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AliceK
12-03-2013, 12:49 PM
Just a quick query. If you were making cakes with 3 and 4yr olds would you get them to use a wooden spoon to do all the mixing or would you let them use an electric hand mixer?

xxxx

loocyloo
12-03-2013, 12:53 PM
i would use wooden spoons ... but only because i always do it by hand! only use my hand mixer to whisk egg white!

supermumy
12-03-2013, 12:53 PM
Good old fashion wooden spoon for me :)

funemnx
12-03-2013, 12:53 PM
I've let them do both. Even the 2 year olds have had a go with electric hand mixer (with help). They really enjoy it! :thumbsup:

Nicola Carlyle
12-03-2013, 01:24 PM
I do both. I let them use the electric whisk to get used to the noise as well as use the wooden spoon. They love it. Obviously the younger ones need some assistance but its all good fun. X

hectors house
12-03-2013, 01:26 PM
I cheat slightly - I let the mindees attempt to do all the creaming butter and sugar with wooden spoon but take the bowl into the kitchen after each stage to "rescue" the mixture with the electric mixer, then they crack in the eggs and attempt to mix but it ends up curdled so has to be "rescued" again, same after adding flour. We do all cooking at dining room table and I have a stair gate through to kitchen so I can see children at all times - we don't do cooking in the kitchen as I don't want them to have to stand on chairs to reach work surface and the dogs are in the kitchen, so children don't ever go in. I did once let them do all the mixing but it clearly wasn't enough as the cakes ended up as flat as biscuits!

FussyElmo
12-03-2013, 01:28 PM
I've let them do both. Even the 2 year olds have had a go with electric hand mixer (with help). They really enjoy it! :thumbsup:

Me too - just switch them off if they lick them :D

Word of warning make sure long hair is tied back as a friends dd lifted them out and put them by her hair - lost quite a bit of hair :(

Zoomie
12-03-2013, 01:29 PM
I've always used my electric mixer - its actually easier, however one mindee didn't like the noise, so it was a gradual thing with him (he started on the couch covering his ears, and over a period of a couple of months he was finally happy to do the mixer himself).

Its only now that they are aged 4 upwards that we use a wooden spoon or whisk and mix by hand.

Childrenatheart
12-03-2013, 01:32 PM
I do both but tend to use the electric mixer to 'finish off'. I have a great sponge recipe using oil rather than butter or marge. This is so much easier and only needs a spoon

Zoomie
12-03-2013, 01:32 PM
Have my own question though - I have a 16m mindee - in what ways can I include them in cake making?

supermumy
12-03-2013, 01:39 PM
They can mix pour with your helps can let them just touch the substances of the flour and butter etc :)

FussyElmo
12-03-2013, 01:47 PM
Have my own question though - I have a 16m mindee - in what ways can I include them in cake making?

Stick them in a higchair and let them go mad with the flour and cocca powder

Give then a little bowl and a little whick and let them mix their own cake up :thumbsup:

Little Puddings
12-03-2013, 01:54 PM
I mostly use a wooden spoon as I find it quicker than getting my kitchen aid out. If we are short for time I sometimes make the cakes the evening before like I did last night, I made two lots and the children have decorated them today (I have no children on Fri)

7040

Little Puddings
12-03-2013, 01:55 PM
Stick them in a higchair and let them go mad with the flour and cocca powder

Give then a little bowl and a little whick and let them mix their own cake up :thumbsup:

I've just made a mess in the kitchen mixing icing....

FussyElmo
12-03-2013, 01:57 PM
I've just made a mess in the kitchen mixing icing....

The icing sugar haze :laughing::laughing:

hectors house
12-03-2013, 01:58 PM
Me too - just switch them off if they lick them :D

Word of warning make sure long hair is tied back as a friends dd lifted them out and put them by her hair - lost quite a bit of hair :(

Yes, this happened to a mindee many years ago when she was cooking with her mum - hair was ripped from scalp, she had to wear a wide material alice band to cover the bald patches until it grew back. Reminded me of when I was doing about history of woollen mills (industrial revolution and all that) at school and they used to say about people being dragged into machines by their hair!:panic:

littlemiss60561
12-03-2013, 02:35 PM
Me too - just switch them off if they lick them :D

Word of warning make sure long hair is tied back as a friends dd lifted them out and put them by her hair - lost quite a bit of hair :(

