#BeebiesBakeOff - Weeks 2 & 3

So with all of the blog moving palarva of last week, our Beebies Bake off post went unpublished *very sad face*. But this week we're back with a bang with two fabulous features for today's baking blog. Firstly, the very lovely Caroline from Cakes, Corks and Kids joins us to tell us more about her love of cakes and shares her tips on baking with tots. 

Those of you that follow me on social media may know that I have a couple of different ‘hats’ so to speak.  As well as writing ‘Cakes, Corks and Kids’, a parenting/lifestyle blog, and being a Beebies Baby Store ambassador I also run a cake business called ‘Cotswold Cupcakes’. 

So, as part of  #beebiesbakeoff this week I thought I’d share my top tips when it comes to baking with kids.  When I’m baking for a customer I always keep the kids out of the way but I don’t want them to grow up not wanting or not knowing how to bake so I make sure I set aside time with them to do some mini bakes. 

That leads me quite well into my first tip – make the bakes mini, uncomplicated and avoid long lists of ingredients.  My kids are aged 5 and 2 and have an attention span of about 20 minutes when it comes to baking, after this time they’re wondering off and generally getting restless.  Cookies, cupcakes and biscuits are always popular, especially because of the endless possibilities when it comes to decorating them.  But don’t forget, baking’s not just about cake (ssshhh…don’t tell my customers that), how about some simple savoury bakes such as; sausage rolls, mini pizzas or cheese and sun ripened tomato muffins?  All the above are adaptable whatever your budget and whether or not you choose to eat meat. 

My kids adore making sausage rolls; we can then have them in the evening for our dinner or pack them up for a picnic at the weekend. 

What I love about baking with kids is how inquisitive they are, they just want to touch everything as it’s all new and inviting for little fingers.  So, why not make it a real sensory activity by choosing a recipe such as scones where the butter must be rubbed into the flour to make breadcrumbs, this is sure to keep your mini mes out of trouble for a while! 

Preparing the kids for a morning in the kitchen is not only important but can be lots of fun too.  Besides doing the obvious things such as tying back long hair and washing hands, you can ensure they look and feel the part with a chef’s hat and mini apron.  With all the fun and colourful kids utensils available now you’ll have a hard job getting them out of the kitchen!  I love that these baking kits from the Sweet Pea Pantry come with mini mixing bowls and whisks – great for little hands! There’s a whole host of kits available – just head over to Beebies Baby Store to find one that suits you and your minis! 

I don’t want to harp on about health and safety too much but when the kids were younger, we used to have a sign on the oven door with a picture of a fire on it and the word ‘HOT’.  We found it really helped them to understand that the oven was dangerous and they weren’t to touch it. 

Logan, my eldest, loves anything to do with numbers so he’s always my chief weigher. We get all the ingredients out and stand together weighing them, Logan shouts “stop!” when we get to the desired number.  Having everything weighed out really is a lifesaver when baking with kids as any break in proceedings can easily lead them to distraction. As you go through the recipe, make sure you explain what you’re doing, for example; explain why we add flour to the surface before we roll pastry or why we line baking tins.  It’s these little titbits of knowledge that they’ll carry forward into adulthood. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading some of my tips; I could go on and on!  If you’d like any help with baking, cake decorating or a quote for a cake just get in touch cotswoldcupcakes@gmail.com 

Secondly, we've been checking out bakingmad.com for some great baking inspiration for you to enjoy with your littlies. They've some really great 20-30 minute baking activities especially designed for little ones. Plus, if you sign up to their newsletter you can access all sorts of exclusive features. I'd thoroughly recommend you take a visit and check them out for yourself... Go on! I'm off to bake these... 

Have you been baking with your tots this week? Link up below for your chance to win a Sweetpea Pantry Chocolate Giggles baking kit!