Baking with and for toddlers: Carrot & pineapple muffins

For a while there with the little one I wasn't able to do much baking. We have a fairly old school standup gas oven that gets boiling to touch, both on the front at sides. A major hazard for any toddler who likes to touch everything! She also is far too short to be able to watch what I'm doing on the kitchen work surfaces, and she's too young to stand on a chair. Plus her concentration just couldn't last through the entire process of baking, and we'd have to go and do something else.

Things seem to be changing though, in the last week we've had lots of fun in the kitchen. She has her own Miffy apron, and already knows lots of key words; 'mix', 'bowl', 'cake', 'bake', 'oven', 'chocolate', 'tanies' (or sultanas) 'spoon', 'fork' and 'hot'.  All in all, very helpful words for baking.  We bring her little IKEA table into the kitchen and I kneel down with her.  She enjoys seeing the raw ingredients, I weigh them out and place them in small plastic bowls for her so she can add them, and sometimes taste them. She also loves watching my Kitchenaid work away. Who wouldn't really, it mesmerises me too!

A few days ago we made these Annabel Karmel Carrot & Pineapple muffins. They're reminiscent of carrot cake, with the spices and sultanas, but a big healthier as they come un-iced. I followed a friend's recommendation to halve the sugar, and they could do with even less as the tinned pineapples are so sweet.

We then proceeded to enjoy teatime with all its rituals. The little girl already enjoys pouring, adding milk or sugar and stiring, before passing out cups of tea.

 

 

Plastic galore at kids' teatime!