Tasty treats: Tuckaleechee UMW plans Christmas bake sale in Townsend

Nothing beats the mouthwatering home-baked goods from accomplished cooks, and on Friday, Dec. 10, the public will be able to purchase cakes, pies, brownies, cookies, candies and maybe even a few surprises from the United Methodist Women’s group at Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church in Townsend.

The bake sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Townsend Shopping Center, just off East Lamar Alexander Parkway at 7609 Old Highway 73 in Townsend.

Tuckaleechee UMW member Taffy King said some customer favorites will be available for purchase. “We will have candies with coconut or peanut butter filling” — she said also are sold at the church’s Good Friday bake sale each year as “Easter eggs.”

“I didn’t want to call these ‘Easter eggs’ for Christmas, so I’m just calling them ‘candies,’” King said with a laugh. “They are about a 2-ounce size, which is a nice size. These are traditional at our bake sales.”

The candies, which are made with confectioners sugar and either peanut butter or coconut flavoring, are formed into an oval shape, dipped in chocolate and decorated with either red or green. “Then we put them in cupcake holders in individual snack bags.” Each treat is weighed to be exactly 2 ounces and costs $2. Only 100 will be available this year.

Another perennial favorite will be fried apple pies made by church member Bonnie McCampbell. These also sell out quickly.

And there’s more, something to suit any taste.

King said, “One of the ladies is doing a coconut cake, and I usually do a carrot cake or a red velvet cake. We also have other people who do cakes and pies.” A full pie will cost $8 to $10; a whole, two-layered cake, will run $20 or $25.

Brownies are sold two per bag, and cookies are sold three to four to a bag, depending on the size. Breads, such as banana bread and friendship bread, also will be available, as well as other varieties of candy. One woman will bring toffee, for example.

Whole, shelled pecans in 16-ounce bags will be sold for $12, and 10-ounce bags of candied pecans will be sold for $10.

The Christmas bake sale is relatively new and started about three years ago to replace the flea market the women normally held at the church. About $800 to $1,000 is normally raised at the bake sale. Proceeds benefit the missions projects of Tuckaleechee UMW, including the Wesley Foundation, Haven House, Pregnancy Resource Center, Habitat for Humanity, Wears Valley Ranch, Second Harvest Food Bank and the Holston Home for Children, as well as national and international missions, such as Samaritan’s Purse and UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief.