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Cakes That Kids Can Make: Easy Cakes and Cupcakes

March 12, 2012 By Brandy 26 Comments

Here is a collection of easy cakes that kids can make. If you are looking for a fun afternoon activity for your child or an idea for the next Blue & Gold Banquet you've come to the right place! This post contains an affiliate link.

If you don't see instructions listed below for the cake you want to make, just click the link in the description and it will take you to that post!

For 60 more kids activities, check out my sewing book for kids!

Easy Cakes for Kids:Â Hamburger Cake

checkerboard cake platter with hamburger themed cake

This cake is just classic. To make it simple we used 3 round cakes. 2 yellow and 1 devil's food. There is no need to frost them since they already look like a bun and burger pattie!

piping green frosting onto cake to look like lettuce

Â We started with the bottom bun and added some frosting in the center to hold the cake together. Then using a leaf tip, Dallin added lettuce. Just squirt and pull, squirt and pull....that is what I told him to do.

piping red frosting on for ketchup on hamburger cake

Then he stacked the chocolate cake on top of that and added more white frosting. Using a round tip, he piped ketchup on the edges. We used colored marshmallow fondant to make the pickles and cheese. Dallin only likes pickles, lettuce, and cheese (if it is really melted) on his burgers so he did not want to make onions or tomatoes for his burger.

The pickles were cut out of a round cookie cutter and he used a toothpick to make the seed indentations. The cheese was rolled out thin and then cut into a square shape using a pizza cutter. Then we cut the square in half on the diagonal to create two pieces. All of the fixings were draped over the edges before addingÂ the top bun.

piping on small white dots on top of cake for sesame seeds

Then he piped on sesame seeds with a small round tip and white frosting.

He was pretty darn proud of his cake!

Easy Cakes for Kids:Macaroni & Cheese Cake

red checkered cake board with mac and cheese themed cake

This little cake turned out awesome! We had absolutely nothing to go by, as I had never seen a macaroni and cheese cake before, but it is Aaron's favorite food so we attempted it and I think it was a success!

child cutting orange fondant into pieces to resemble macaroni

Using orange fondant, we rolled out ropes and then he cut the ropes into little sections with a butter knife and curved them to create the macaroni.

We baked 1 cake mix in the pampered chef batter bowl @ 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes to create the bowl. Then I scooped out the top 2" to make an area for the macaroni to fit inside.

He covered it with a light coat of buttercream frosting and then added the fondant.

child covering round cake with blue fondant

Yep, HE did the fondant! I rolled it out for him and he draped it and pressed it around the edges. It didn't need to be perfect, but I think it turned out perfect. He just pressed and folded, then we cut off the excess around the bottom. The bowl was finished.

child with finished macaroni and cheese cake

Another cute cake!

Easy Cakes for Kids: Bunny Cake

Click here to go to our bunny cake blog post! Such a simple cake to make using only 2 round cakes. No special cake pan required.

Easy Cakes for Kids: Minion Cupcakes

EASY. FUN. HILARIOUS! Every family needs to make a batch of these minion cupcakes. We made these just for fun. No birthday or party...as you can see, we didn't even have all matching liners, but they were a hit over here! They are pretty straightforward. Cut a Twinkie to size, use Smarties for the eyes, and frosting to make all of the details!

Easy Cakes for Kids: Mini Rainbow Cake

small blue cake with skittles in the shape of a rainbow

Aaron made this darling cake for his preschool teacher last year. We baked up 2 small round pans, stacked and frosted them, and then used skittles to create the rainbow with marshmallow clouds.

He later found out that his teacher's favorite candy was indeed, Skittles, and was pretty excited about that.

child with finished rainbow skittle cake

This sweet simple cake was one of my all time favorites.

Easy Cakes for Kids:Â Pepperoni Pizza Cake

sugar cookie decorated to look like pizza

Here is another favorite. I made this for Dallin's birthday, but it is so simple that kids would have a blast creating their own pizza cookie/cake and figuring out creative ways to make the toppings!

I made a 14" sugar cookie by pressing the dough onto the pan and poking holes in it with a fork to prevent bubbling. It took an entire batch of cookie dough. I then baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. It had just started to look golden on the edges and looked like it was set. Soft in the center, set up on the edges. Full post here.

I spread red frosting across the cooled cookie for the sauce and used white frosting for the cheese. Again, I didn't have my supplies like frosting bags, so I used ziploc baggies and filled 2 of them with white icing. Then I trimmed off one corner from each baggie. 1 corner was a VERY tiny hole and the other was a little bigger. That way it would look like shredded cheese in different stages of being melted. I drizzled and dropped the icing all over the place randomly.

The pepperoni? Fruit roll ups! It took 5 of them (strawberry flavored) to cut out enough circles. Some of them didn't turn out and stuck to the wax paper too much so it's a good idea to make extra circles of roll ups just in case.

Easy Cakes for Kids:Â Puppy Paw Cupcakes

An Oreo and Junior Mints. It doesn't get more simple for these puppy paw cupcakes! Ruby made these for Kaylee's 7th birthday. View the full party post here.Â

Easy Cakes for Kids:Â Little Chicken Cake

No special cake decorating tools required here! This little mound of a cake turned out pretty cute and is just covered in coconut. Lots of it. The details are from starbursts! They were easy to cut into the shapes we needed and taste better than fondant too. I made this cake for my daughter's 1st birthday, but it is simple enough for a child to easily make. You could make many animals using this same shape. Add some ears, a curly tail and a cupcake snoutÂ to make a pig, add whiskers for a little mouse, etc. You can see my full post on this cake here.

Easy Cakes for Kids: Butterfly Cupcakes

My girls loved making these butterfly cupcakes. They were so easy and used some of their favorite kinds of candy! Full post here.

Easy Cakes for Kids: In The Wild Cake

two tiered camping themed cake on metal cake platter

Dallin needed to make a "survival" themed cake for another Blue and Gold Banquet. He was thrilled with how his cake turned out. There were certain aspects that I wanted to "help" with, but I let him take full control over how it was going to go and I think it turned out great.

The theme he came up with was "2 campers in the woods, roasting marshmallows, while some bears are having a party"

And so we went with it...

camping themed cake with gummy bears and candy rocks

Sour patch kids for the "people", toothpick with a piece of marshmallow for "roasting marshmallows" gummy bears for the "bears" and blue icing gel for the lake with mini goldfish crackers.

He used white frosting and spread it into a lake shape and then covered it in the blue gel since the blue gel didn't show up well against the chocolate frosting.

The trees are bugles (the chips) covered in frosting. The rocks are CHOCOLATE rocks. My kids think these are just about the best invention ever. We bought them in bulk at Winco.

child holding camping cake on cake platter

It was a great cake and a great night at Cub Scouts. He earned his Bear! Way to go Dallin!

Easy Cakes for Kids: Easy Flower Cake

9 cupcakes and one round cake decorated like a flower

Kaylee made this cake for a tea party she hosted for a bunch of her little friends. It was incredibly easy to make. 1 small round cake and 10 cupcakes. She frosted the round cake in yellow and added sprinkles and I helped her pipe on frosting for the cupcakes. It was a darling little flower and the girls loved it! View the entire post here!

Easy Cakes for Kids: Teddy Bear Cake

children decorating teddy bear shaped cake

My kids made this darling teddy bear cake for my birthday. A round cake for the head, an oval one for the body, and 6 cupcakes for ears and paws. German chocolate cake with coconut frosting. Then they went crazy with the m&ms and candies for details. Not to mention an overload of candles for the 30-something birthday girl. View the entire post here.

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It is so fun to see how proud the kids get when they create and use their skills. I just have to remember that it doesn't matter if it is done exactly how I would have made it. It is their creation, their vision, and I need to just step back and offer suggestions here and there, and snap pictures 🙂

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FONDANT RECIPE

FROSTING RECIPE

Â (I use all shortening and add butter flavoring. Shortening handles temperatures better than butter, but butter tasted better).

For my cakes, I always use boxed ones. No special brand.

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt!

