Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for bakers

If you have a love for baking and a passion for the kids we serve, you’re halfway there! Whip up our volunteer application, and voilà, you’re in our database, ready to rock ‘n’ roll!
To join our baker list, show us your baking magic—with your application, send in pictures of your cake masterpieces or link us to your online gallery. Let’s make some sweet memories together!

We serve all qualified children suffering from a life-threatening medical condition that is considered progressive, degenerative, or malignant and are within two years of their most recent inpatient stay. We don’t just serve up smiles for the medical warrior but also for their sidekick sibling! Make sure the request is made well in advance of their 19th birthday.

Siblings are the undercover heroes in the families we serve! Imagine putting your life on pause to back up your superhero sibling— siblings are the real MVPs. They deserve a slice of the celebration pie, don’t you think? We love to give our sibling sidekicks a tasty treat of their own!

We aim to give our bakers a heads-up as early as three months in advance. Families are required to give us four weeks’ notice for their cake wishes, but we understand life can throw curveballs. If a medical warrior’s situation is urgent (terminal or hospitalized on their birthday), we’re on it with just a one-week heads-up.

Sometimes, we might need a baker ASAP! That’s when we speed-dial multiple bakers, crossing our fingers for a cake hero to save the day.

Of course! We totally get it—sometimes life is a whirlwind! No pressure here at all. You’re never obliged to accept our “call to action” (CTA). We’ve got a bustling network of baking buddies, and all we ask is for a speedy reply. Why? Well, the faster you let us know, the better shot we’ve got at finding another partner to whisk up that magical cake if you’re not up for it. It’s like a game of cake tag—quick responses keep the magic going!

Speed is the name of the game. We send out our initial “call to action” (CTA) to around 3-5 bakers, and accepting the CTA is a first come, first serve basis.

If the clock hits 48 hours without a response or if everyone’s waving a “no” to the CTA, no worries! We rev up and send that same CTA blast to another 3-5 baking champs. It’s a fast-paced cake relay—grab that opportunity while it’s hot!

We’ve got a secret formula—well, not so secret— for picking the lucky baker who gets our “call to action.” Ready for the scoop?

We consider a bunch of cool factors, like how close you are to the family (let’s keep it convenient!), following the licensing laws in your state (safety first, always!), the type of celebrations, your amazing past creations, when you joined our baking squad, and how many cake wonders you’ve shared before. It’s a mix of skills, timing, and cake charisma!

Politely guide them our way—tell ’em to swing by the Icing Smiles website to schedule their cake magic. Why? Because we’ve got your back! Think liability insurance, nifty tax docs for your donation, reimbursement for those extra generous bakes (over two a year), and, of course, giving you the grand spotlight as an official Icing Smiles Sugar Angel! It’s all about keeping it official and keeping our cake community shining bright!

Let’s talk cakes, the superhero duo in our world: “dream” cakes and “fun” cakes! Dream cakes are like the blockbuster movies of baking—tiered, 3D, or carved masterpieces. They’re a labor of love and each kid gets one during their time in our program!

But hold the frosting—here come the fun cakes! They’re the versatile sidekicks of our mission. No tiered towers or 3D shenanigans required. They’re still super important—they let our hobby bakers shine and give a breather to our busy pro bakers. Think of them as the fun-sized joy bringers!

Families pick the theme, but guess what? You’re the Picasso of pastry—design’s all on you!

For dream cakes, here’s the scoop: add a dash of “wow” and skip the plain ol’ sheet cakes unless the family asks for it. Keep our mission in mind—it’s all about whisking them away from the medical world, even if just for a sweet slice of time.

We recommend you don’t peek at inspiration cake pics from families! Why? We believe in your cake magic, and don’t want to add pressure on you or expectation for the family. Let’s surprise and delight without the “exact match” stress!

At Icing Smiles, we only guarantee a cake with a maximum of 40 servings. Please refer to the “dream” cake vs “fun” cake FAQ for other cake requirements.

