is very exciting, but it can be more difficult to find a venue with the proper kitchen facilities so having bakers bring finished entries may be more convenient. Write down a set of formal rules for the bake off once you settle on them. Participants will want to know all of the guidelines before they agree to take part. You should also decide if you will charge an entry fee. If you’re holding the event to raise money, having participants pay a small fee makes sense. Anywhere from $5 to $20 may be appropriate, depending on the event.
The bake-off prize can be worth any amount, but typically, $25 to $100 is a good range. You may decide that only the first-place winner receives a prize, but you can also have smaller prizes for the second and third-place winners if you like. If you’re holding the bake off for fun, you just might purchase small items to use as prizes, such as an apron or pot holders. A bake off can also function as a fundraiser. Even if you give the winner a small prize, you can then sell off all of the baked goods afterward to raise money for your cause.
If you’re using a holiday or other special occasion as a theme for the bake off, you’ll want to time the event to appropriately. In most cases, you’ll want to hold the contest within a two to three weeks of the holiday. For example, if the bake off has Christmas theme, you’ll want to hold it within the first two to three weeks of December.
If you need a venue with cooking equipment, you might look online for catering facilities that could support the bake off. A bakery or restaurant can be an ideal venue too. Talk to local businesses to see if they’re interested in partnering with you for the bake off. If you only need a space to showcase the finished baked goods, any catering hall or party room that’s available for rent will work.
The judges shouldn’t have any personal connections to the contests to avoid any claims of bias. In general, the more participants your bake off has, the more judges you’ll want. A panel of three judges works well for most bake offs, though. If your bake off has five or less participants, though, a single judge is usually sufficient. For five to ten candidates, two judges work well. People who would make good candidates for judges include local bakery and restaurant owners, culinary teachers from local schools, or bakers who’ve won other bake offs. When you’re talking to potential judges, you might say something like, “We’re holding a bake off and would really like your expertise in judging the entries. " If you’re holding the event to raise money for a cause, provide information about the organization or group that will benefit to the potential judges.
Make sure to get permission before you post any flyers on private property, such as a store window. If you’re active on social media, you can also post online about the bake off to find participants. For example, making a Facebook event for the bake off is a good way to generate buzz. You can also use Twitter and Instagram to do a countdown to the event as a way to keep people interested.
If you’re holding the bake off as a fundraiser, you can sell tickets to the event. You can charge however much you like for the tickets, but it’s best to keep the price between $5 and $10.
Some judging categories to consider include overall taste, texture, presentation, originality, adherence to theme, and skill level. There should be a spot on the judging sheets for the judge to write their own name, as well as the contestant’s name.
You may also want to make copies of the recipe for the judges to consult.
If participants are using their own recipes, you should ask them if there are any special ingredients or equipment that they’ll need so you can be sure to have them on hand for the event.
It’s a good idea to match your decorations to the theme of the bake off. For example, orange, red, brown, and gold decorations work well for a fall-themed bake off.
If guests are preparing their entries at home, you should still have a set time when the entries have to be on the judging table.
The amount of time that the judges will need depends largely on how many entries there are. The more baked goods they have to judge, the more time they’ll likely need. In general, you’ll want to give the judges at least five minutes to evaluate each entry.