March 8, 2012 By Brandy 6 Comments

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

laminated scavenger hunt with dry erase pen

The kids and I had a lot of fun recently when we went exploring in our neighborhood! With such a mild winter we've been able to spend a lot more time outside this year than we normally would! It's been a couple of weeks since we made these scavenger hunt sheets and they have used them a couple of times since!

Our printer was out of commission at the time so I wasn't able to just print out a bunch of clip art images. I cut up a little preschool workbook that we didn't need anymore and glued the images to a sheet of copy paper and then laminated it so that we could use a dry erase marker with it.

child marking off items on scavenger hunt

They LOVED this activity. They would check off items as we found them and even after they found everything off of the list, they'd keep checking them off. Some had 5 or 6 check marks next to it. Those were easy things like fire hydrants, trees, etc. The hardest item to find was a cat, but we went out on a dreary day. Any sane cat would have been inside.

I made 3 sheets different sheets, one for each child. Each time we go out, they swap sheets so that they have new things to find. Sometimes the simplest activities are the best.

You can find a printable version of a similar activity here.

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Clean-Up Jar

March 6, 2012 By Brandy 17 Comments

This is our family clean up jar. When the kids pick up something around the house that is "above and beyond" what they are required to clean up, they get a jelly belly. Things like their shoes, backpack and jacket don't count. They need to be doing that anyways, but something extra to help out Mom or baby sister, etc. will earn them a bean.

The system was working out perfectly. Our house was super clutter free and the kids were getting tiny treats in return. Not only were they picking up their every day items, but they'd seek out others like maybe a diaper on the floor, or Ruby's baby toys, the newspaper, etc. Win-win. That is until they got smart on me.

Our kids get a long great, but the other morning they were getting along even better. Patting each other on the back, laughing and playing. They were practically giddy. What were they doing to be so happy? Well, instead of picking up their toys and shoes that they are expected to do anyway, they were having their siblings do it FOR THEM and earning candy that way. Everyone was picking up the normal every day items, but since they were doing it for EACH OTHER they considered that worth of a jelly belly. Kaylee put Dallin's shoes away and treated herself to a bean, Dallin picked up Kaylee's jacket, and Aaron picked up Dallin's books, etc....

It was hilarious. So I had to adjust it a bit. ONLY after their regular every day items are picked up (by themselves) can they start to work on extra bonus chores to earn candy. It is working out great and our house hasn't been this clutter-free (without me doing it) before. I actually walked into the living room the other night and did a double take. It was clean and I didn't clean it. How on earth?!?!?

It was great.

The Wasp Bag in 3 Sizes

March 5, 2012 By Brandy 3 Comments

I made another wasp bag (I did not create this pattern). Two, actually. By now it is pretty obvious that this is my favorite handbag pattern. I've used it here and here. All different sizes, and they've each turned out perfect for what I needed it for.

The first bag was this beautiful Amy Butler print that I made earlier in the spring. It is the perfect size for a diaper bag. LOVE this bag!

The second bag I made was a mini one for my mom's birthday. This one holds a wallet, phone, keys, and a few other small items.

This time I made a medium sized bag, and I have to say, it's my favorite sized one of them all. I still need a larger bag for myself since Ruby joined us and I have to keep diapers, extra changes of clothes, etc. in my bag, but I still love the size for an average every day purse.

inside handbag showing lining and pockets

I made this new one for my mother in law. It isn't easy going fabric shopping for someone else. I did the best I could and really hope that she likes what I chose for her. I liked it so much that I used the scrap lining fabric and made one for myself.

I always appreciate when I do such thoughtful things like this for myself :p

If you print the wasp bag pattern to scale you will get the larger bag. If you print it without scaling it at all, you will get the medium sized one. If you take an inch or so off the height and width of the medium printout, you'll get a mini bag. The pattern is easily adaptable.

The only thing I haven't figured out in the pattern is the inside pocket. The first time I tried it according to the pattern, but it didn't turn out for me. So I just create my own and sew it into the lining before putting the purse together.

I also add a loop for an antibacterial holder from Bath & Body Works. I found a matching one for my mother-in-law and a couple of little bottles of antibacterial gel and sent them on their merry way to Alaska with her new hand bag.

