A plated version of the pumpkin blondie that will be for sale at Lovin’ in the Oven. Courtesy of 300 East.

Free Range Brewing is about to host one of the best bake sales you’ll ever see. Local pastry chefs Ashley Bivens Boyd and Laney Jakhel-Parris are putting together a fundraiser for hurricane relief, and recruiting some of their best baker friends to help. The event is called “Lovin’ from the Oven.”

On Saturday, Nov. 3, from noon to 4 p.m. at Free Range, there will be a table of individual desserts and full courses available for purchase, ranging from $5 to $30. All of the money raised will be split between two charities, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and the Pender County school system.

“They are actually serving as the hurricane relief operation in that county because there are so many children and teachers, staff that are displaced still,” Boyd says of Pender County Schools.

The goal is to raise $2,000, and each pastry chef donating baked goods will provide enough items to raise $100, whether it’s as 20 individual pastries or a few pies.

“We want people to be able to enjoy something on the spot that they can finish there,” Boyd says. “Or, one of the things we’re pushing with the contributors is if you can, make something that someone can take home and put in their freezer and take out for the holidays. That’s even better.”

Some of the confirmed desserts include sticky bourbon pecan bars (made using The Ballantyne Hotel’s house bourbon) by pastry chef Noelle Grogg, a mini spiced rum bundt cake by Fahrenheit pastry chef Anika Rucker, and sweet potato blondies from the host chefs.

Other contributing pastry chefs include:
Justin Burke-Samson, formerly of Kindred and Hello, Sailor
Jossie Lukacik of Sweet Spot Studio
Sam Allen of Wentworth & Fenn
Briggite Oger of Craft Cakes CLT
Ashley Anna Tuttle of Haymaker
Keia Mastrianni of Milk Glass Pie

If you can’t make it to the fundraiser on Nov. 3, you can donate directly to the Food Bank here or find more info on how to donate to Pender County Schools here. —Kristen Wile