When we were invited by Mumsnet to check out the Flora Buttery Funspiration Guide, we spotted lots of fun activities to do together but I have to admit, the section that inspired us the most was the baking section. It's always a win-win situation because you have fun making the cakes (and you can even make it a bit educational, practising weighing and measuring or talking about where the different ingredients come from), then you get to sit down and eat your lovely creations ! We decided to try out their Easy Peasy Cupcakes recipe, especially as I had lots of cake decorating goodies from Cake Angels in my baking cupboard just begging to be used. As you can see, they came out rather well.
Easy Peasy Cupcakes
ingredients :
150g Flora Buttery
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
150g self-raising flour
115g icing sugar
1. Put everything except the icing sugar into a big bowl and mix well.
2. Pop into paper cake cases and bake at 175°C / gas mark 4 for 10 to 12 minutes. Leave to cool.
3. Remember making cupcakes is all about having fun, not about making the most perfect creations. So make your decorations as simple or as difficult as you want.
4. For simple quick icing, mix two tablespoons of water with the icing sugar a little at a time until its smooth.
Top the cakes with a teaspoon of icing each and add whatever else takes your fancy.
FOR YOUNGER KIDS: Helping to measure the ingredients, like counting out the eggs or chocolate buttons, is a great hands-on way for little ones to learn simple maths.
FOR OLDER KIDS: Get older children experimenting with variations on this simple recipe. Go to the Flora Buttery website at www.funfamilybaking.com to find out how to branch out into banana or crunchy peanut butter cupcakes.
As you can see, Pierre had great fun helping with the mixing. I'm always impressed when he manages to crack eggs in the bowl (even if he did manage to make one explode all over himself and the kitchen this time - luckily I'd put an apron on him !)
Counting out the paper cases is a great way of practising numbers !
And licking out the bowl is always the best part !
As I mentioned, I decided to use the Cake Angels goodies that we'd been sent to review. The Chocolate Fudge Frosting was such a huge hit that I had to fight three children of various sizes all brandishing spoons off to make sure that there was enough to go round !
We also had some lovely edible decorations that Pierre was very proud to use.
OK, maybe they're not perfect, but they were perfect in Pierre's eyes and he was very proud of himself, which is the most important thing !
They tasted pretty lovely too !
Making fairy cakes is so simple and only needs store cupboard essentials so it's a great way of whiling away a wet afternoon or making a Sunday afternoon extra special. Sometimes it's nice to get back to basics and not worry about using a complicated recipe too.
Disclosure : I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity
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What do you mean they are not perfect?! They are perfect! :) Yummy!
ReplyDeleteaww thank you - let's say they're perfectly imperfect !
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