Nigella, Padma (and More) Face Off in Our Bake Off

Earlier this month we told you all about how you could get involved with The Great Food52 Bake Sale, our first fundraising initiative for our charity of the year, No Kid Hungry.

Now we're excited to fill you in on what we've been up to. We've invited a few of our friends (like Nigella Lawson, Patti Labelle, Padma Lakshmi and more) to help us throw a Bake Off of epic proportions (Judge Deb Perelman has a nice ring to it, does it not?).

They've submitted their favorite recipes for everything from cherry pie to chocolate cake and we'll be baking them all up in the Food52 Test Kitchen. Next Wednesday (June 28), you can join us live on Facebook for the showdown: All of those baked goods submitted by our friends will face off, and Deb Perelman, the mastermind behind Smitten Kitchen, will have the extremely challenging (but tasty) task of determining the winner.

Here's the full list of contenders and links to their recipes, so you can test them all out at home:

• Padma Lakshmi's Cardamom and Cashew Cloud Cookies
• Nigella Lawson's Dark and Sumptuous Chocolate Cake
• Patti LaBelle's Two-Fruit Almond Crumble Bar
• Curtis Stone's Cherry Amaretto Lattice Pie
• David Burtka's Chocolate and Cherry Scones

Here's how to get in on the action:

1. Live in the NYC area? Donate to No Kid Hungry via The Great Food52 Bake Off's Go Fund Me page. If you make the highest bid, we will hand-deliver all of the baked goods from the Bake Off to your office (consider this your chance to be the office hero).

2. Not in NYC? You can still donate here to help the cause!

3. Wherever you live: If you want to wager a guess at which baked good will win the crown, comment on this post with the participant's name or the name of their baked good—you might earn bragging rights for your predictive powers.

In all seriousness, please know that bids of all sizes are greatly appreciated—no matter where you live—because all proceeds raised will go to No Kid Hungry. One dollar can help provide a hungry child with 10 healthy meals. So, whether or not you walk away with a truckload of baked goods, know that your donation makes a big difference towards ending childhood hunger in America.

Also, remember that no matter where you live, you can also participate by hosting a bake sale yourself to raise money for No Kid Hungry (if you're able to fit one in before the end of June Domino Sugar and C&H Sugar will match what you raise!). Head here for more about how to sign up, figure out what type of bake sale is right for you, and ideas for what to make.

If you do host a bake sale, here are a few tips to help make sure yours is the best on the block, straight from our co-founders, Amanda and Merrill:

• Always offer something to drink alongside the baked goods
• For visual appeal, arrange the items you're selling at different levels (can use cake stands)
• Put small amounts of each item out and refresh as you go
• Use an umbrella to shield the table if you're out in the sun
• Give out the recipes (people always ask)
• Make sure to provide napkins (or hand wipes for an extra special touch!)

Ready, Set, Bake! and Donate!