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6 ways to keep the kids busy with baking over half term

Monday 13th February 2017

6 ways to keep the kids busy with baking over half term

Half term is approaching, and parents and caregivers country-wide are looking for ways to keep the kids happy and out of their hair.

Kids love tasty treats and getting messy, which makes baking the perfect solution to frenetic February downtime when the weather’s not always on your side. Give them the chance to clear up after the temporary chaos they create in the kitchen and they learn some basic domestic skills too. What’s more, everyone gets to enjoy a plate of delicious bakes at the end of it.

As a starting point for helping you plan your half term activities, we’ve shortlisted 6 super-fun and easy bakes that kids will love creating. Have fun!

Vanilla cupcakes

Cupcakes are the simplest recipe for kids to follow and beyond getting a little eggshell into the mix you can’t easily go wrong. Cupcakes are quick to bake and you can easily disguise any inconsistency in appearance by smothering them in delicious vanilla frosting which kids can top with all kinds of sprinkles and decorations.

Chocolate sprinkle cake

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous then this chocolatey bake is the perfect recipe to try. Simply coat your sponge with chocolate frosting (try to resist eating it straight from the pot), and then start having fun with the sprinkles. Serve this up as an after-dinner treat or take it round to Nan and Grandad’s as a nice surprise.

Sandwich sprinkle biscuits

A creative take on an Oreo or sandwiched biscuit but another very simple recipe. This time the shortbread biscuits are sandwiched together with tasty vanilla frosting. Use cutters to get the desired shape and pattern, but the fun really begins when piping the biscuits together with tasty vanilla frosting and then sprinkling them with delicious chocolate beans, nuts or sprinkles.

Caterpillar cupcakes

There are a few more ingredients in this recipe including cocoa and red food colouring to give the sponge a darker, rosier hue. The real fun, of course, is in creating the caterpillar out of ready-to-roll icing, but kids will happily use their play-dough skills to craft the little character that tops each cake.

Blondies recipe

Blondies make perfect light bites for snack time and the vanilla and white chocolate ingredients are a tasty alternative to the ever-popular chocolate brownie. Tray bakes are great for kids as taste ranks higher than presentation, and the baking evens out the mixture so all that’s needed is a drizzle of white chocolate – kids will have great fun with this last stage…

Flower tear and share cupcakes

Snowy white cupcakes make the perfect canvas for kids’ creativity. What kid could resist smothering freshly piped frosting with chocolate beans or other tasty toppings? Another simple sponge recipe that’s easy to make, bake and decorate. All you need do to complete the presentation is arrange the cakes into blooms on a surface iced with the ready-to-roll icing of your choice.

For more fun and inspiring baking and decorating inspiration visit our recipe and blog archives.