Flour-Free Baking with Kids

When you need to keep little ones entertained at home but don’t have any flour, try these easy bakes. They guarantee an afternoon of fun in the kitchen

Gluten-free lemon drizzle cake

Kids will think the secret ingredient in this cake is an absolute hoot – it uses mashed potato, along with ground almonds, instead of flour.

SERVES 8-10 | PREP 30 mins plus cooling | COOK 40 mins | EASY | V | ❄ cake only

TIPS! POTATO RICER If you have one, make your mash with a potato ricer – it will give a fantastically light and fine texture. | MAKE IT NUT-FREE If you’d like to make this nut- and glutenfree, switch the ground almonds for polenta or gluten-free flour.

• 200g butter, softened, plus extra for the tin

• 200g golden caster sugar

• 4 eggs

• 175g ground almonds (see tip)

• 250g cold mashed potato (see tip)

• 3 lemons, zested, 1 juiced, plus extra zest to decorate

• 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

• 4 tbsp granulated sugar

1) Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Butter and line a deep 20cm round cake tin. Beat the caster sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs, beating after each addition. Fold in the almonds, mash, lemon zest and baking powder.

2) Tip into the tin, level the top, then bake for 40-45 mins or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then put on a wire rack. Combine the granulated sugar and lemon juice, then spoon over the cake while it’s still slightly warm, letting it drip down the sides. Scatter over some lemon zest and leave to cool completely before slicing.

GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING (10) 514 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 15g • carbs 41g • sugars 35g • fibre 2g • protein 9g • salt 0.9g

Unicorn poo meringues

Whisk sugar and egg whites together with a little food colouring to create these adorable unicorn ‘poo’ meringues – they make a brilliant afternoon activity.

MAKES 44 | PREP 20 mins plus cooling | COOK 1 hr 20 mins | EASY | V

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature

• 100g caster sugar

• 100g icing sugar, sifted

• 4 food colouring gels or pastes (we used pink, yellow, blue and green)

• small amount of white and black ready-to-roll fondant icing, for the eyes and mouth

You will also need

• 4cm round cutter or circle to draw around 1 large piping bag fitted with a large 1cm plain nozzle

• 4 small paintbrushes

1) Heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1 /2. Line two baking sheets, and, using a 4cm round cutter as a guide, draw 22 circles on each piece of baking parchment in pencil. Turn the baking parchment over.

2) Whip the egg whites in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk to stiff peaks. Slowly add the caster sugar in, a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition. Repeat with the icing sugar until the mixture is glossy and stiff.

3) Put the piping bag nozzle down into a tall glass or jug. Roll the top of the bag down over the rim a little, then paint a thin stripe of each coloured food gel from the nozzle end all the way up to the top of the bag. Spoon in the meringue mixture.

4) Pipe swirls of meringue onto the sheets using the circles as a guide. Bake for 20 mins, then reduce the oven temperature to 100C/ 80C fan/gas 1 /4 and bake for 1 hr more, or until completely cooked through and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base. Leave to cool in the oven with the door closed.

5) Mould small pieces of white and black fondant icing to create eyes and mouths. Stick onto the cooled meringues.

GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER MERINGUE 22 kcals • fat none • saturates none • carbs 5g • sugars 5g • fibre none • protein 0.3g • salt 0.01g