Cupcakes are a great thing to bake with kids especially if you are not used to baking much yourself. They’re fun and really easy to make. The mix is made really simply in one bowl, and then little chefs get to spoon it into the cases and decorate them when they’re cooled.
These red velvet cupcakes are the perfect treat for Valentine’s day. They’re even easy enough for your kids to make (and decorate).
Delicious banana and chocolate cupcakes. A simple bake and tasty way to use up old bananas.
Our favourite chocolate muffins – deliciously light and chocolatey. A chocolate lovers delight!
Difficulty: A wee bit harder
Time: 45 minutes + 25 minutes baking
Serves: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, softened
120ml whole milk
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Food colouring
For the vanilla frosting
250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter, softened
25ml whole milk
A few drops of vanilla extract
Sprinkles
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Peaches and cream cupcakes
Strawberry cupcakes
Chocolate muffins
The kids love making cupcakes so I’ve been looking for new ways of making them a bit different. I saw some fun rainbow cupcakes on pintrest and thought the kids would enjoy them (or just make a colourful mess of the kitchen!) They were easier than I thought to make – just find your favourite cupcake recipe, and add some colour before you put them into the cupcake cases. We used all the colours in the rainbow but you could use just a few and they would still look good.
We used food colouring we had in the house but it turns out not all were suitable for baking so faded a bit. The best ones to use are good quality pastes or gels like these Wilton ones. I think we’ll have to get some the next time we are in Hobbycraft!
Preheat the oven to 170C and prepare your baking tray
Get your little ones to fill a muffin tray with paper cupcake cases.
Mix the dry ingredients together
Get your child to measure the flour (120g) into a small bowl then add it into a mixing bowl or freestanding mixer.
If they are able to, get your little one to spoon the baking powder (1.5 tsp) into the mixing bowl. If they don’t have a steady enough hand yet, let them help you level it off before adding it in. Add the pinch of salt.
Add the butter (40g) to the mixing bowl. Your wee one can help measure this out. If it’s not soft enough, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, just so it mixes easily.
Mix everything together using your paddle attachment, (or a handheld whisk or wooden spoons) until it is a sandy consistency.
Add the wet ingredients
Measure the milk (120ml) into a cup or measuring jug. The best way to be accurate is to use the ‘ml’ setting on digital scales if you have them.
Get your little one to add half the milk to your flour mixture, and beat it together until it has just incorporated.
Break the egg into a small dish. Doing it this way, is a good way to let your little one practice without worrying about the shell. Add it to the remaining milk.
Get your little one to add the vanilla extract (¼ tsp)to the milk and give it all a little whisk.
Pour into the flour mixture and give it all a good mix until everything it is well mixed into a nice, smooth batter.
Make the cupcakes
To make the rainbow cupcakes, divide the batter mixer into 6 small bowls (or however many colours you are using). Add a few drops of colour to each bowl and give it a mix until the colour has incorporated.
Get your little ones to spoon a dollop of each colour into each paper case. Don’t worry too much about how even the colours all are – Hannah and Lewis just had fun make a colourful mess! Give the edges of your baking tray a little wipe before you put them in the oven if there is a lot of batter mess.
Bake the rainbow cupcakes
Pop the cupcakes in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t go too brown on top. They ready when the sponge bounces back when you touch it or if a metal skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, leave them to cool slightly in the baking tray then turn them out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing
Get your toddler to measure the icing sugar (250g) out into a small bowl. Add it carefully to your mixer.
Measure the butter (80g), soften it if you need to for a few seconds in the microwave. Add it to your mixer.
Mix everything together slowly at first and then on a medium setting until the butter and sugar come together.
While it’s mixing, get your little one to measure the milk (25ml) out into a cup or measuring jug. Add a few drops of vanilla extract.
Slowly add the milk to your icing mixture, stirring it all the time. Once the milk has been incorporated turn the speed up to a high speed and mix it for a few minutes.
The longer you beat it, the lighter and fluffier the icing becomes.
Spread it on to your cupcakes with a spoon or palette knife. Get your little ones to add some sprinkles on top of your rainbow cupcakes for a nice finishing touch.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30 minutes + 25 minutes baking
Serves: 12-15 cupcakes
Ingredients
120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
40g softened butter, unsalted
120ml whole milk
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
400g tin peaches
For the vanilla frosting
250g icing sugar
80g softened butter, unsalted
25ml whole milk
A few drops of vanilla extract
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These peaches and cream cupcakes are another recipe from my new Hummingbird Bakery cookbook. It was a bit different for the kids putting the peaches into the cupcakes, and a bit of a first for me too. It added a freshness to the cupcakes which was nice but made them a little harder to eat than your average cupcake. Next time we might try popping the fruit in the middle rather than at the bottom of the cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 170C and line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.
This is a great thing for the littlest kitchen helpers to do.
Mix the dry ingredients together
Get your child to measure the sugar (140g) and flour (120g) out and then add it into a large mixing bowl or freestanding mixer. While they are doing that add the baking powder (1 ½ tsp) and salt (pinch).
Measure the butter (40g) and get your child to cut it up slightly before adding it into your bowl.
Mix everything together slowly using a paddle attachment, wooden spoons or a handheld mixer until it is a sandy texture.
Add the rest of the ingredients
Measure out the milk. We popped our jug on the scales and set it to ml to get an accurate reading and Hannah slowly poured the milk in until I told her to stop.
Add half the milk (120ml) to the mixing bowl and mix it until the milk has just been incorporated.
Add the egg to the remaining milk. Break it into a separate bowl first if you are worried about shell. Measure the vanilla extract (¼ tsp).
