Even a small child can help with cake decorating.
Young children can decorate cakes as a hands-on project that teaches them to be more sure of themselves in the kitchen. It also has an artistic aspect that encourages them to think creatively, and at the end of the project, they get to eat the treat themselves or present it to someone that they love. After the lesson, they also learn the importance of cleaning up the kitchen so they can use it again.
Start With a Cupcake
While even a small cake may seem like an intimidating expanse of space, a cupcake or even a tray of cupcakes is sized for an excellent short afternoon project. Make the cupcakes beforehand or have the children help you make the cupcakes. The small cupcakes allow the children to have several tries at pastry decoration, and they can see themselves becoming more adept at the project. Show them draw simple pictures with the frosting and apply a smooth layer of icing to the top of the cupcake.
Icing Techniques
Even small children can learn pipe icing. Start with large round tips for their icing bags, which will produce a smooth line of icing. Show them first make a line with the frosting, and then broken lines, where they stop putting pressure on the bag and lift the tip. Then show them make dots, by holding the bag perpendicular the cake, squeezing, then lifting. Allow them to draw their own designs on the cake or to try writing in cursive.
Making the Icing
While you can purchase icing at the store, making the icing for your children and encouraging them to help allows them to see what goes into a cake and its icing. Make a simple buttercream frosting with confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla extract and vegetable shortening. Blend the ingredients together and add a small amount of food coloring for colored icing. You can also mix the food coloring together to produce different colors of icing.
Add Candy
If you are teaching an older child to decorate a cake, and a younger one would like to help, put out a dish of candy. While young children may not be able to manipulate a frosting bag, give them a pre-frosted cupcake or cookie. Then give them a dish full of hard candy and jelly beans, allowing them to create their own designs by pushing the candy into the frosting.
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