It is a truth universally acknowledged that nothing tastes better than baked treats—especially if it’s homemade.

And while there’s no denying that Canberra is home to many, many talented bakers (all of whom have contributed to our constant pursuit of the perfect pair of stretchy pants), one company has hit the sweet spot and found an innovative way to connect local bakers looking to sell their creations to the hungry hoards.

Founded by award-winning baker and CWA Judge Andrea Butler in 2021, bakesale—an online marketplace to buy and sell baked goods—is taking the saying ‘Let them eat cake’ to the next level by providing an alternative to mass-baked goods, supporting local bakers and providing unique sweet and savoury options that (unsurprisingly) taste better.

Sprinkled with love, the idea came to Andrea after she moved away from the kitchen and into judging champion baking. Finding herself endlessly recommending local bakers for family and friends, she decided to create a platform that could be a sweet (and trustworthy) treat for both buyers and bakers.

“On Canberra Noticeboard Group, every second day there’s someone asking for a local baker,” says Andrea. “There’s no way to tell who the good ones are, which one are registered, who’s closest to you and what they have. How do you compare and how do you get the best product for yourself?”

“That’s how bakesale was born—it’s a bit like Etsy for baking.”

Spending two years building and perfecting the platform, Andrea is not only using her passion for baking to keep Canberrans’ stomachs full. She’s also on a mission to “bake the world a better place” by revolutionising the world of baking, inspiring people to make sustainable and healthier choices when making purchases (instead of opting for mass-made products).

“I really want home baking to be what people go for their baking needs,” says Andrea.

“Eventually I want it to go global, but for now I want bakesale to be the marketplace that connects our local bakers and our buyers. I want people to be more inspired by baking, enjoy higher quality, more sustainable options. People can make a difference with these choices.”

Differentiating between those who are committed to the baking industry and those who aren’t, each local baker on bakesale has been vetted by Andrea and must be a registered Food Business within their local area. From there, local buyers who crave all the benefits of home-baked goodness can browse their virtual store, read reviews, and learn more about them—with the option to order everything from cakes to bread, biscuits, cupcakes, and pastries.

And with a marketplace full of delights like cannoli towers from Dolci & Cannoli to a loaded brownie box from Sweet Dreams Desserts, Andrea says the idea of bakesale is to make it easier to tap into trusted and talented local bakers to find exactly what you want—no matter if you’re looking for a little sumpin sumpin to take the edge off a long week or a special occasion.

“The idea comes from your local bake sale, like the one at your local shops…there’s a real home-baked mixed of items and you don’t know what you’ll find but you’ll know that there’ll be something delicious.”

Now officially open for business, bakesale is calling for home bakers looking to turn their passion into a profit with a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to sell beautiful home-baked goods online.

And the best part? You don’t need to fork out any dough to list your store—perfect for baking-business beginners.

“I’m committed to the home baking industry and for decades now I’ve been supporting it,” says Andrea.

“We’re here for the long haul because bakesale isn’t just a listing, it’s also the market behind it. We’re here to stay because baking is a passion of mine and so is supporting local business.”

Want to get your bake on (and make some bank)? Create your free shop on bakesale.com.au today.

Article written by Erin Cross for HerCanberra.