For some, baking is a therapeutic pastime and something we like to pass onto our children for their enjoyment. For others, it’s a way to spend the day together as a family. Either way, it an opportunity to bond and create happy family memories.
To make sure everyone, including you, remains at ease while in the kitchen, it is essential to keep the tasks manageable and fun. There is a lot to keep an eye on, such as measuring ingredients correctly, sticking to the baking time and the children themselves. Baking as a family needs simple recipes and a bit of preparation beforehand.
In our blog, we cover some top tips and simple recipes for you to try at home with your children!
Top Tips for Baking with Children
Below are some tips which may simplify and ease feelings of stress when trying recipes in the kitchen with young children.
Get Familiar with the Recipe
Before you begin, it might be useful to get to grips with the recipe to ensure you know what to expect at each stage of the baking process. It might also help you to realise who would be good at each task and which ages it suits.
Measure Out Ingredients Beforehand
A way to keep on top of baking with young children is to measure out the ingredients beforehand. However, if you want to teach your child how to measure and use weighing scales, baking is the perfect opportunity.
Keep It Simple
Try and keep to simple recipes if you would like to reduce the amount of chaos in the kitchen, especially if you have more than one child.
Also, keep in mind realistic expectations of the baking session. The first time in the kitchen altogether might not be an edible success, but it’s the memories that matter.
Focus on Decoration for the Youngest
For small children, they might prefer to decorate their creations more than cooking them. If you are unsure of the youngest being near ovens while lots of activity is happening in the kitchen, this might be an excellent alternative, particularly for those about to enter preschool education.
Butterfly Cakes
What You Will Need
For the cakes:
• 100g self-raising flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g softened butter
• Two eggs
• One tsp vanilla extract
What to Do
Start by pre-heating the oven to 180°C or 160°C for fan-assisted ovens. Either butter a cupcake baking tray or use cupcake cases instead of greasing the tray.
Next, mix the caster sugar with softened butter. You can soften the butter in the microwave quickly, or in a saucepan on the stove. Once they are mixed, begin to sift in the flour.
After, separately mix the two eggs with the vanilla extract. Once they are combined, incorporate them into the butter, sugar and flour mix.
Distribute the finished mixture into the cupcake tray and bake for 20 minutes in the oven.
After the fairy cakes are baked, leave to cool.
For Decoration
The final stage is to slice off the top of the cupcake. Then use butter cream, jam, chocolate spread, peanut butter or whatever sweet spread you would like and dollop on the top of the cake.
Next, halve the top of the cupcake you sliced off into two pieces and place on top of the icing/spread in the form of two butterfly wings. To finish, sprinkle some icing sugar on top.
Flapjacks
This recipe requires lots of stirring, which children may love to get involved in.
What You Will Need
• 275g porridge oats
• 225g demerara sugar
• 225g butter
• 75g golden syrup
What to Do
Begin by pre-heating the oven to 160°C or 140°C for fan-assisted ovens. Then make sure to grease the baking tray you will be using.
Soften the butter on the stove and add sugar and syrup. Once they are combined, add the oats and stir well.
Evenly, spread the mixture in the greased tin and press the mixture with a spoon.
Leave in the oven for roughly 35 minutes and ensure the flapjack reaches a light, golden brown colour.
Allow the flapjack to cool for around 10 minutes and then cut into the required slices to finish the cooling process.
Cornflake Cakes
Not so much baking in its entirety, but this sweet treat is one that children enjoy making in the kitchen!
What You Will Need
• 100g of cornflake cereal (or Rice Krispies)
• 100g dark or milk chocolate
• 50g butter
• Three tbsp golden syrup
What to Do
Firstly you need to melt the syrup, chocolate and butter together by either using a microwave or on the stove.
Next, mix the melted mixture with the cornflakes and stir to ensure all the cornflakes are evenly coated with the chocolate, syrup and butter.
Finally, pop the mixture into cupcake cases and leave in the fridge to set!
Pastry Twists
This is a recipe that slightly cheats, as you will not be creating the pastry from scratch. However, it is straightforward and offers a creative outlet in the kitchen.
What You Will Need
• One ‘Ready Rolled’ puff pastry sheet
• One egg for glazing
• 200g mincemeat or chocolate spread or anything you would like to put with the pastry.
What to Do
Start by ensuring the oven is heated to 220°C and 200°C for fan ovens.
Next, halve the width of the puff pastry sheet into two sections.
On one, spread the mincemeat or other chosen spread across the surface. On the other, brush over the egg for glazing and place on top of the other face down.
Next, glaze the top surface of the pastry and slice the pastry into long strips and twist each one to create the spiral shape.
Then bake for around 15 minutes until the pastry is a beautiful golden colour.
Once out of the oven, cover in icing sugar for extra sweetness.
Nutella Cake (with only two ingredients!)
This recipe is exactly what the title says! Super easy, you just have to ensure the consistency is correct.
What You Will Need
• Four large eggs
• 240g Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
What to Do
Ensure your oven is pre-heated at 180°C. Fan-assisted ovens should be set at 160°C.
Next, use baking paper to line a round spring-form cake tray. A suitable size would be 20cm.
Then, beat the eggs with an electric whisk on the highest setting. Expect to do this for around five to seven minutes. This step is vital because the eggs need to triple in size or the cake will not work.
Microwave the Nutella for 20 seconds to soften it.
Mix the egg into the Nutella in thirds so you can combine the two ingredients thoroughly.
After placing the mixture neatly in the cake tray, bake for around 25 to 30 minutes.
Once baked, leave to cool completely.
Hopefully, you feel prepared for your next baking session in the kitchen with children! Do you have any simple recipes that are a hit at home? Why not share them on our social media channels?