Give it all a quick mix then add to the flour mixture.
Beat it all together until it is well mixed (a few minutes). Use a spatula to scrape any unmixed ingredients down from the edge of the bowl if you need to.
Make the cupcakes
Chop the peaches into small pieces. This is a good way for your toddler to practice cutting using a blunt knife. Don’t worry if your child fancies helping themselves to the peaches – a lot of ours ended up in Hannah’s tummy but there was plenty left for the cupcakes.
Divide the peaches among the paper cases so the base of each is covered.
Spoon the cupcake mixture on top until each case is about two-thirds full. We had enough to make 15 cupcakes. As you can see we made a wee bit of mess doing this, so I just wiped down the tray before it went in the oven so the spilt bits didn’t burn.
Bake the cupcakes
Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes. They’re ready when they look golden brown and the sponge bounces back if you press lightly down on them.
Cool them in the tin slightly before turning them out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ice the peaches and cream cupcakes
Measure the icing sugar out into a bowl (be careful, it’s messy!) Weigh the butter and add it both to a mixing bowl or your freestanding mixer.
Make sure the lid is on and start to beat the sugar and icing together until it is well combined.
Turn the speed right down and get your toddler to pour the milk in slowly. While they are doing this add the vanilla extract.
To finish, turn the speed right up to high and continue to mix it for at least five minutes until it’s light and fluffy. The longer you mix it the fluffier it will be.
Get your toddler to add the icing to each cupcake. We found it easiest with a small palette knife but you could use a teaspoon or regular knife if you don’t have one.
Enjoy! The peaches and cream cupcakes will keep for a day or so in an air tight container.
These cute snowman cupcakes are the perfect winter treat for all the family! Use your favourite cupcake recipe and simply add some marshmallow snowman!
Difficulty:Easy
Time: 30 minutes + 15 minutes baking
Serves: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
115g soft margarine/butter
110g caster sugar
225g self raising flour
2 large eggs
2 tbsp cocoa powder
25g plain chocolate
Lemon buttercream
85g butter
150g icing sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon,
1 tbsp lemon juice
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We fancied doing a bit of baking while waiting in for a delivery recently so needed to do something we had all the ingredients for in the store cupboard. Rather than doing anything too plain we tried these chocolate cupcakes which have a tangy lemon butter cream. They were supposed to be butterfly cakes where you cut the top off before adding the buttercream then popping the lid back on top to look like a butterfly but I simplified it a bit instead.
Preheat the oven to 180C / 170C Fan and prepare the baking tin
Get your toddler to line a muffin tin with paper cases.
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl
One at a time, get your child to weigh the sugar and flour into a bowl then add in to your large bowl.
Weigh the butter, cut into a few pieces before adding to your bowl.
Get your child to crack the eggs into a small bowl before adding to your mixture.
Spoon the cocoa powder into the mixing bowl.
Mix everything together until the mixture is smooth
Melt the chocolate – we normally pop it in the microwave but you can do it in a bowl over some simmering water. Add it to your mixture
Cook the cupcakes
Divide the mixture equally between your cases then pop your baking tray in the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes or until they are cooked and springy to touch. Transfer to a wire rack to and leave to cool.
Make the icing
Get your child to weigh the butter then either beat it with a wooden spoon or pop in your mixer until it is pale and fluffy.
Weigh the icing sugar into a bowl then gradually add to your butter, mixing all the time.
Add the rind from your lemon and the lemon juice, beating well.
Finish the chocolate cupcakes
To save time, we just piped the icing straight on to the top of the cooled cupcakes. If you want to make butterfly cakes use a serrated knife to cut the top off each cake then cut each cake top in half. Add the butter cream to the cake then get your child to help you push the two pieces of cake top into the icing to form a butterfly.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30 minutes + 25 minutes baking
Serves: 12 cupcakes
150g butter
150g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
150g self raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
4-5 strawberries
For the icing
300g icing sugar
75g butter
Pink food colouring
Strawberry flavour
Strawberries to decorate
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Rainbow cupcakes
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We have lots of strawberries in the house now that it’s summer (kind of) and berry season. I found this recipe for strawberry cupcakes on Baking Mad’s website and thought would be a good one to try. It’s nice and easy and we got to do a bit of piping which is a first for Hannah!
Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan and prepare your baking tin
Get your kids to help you line a cupcake tin with 12 cases.
Cream the butter and sugar together
Weigh the butter and cut it into small pieces before adding it to a large bowl.
Get your child to measure the sugar into a small bowl, and add it to the butter. Cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until it’s smooth, light and creamy.
Add the eggs and flour
Break the eggs into a separate bowl then add them in to the mixture. Beat them in gradually until the mixture is smooth.
Weigh the flour then add it to the bowl with the baking powder.
Add the strawberries
Chop the strawberries (your child may be able to help do this with a blunt knife) then add them into your mixture and give everything one final mix.
Spoon the mixture into your cases.
Bake the cupcakes
Pop your cupcakes in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown and just firm to touch.
Make the icing
Add the icing sugar into a bowl. Weigh the butter then add it in as well as a drop or two of the colouring and strawberry flavouring and give it a good stir until it is smooth. We added a drop or 2 of hot water to help it come together.
Add the icing into a piping bag (we don’t have one so made do with a piping syringe). Pipe a swirl on each cupcake – Hannah tried but found it a bit difficult on her own so you may need to help.
Add a strawberry on top and enjoy!
The strawberry cupcakes should keep for a day or so in an airtight container.
*You can use dried strawberries instead of fresh ones and the flavour if you have them. You need about 20g – ground them up and add 15g into the cake mixture and 5g into the icing.
