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My Kids Meals: Easter Cupcakes

EatPost Category - EatEat

The Easter Bunny must be really starting to feel stressed by now as his presence will soon be welcomed by kids all over the world, (and I complain about being busy…)! The bunny’s imminent arrival, plus the necessity to send my 6 year old to school with something for her Easter Bake Sale is the inspiration for this seasonal post for all you Sassy Mamas!

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I admit baking is my love. I cook ‘My Kids Meals’ because – as anyone who has even glanced at the food pyramid knows – all the yummiest stuff is way up at the top! (‘Sometimes food’ as it known in my house.) So when a guilt-free chance comes around to bake, I jump at it! It is also a great way to get the children involved – piping bags, cookie cutters, bowls of finger-licking batters and icing – try keeping them out of the kitchen! I have also, after many years of ‘taste testing’ recipes, finally come across a keeper.

A friend who makes amazing cakes gave me what I thought was her secret recipe. (It turned out to be not so secret but nevertheless amazing!) It is such a good recipe that in the three years I have had the recipe I have not used another chocolate cake recipe – and with three kids at home, I make my fair share of birthday cakes, cupcakes and just-because-I-can cakes! So thanks to Martha Stewart, you too can share in the success – full recipe here.

This works perfectly as either a full-sized cake, or as cupcakes. But don’t panic when you make it for the first time it is a really runny recipe, which is the secret to the moistness. One last note – I have never used buttermilk, as called for by the recipe, only ever regular milk. Please let me know if I am missing anything due to my laziness in the comments section below if you decide to try the original version!

Cake 1

Clearly, the icing of the cupcakes is where the fun begins! Marks & Spencer are selling some very cute Mallow Bunnies and Chicks, they also have Candy Coated Crackled Eggs, which I had originally bought for the bake sale, but sadly had to replace at the last minute from Park n’ Shop after eating them! Oops. Anyway, you can let your creative genius shine here, but I will say that a couple of ‘professional’ products will make your life a whole lot easier. Plastic disposable piping bags, a Wilton 1M piping nozzle and gel food colours of your choice will turn your cupcakes to pro-standard in no time.

Cake 2

I had left over green fondant in the fridge, which I rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter. My daughter used a tiny dab of jam to stick the fondant to the cupcake, then a tiny dab of butter cream to secure the bunnies and chicks. The butter cream icing was tinted pink as requested, and set to pile swirls on to the remaining cakes. Piping bags look a more complicated than they really are, but honestly after a couple of swirls and twirls you will have something to be proud of. (If not, blame the children and take no ownership.) The eggs were then carefully pushed into the icing and that was that – all ready to be boxed up and taken to school by a very proud year 1 student, who even found the time to make me a thank you card telling me how much she loves ‘backing’ with me. Love it!

Wishing all the Sassy Mamas a Happy Easter… and happy baking!

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