Both of my girls have been helping in the kitchen since they were quite young. I believe by making kid friendly recipes, your kids really do get to see that cooking can be both fun but also delicious.
Most kids I know love cupcakes. We have always used normal sized cupcake tins when the kids are helping. The small muffin tins make cupcakes that are just too small for young hands to handle.
\"recipe For Kids \"
The easiest way to make cupcakes for younger kids is to start with a boxed cake mix. This first recipe starts with one box of Devil's Food Cake mix. Make the batter according to the box directions. This recipe has a yummy filling and is easy for kids to make:
Combine eight ounces of softened cream cheese, one-third cup of sugar and one egg. Mix until blended. Then mix in six ounces of chocolate chips.
Line your muffin tin with papers and fill each one about one third full. Now put one heaping spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top of the batter. Then fill up the muffin the rest of the way, allowing some room for rising. Bake at 350 degrees for about twenty-five minutes. If you want to add frosting, I always bought the already mixed frosting that the kids could just spread on.
Another really fun cupcake idea for kids is to use ice cream cones. Buy the ice cream cones that are flat on the bottom.
Use a cake mix and prepare the cupcakes according to package directions. Place paper liners in muffin tin. Fill each muffin tin about two-thirds full and then turn the cone upside down and place on top of the batter. Bake 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Test with a toothpick to make sure the cupcakes are done. After the cupcakes are cooled, remove the paper lining and frost. Add decorations to the frosting such as M&M's, Skittles and either rainbow sprinkles or chocolate sprinkles.
I've also seen recipes that reverse this a bit. These recipes say to fill an ice cream cone about 2/3 of the way with batter, stand upright on a baking sheet and bake. I've never done it this way, but I see it on many websites and blogs.
If you buy white frosting, you can mix a few drops of food coloring into the frosting so that kids can have almost any color frosting they'd like. You can add almost anything on top of the frosting. My kids have always liked gummy worms. Add a few of those to a green frosting and the kids just love it. You can also add jellied candies on top.
We once had a birthday party where I put tons of decorations in various bowls and let the kids come up with their own combinations of colored frostings and decorations. Some kids are so creative with their designs. You can cut licorice strips into smaller pieces so kids can create bugs and butterflies. Truly, the possibilities are endless on how to use other candies to decorate cupcakes.
Try making cupcakes with your kids. It's a great way to get them into the kitchen and cooking.
Cooking With Kids - Easy Cupcake Recipes For Kids
Audrey's mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com