I liked the 'before they lick' bit not the hair bit btw..I'm sure you realised but Just wanted to clarify lol

I let mine use both. I hold the handle with the little ones

FussyElmo
12-03-2013, 02:36 PM
I liked the 'before they lick' bit not the hair bit btw..I'm sure you realised but Just wanted to clarify lol

I let mine use both. I hold the handle with the little ones

Yes I did :-)

PixiePetal
12-03-2013, 02:38 PM
mine use wooden spoon and I finish off with hand mixer if needed or they help hold it if they can. Sometimes needs 'rescuing'

Often if pressed for time I make cakes/biscuits the night before to be iced/decorated by mindees.

I get quite frustrated baking with children - being a bit of a baker myself I hate the mess! I am a tidy baker :) Love my KitchenAid :D would rather baking mess than sand though!!

VeggieSausage
12-03-2013, 05:27 PM
wooden spoon if you are covering PD and mixer is you're doing UW Technology and ICT!!! lol

AliceK
12-03-2013, 05:43 PM
wooden spoon if you are covering PD and mixer is you're doing UW Technology and ICT!!! lol

Thats a brilliant reply, thank you :thumbsup:
The reason I was asking is because I have Mrs O coming on Thursday and I was planning on making some cakes with the 2 mindees I will have that afternoon. We usually use the electric hand mixer but I thought there might be a "reason" why I shouldn't.

Thanks for all the replies

xxx

Mice and Toad
12-03-2013, 05:53 PM
Zoomie- I have an 18 month old and she stands there hands on hips with a du=iva expression on her face if she can not mix (hold spoon and move round, not round the bowl)

I always use a wooden spoon as food proccesor broke and they are soo expensive!!!!!!!!!

hectors house
12-03-2013, 06:18 PM
Thats a brilliant reply, thank you :thumbsup:
The reason I was asking is because I have Mrs O coming on Thursday and I was planning on making some cakes with the 2 mindees I will have that afternoon. We usually use the electric hand mixer but I thought there might be a "reason" why I shouldn't.

Thanks for all the replies

xxx

Just make sure they all wash hands thoroughly before you start and then half a dozen times during after they have picked nose, played with hair, sneezed onto hands etc, also make sure they don't eat mixture off spoon and put it back in bowl - don't think I would be brave enough to make cakes during an inspection! Good luck:D

AliceK
12-03-2013, 06:19 PM
Just make sure they all wash hands thoroughly before you start and then half a dozen times during after they have picked nose, played with hair, sneezed onto hands etc, also make sure they don't eat mixture off spoon and put it back in bowl - don't think I would be brave enough to make cakes during an inspection! Good luck:D

Lol, I know I must be mad :laughing:

xxx

chriss
12-03-2013, 06:26 PM
is it ok to let mindees eat the leftover mix ? I do with my own but with raw eggs is it ok to let mindees?

hectors house
12-03-2013, 06:37 PM
is it ok to let mindees eat the leftover mix ? I do with my own but with raw eggs is it ok to let mindees?

Shop bought eggs should come from chickens that have been vacinated against salmonella but still could have campylobacter.

I do let the children lick the spoons if I know their parents let them, unless I have bought fresh eggs from my friend as I don't know if her chickens have had salmonella vaccine. But I certainly wouldn't let them do it during an Ofsted inspection, but then they would probably drop me in it by saying "oh but you normally let us"!:panic:

starlight1
12-03-2013, 08:31 PM
My son was 5 before he wasn't scared of the mixer so let him use and electric spoon then finished it off myself with mixer so he got used to the noise..

I don't let my minded kids eat cake mixture...I just think the consequences of getting Food poisoning too dire...

MessybutHappy
12-03-2013, 09:18 PM
Jumping back a few threads...is not beating enough a reason for cakes that seem to think they are biscuits? I have found my achilles heel and will have to stick to chocolate crispy cakes soon!!!!!

FussyElmo
12-03-2013, 09:26 PM
Jumping back a few threads...is not beating enough a reason for cakes that seem to think they are biscuits? I have found my achilles heel and will have to stick to chocolate crispy cakes soon!!!!!

What flour and raising agents are you using?

MessybutHappy
12-03-2013, 09:30 PM
I've tried recipes with self raising and plain flour, and I think baking powder?