Get ready to get your sweet tooth and your desire to do a little good satisfied simultaneously: a slew of the city’s most talented baking and dessert pros are hosting a Big A$$ Bake Sale on Saturday, Sept 7 at Cookshop in SE Portland to raise money to support immigrants and refuges in Central and Southern Texas.

The craveworthy event, which featured goodies from big names like Maurice’s Kristen Murray, Gabi Denton (Ox, Bistro Agnes), gluten-free queen Kyra’s Bake Shop, and Tusk/Ava Genes secret dessert weapon Nora Mace, is organized by local baker Kir Jensen, of gone-but-not forgotten cart turned cafe Sugar Cube, who now regularly teaches classes at Cookshop. One hundred percent of proceeds benefit RAICES, a refugee and immigrant nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrant children, families, and refuges in Central and Southern Texas. 

“There’s so much crazy shit going on right now, I just felt like I needed to do something,” says Jensen. “I can’t imagine what these families are going through, for many it’s a life or death situation. We all have the capacity to take time and make a difference and do some good.”

The bake sale will flaunt whole and individual desserts from local bakers and chefs, as well as raffle prizes of wine, beer and gift certificates from what seems like half of Portland’s favorite food and drink spots: Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai, Sardine Head, Bar Norman, and 10 Barrel Brewing included.

So, yeah, this isn’t just your run of the mill PTA bake sale. So far, Jensen has gotten around 40 local bakers on board. Craving Coquine doyenne Katy Millard’s smoky almond brown butter chocolate chip cookies? They’ll be there. How about blueberry butter mochi cake with yuzu buttercream from Jane Hashimawari of Ippai, or an Italian lard-jam tart from Sarah Minnick of Lovely's Fifty-Fifty, or the highly-coveted sfogliatelle Michelle Vernier makes at Bella’s Italian Bakery, or special flavor pints from Pinolo Gelato made just for the Big A$$ Sale? Yep. All there and more. (Gawp at the full lineup of sweets makers and raffle contributors below or here.)

This isn’t the first-time local bakers have banded together for a cause. In 2017, nearly two dozen of Portland’s female bakers and business owners connected for “Cookie Grab” to raise money for Planned Parenthood on Trump’s Inauguration. 

The sugar shocked Big A$$ Bake Sale goes down 10 am-2 pm Saturday, September 7 at Cookshop. Bring cash and an appetite says organizer Jensen: she doesn’t want to see a crumb left.