Toddler Baking Ideas - Traditional Cupcakes and Rocky Road Bars

With the weather getting colder and autumn setting in its the perfect excuse to start doing more indoor activities with your little ones and bake some cakes. Or even if you do not have kids as a perfect excuse you can still blame the cold weather as a reason to enjoy a homemade cake and a cup of tea.

Over the last weekend me and Bubs decided to do some baking together. The first time I attempted this was last Easter when he was around 18 months along with two of his cousins, I thought making chocolate crispy nest would be a good idea but turns out melted chocolate, Shreddies and 3 very excited little boys do not go so well together.... go figure.

Fast forward 7 months though and he is much more ready to embrace the wonderful world of cooking, one of his favourite birthday presents was a role play kitchen so he has spent a lot of time cooking for us in his own kitchen and it was time to let him loose in mine.

I decided to start with the basic - a classic cupcakes with icing and sprinkle and a rocky road which although does not require an oven still takes a certain level of skill to get right.
The cupcakes were really easy I used the all in one method and Bubs had lots of fun decorating them and eating them. The rocky road was mainly all his own work, including crushing the biscuits and mixing all the dry ingredients together, so overall I think these two are great recipes to do with your little ones and get them excited about cooking from a young age.

These recipes can be used as building blocks, feel free to add your own flavours and toppings and it would be great to see all the creations you guys make too :)


Vanilla Cupcakes - inspiration from Jamie Olivers Food Tube 'The Cake Book'

Makes 24
Set Fan Oven to 170 fan/375 F/Gas Mark 5

Equipment - Stand Mixed/Electric Whisk, Electric Scales, Hand Whisk and Mixing Bowl.

Ingredients
250g Self-Raising Flour
250g Caster Sugar
1/4 tsp  Bicarbonate of Soda
250g Stork
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. Whole Milk
150g Icing Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Whole Milk
Hundreds and Thousands/Sprinkles/Milk Chocolate Buttons etc

Method
1.Preheat the oven
2.Place cupcake cases in 2 12 hole muffin tins, Bubs brought special dinosaur ones the day before from Tescos
3.I use a stand mixed and just place the mixing bowl directly onto the scales to weigh the individual ingredients out before placing into the machine to save on washing up but you can measure them out individual if you prefer.
Sift in the flour, caster sugar, bicarb into the bowl

4.All in the Stork and Eggs

5.Blend on a medium speed for 1 minute

6. Add in the vanilla extract and milk
7.Blend for another 1 minute

8.Fill the individual cases using an ice cream scoop

9.Bake for 18-20 minutes
10.Cool on wire rack once cooked

11.Blend Icing sugar and milk and use to spread over cupcakes before topping with decorations of your choice.

Triple Chocolate Rocky Road Bars
Makes around 20-30 depending on size you cut them out

Equipment - 20cmx20cm baking tray, mixing bowl and rolling pin

Ingredients
300g Digestive Biscuits
1 Cup of Flaked Almonds
1 Cup of Mini - Marshmallows
1/2 Cup of Raisins
100g Milk Chocolate broken up
75g Dark Chocolate broken up
120g unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. of Golden Syrup
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
20g of Caster Sugar
20g of Cocoa Powder
50g of White Chocolate

Method
1.In a large mixing bowl crush up the digestive biscuits using a rolling pin

2.Add in the almonds, marshmallows and raisins

3.On a low heat melt together the milk chocolate, dark chocolate, butter, golden syrup, vanilla extract, caster sugar and cocoa powder

4.Pour the melted glossy chocolate over all the dry ingredients and mix well

5.Place into a baking tray and press it down before refrigerating either overnight or a for at least 3-4 hours
6.Once set melt some white chocolate and sprinkle over the top before cutting into bars

7.Remove from tray and enjoy - unfortunately forgot to get a picture of this stage as I was too busy eating them