Baking with Kids recipes

KID-FRIENDLY BAKES

With the school holidays in full swing, this month FRAN STEVENS, aka The Food Wife, has some great sweet recipes you can try at home with your kids!

BUTTERFLY CAKES

Makes 12

Butterfly cakes are fun to make and a delicious treat. They’re an excellent addition to a party spread or to accompany an afternoon tea. For dietary requirements they can easily be made dairy-free by switching the butter in the sponge and buttercream to a vegetable fat based block.

We added some coloured sugar sprinkles to make ours colourful, but you can leave them plain, if you wish.

Ingredients

For the sponges 160g softened butter or vegetable baking block/spread 160g caster sugar 160g self-raising flour (or 160g plain ✃

flour with 3 level tsp baking powder) 3 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the buttercream 150g softened butter or vegetable baking block/spread 250g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan) and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cases. Place all the cake ingredients into a mixer and beat using the paddle attachment, until smooth. should be risen and spring back to the touch. Allow to fully cool. Make the buttercream by beating the ingredients together until smooth. Use a sharp knife to cut a circle out of the top of each cake. Leave a centimetre rim around the edge, and angle the knife so that you can pop the circle out to reveal a hollow. Slice each removed circle in half to make two wings. Fill the hollows with buttercream (using a piping bag will make them nice and neat but you can spoon them in if needs be) and then pop the wings back on. Add any sprinkles or extra decorations as you like.

BANANA MUFFINS WITH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT FILLING Makes 12

Here we have a vegan muffin stuffed with a decadent filling of chocolate hazelnut spread. If keeping this totally vegan, use a plant based spread (I noticed one available in M&S). These are really quick to put together and take just 25 minutes to bake.

They are best eaten on the day they are made (not really a hardship!) although could be refreshed in the microwave for a few seconds.

As with all muffin recipes, minimal mixing is required to achieve a light, rather than tough sponge. Ingredients 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed 60ml vegetable oil 120g light soft brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 300g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 12 tsp chocolate hazelnut spread (plant based if vegan) Method Preheat oven to 190°C (fan) and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Lightly combine the banana, oil, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. For a light muffin minimal mixing is required. Half fill each muffin case with the batter. Top each with a teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread and then cover with the remaining muffin batter.

Bake for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

GINGER OAT

COOKIES (gluten free)

Makes 12

Continuing my quest to make tasty gluten-free alternatives, I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen with some new cookies.

These do not have to be made gluten-free, and can be made using regular flour and oats as you wish. If following a vegan or dairy-free diet, substituting the butter for coconut oil will result in a suitable alternative.

Store these in an airtight container and they will last a few days. Ingredients 120g butter (or coconut oil if making these vegan/dairy-free) 2 tbsp golden syrup 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (gf if required) 150g oats (gf if required) 150g plain flour (gf if required) 120g soft light brown sugar 1 tbsp ground ginger Method Over a low heat, melt the butter and syrup in a heavy bottomed pan, stirring now and again. Once melted, leave to cool slightly. In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, oats and ginger. Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the cooled liquid mix and then add to the dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly until all combined. Roll into 12 equal balls and spread out on two lined baking sheets. Bake in a preheated oven (180c fan) for 10 minutes, until golden and cracked on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (they will firm up as they cool). Leave them for five minutes on their trays and then carefully transfer the cookies, still on their baking parchment (hold diagonal corners taut), onto wire racks to cool completely. • thefoodwife.co.uk