Families fill us in on their kiddo’s food do’s and don’ts in their application. Can’t cook up their cravings? Give us a shout ASAP! We’ll cook up a plan—matching the family with another Sugar Angel or ask the family to bring a bonus dessert just for the little one. Let’s ensure everyone gets a bite of the sweetness!

Most states do not require a licensed kitchen for food donations through a nonprofit. If you are not a licensed baker, we require that you note that this cake has been donated by Icing Smiles, a non-profit organization, and was not baked in a licensed kitchen.

Here’s the legal scoop: in most states, when you donate goodies to a nonprofit, you’re in the clear! But hey, just to double-shield our baking champs, we’ve got that superhero armor—liability insurance! We’ve got your back, making sure your cake magic stays worry-free and full of fun frosting adventures!

Life happens! If you’re caught up in a pickle—say, a sneaky flu or a surprise whirlwind—no sweat! Contact your Icing Smiles scheduler pronto, give ’em the lowdown on your situation. If there’s time to whisk up a plan B cake, we’ll hop to it like frosting on a cupcake!

Now, here’s the golden rule: Hold off on reaching out to the family directly—leave that to us! We’ll swoop in, talk alternatives, and make sure those cake dreams stay on track. Let’s keep those cake moments stress-free and full of sweet surprises!

Cake handoff time! We usually ask families to swing by at a time that suits both you and them, but the world is your oyster! Feel like delivering that masterpiece or meeting them halfway? Your call, superstar! Whether it’s doorstep surprises or a cake rendezvous, the choice is all yours!

The real jackpot for our baking wizards? The priceless reactions from the kids and their families when they lay eyes on your masterpiece. Now, here’s the scoop—it might not always be the high-five, jump-for-joy scene you envision. Sometimes, the kiddo’s mood might not match your cake magic—it’s not about your creation, but perhaps a tough day or news from their doc.

But here’s the flip side—lots of our hero kids schedule cake time during those rare breaks from treatments when they’re feeling tip-top! So, if they’re zooming around like little rockets, treasure those moments—they’re golden!

Remember, every cake you make is a game-changer, spreading joy that goes beyond high-fives and grins. You’re truly Baking a Difference, making magic that reaches far beyond what meets the eye!

If the family tries to tip you for your sweet creation, here’s the scoop: it’s all about keeping things fair and square!

We suggest they channel that generous donation to Icing Smiles for a sweet tax benefit and to keep things fair among our baking squad and behind-the-scenes heroes. We’re all in this together—everyone donates time, bakers donate supplies, while our admin heroes tackle those corporate costs. If donations start dancing the cha-cha past our expenses, that’s when we’ll jazz up our reimbursement game (check below for deets)! Let’s keep this sweet journey fair and fabulous for everyone involved!

Starting with your first cake or cookies, we will offer reimbursement at a flat rate of $25 per cake or a flat rate of $15 for each dozen cookies served.

Every week, we put our amazing cake wonders in the spotlight across the nation on social media! We work to shout our cakes loud and proud with your name, company (if you’ve got one), plus your website or Facebook page (if that’s your jam)!

Where’s the party at? Find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram—they’re the star-studded sections right up there in the website’s header. Get ready to shine on the sweetest stage!

Here’s the lowdown from the IRS magic book: unfortunately, time isn’t deductible (bummer, right?). But here’s the silver lining— all those supplies and miles you’ve racked up in your cake adventures? Totally tax-deductible!

And if you’re rocking a retail bakery, listen up: you may be able to deduct up to two times the cost of your supplies under IRS rules. The “extra” deduction is to help businesses donate appreciated inventory at a fair value since labor is not deductible.

Pssst, for the nitty-gritty on these IRS tricks and how they twirl in your tax world, hit up your accountant—they’re the wizards who’ll sprinkle the tax magic on your baking generosity!

Below is the Wilton Baking and Serving guide that we also share with our families to ensure all parties understand how cakes are sized for servings: Wilton Cake Serving Guide.

If your email, business name, or mailing address has changed, please fill out ourchange of address form so we can update our records.