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Sparkling Jello for Tummies

March 2, 2012 By Brandy 2 Comments

basket with cold and flu medicine and essentials

Does this collection of supplies look familiar? Do you have any of these within an arms reach in your home? If not, consider yourself lucky! This winter's weather has been mild, that's for sure, but the germs have not.

I've lost track how many times I've administered Vick's chest rub before bedtime, re-filled the humidifier, given Tylenol, etc. That is typical for us. Lots of colds that go straight to the chest. We've had a couple of ear infections and strep as well. The stomach bugs, for the most part, pass our home by. But not this year, and from what I've heard we were some of the last in the country to have it visit us. EVERYONE has had it!
Lucky for us, it has been pretty mild, but we have 2 little ones who are recovering and resting up from not feeling so well yesterday. We're crossing our fingers that nobody else gets it and things can get back to "normal"!

As they are asking for more foods and things it's funny to see what they want. Yesterday Kaylee was feeling awful and asked me if she could have a slice of pepperoni pizza that had been half eaten and left on the counter over-night. "Pizza is good for tummies!" Which probably makes sense to a 3 year old. I offered applesauce and she replied that she would like some yogurt and cheese, again....I turned her down. So we've been sticking with toast, applesauce, saltines, and jello. But not just any jello....Sparkling Jello!

Basically you just use lemon-lime soda instead of the cold water. That's it!

It's delicious and refreshing and a nice alternative to the crackers from yesterday.

{If it foams up, either ignore it or let it sit a minute or just skim if off of the top before pouring into your container.}

Here's to a happy and HEALTHY weekend to you and your family!

Super Pops!

January 28, 2012 By Brandy 6 Comments

We decided to get a head start on our Valentines this year. Which was probably a good idea since I am organizing the kindergarten Valentine's Day party as well. These SUPER POPS were super easy to make, especially if you have a cricut, but if you don't, you can still make them too. See this inspiration via pinterest. Since I had the cricut paper doll cartridge I opted not to do the printable version and save time on cutting.

I cut out capes using the 4" settings (do NOT have it set to real dial size). And masks in the 4" setting as well. Then I hot glued the masks on and hole punched the capes so that the stick could easily slide through.

two lollipops with paper capes and masks

We kept the capes super simple and the boys just wrote From: Dallin/Aaron on each one.

They think they are pretty silly and I have to admit, they make me laugh too.

Pinewood Derby Ideas

January 26, 2012 By Brandy 7 Comments

Has your little scout had his Pinewood Derby yet? I think most packs do them in January.

I made this fun cake to bring and it was a hit! Just 3 stacked cakes with the top layer cut at an oval angle. I frosted it and added sprinkles for the "crowd". I did a google search for checkered paper and just printed it out online and taped it together for the base. The same with the little flags. I printed them off from online, laminated them, and taped then to tooth picks. I raided the boys' toys and found the little cars. Pretty simple!

Inspiration

Derrick is the cubmaster for our pack so I get to help him plan some of the pack meetings. It is fun working with him, we make a great team...10 years 🙂

wooden pinewood derby trophies with rubber ducks on top

Here are the trophies that we made for the boys this year. I think they turned out so fun! Derrick cut up a 2x4, painted and painted each block blue.

I added the vinyl, and then he added a little rubber duck to each one. To attach the rubber duck (from Oriental Trading) he attached a screw to each block and popped it into the bottom of the duck. We origionally tried hot glue, but it wouldn't stick to the rubber.

wood pinewood derby trophy with rubber duck

Simple and very inexpensive.

Derrick and the boys have been working on their cars together for the past week. I am so proud of the boys. They worked hard and really learned a lot. Aaron woke up early one morning and taped a little lego figure to the top of his car. It added the perfect touch 🙂
They both did great at the derby and had a fun time racing with their friends.

***More Ideas from Last Year***

Last year we made these fun cars to hand out as trophies.

For the Blue and Gold Banquet each boy brought a cake. I thought it would be fun to make one too. I loved how it turned out, but don't think that I will make one so detailed this year. I made that last year while being plagued heavily with MORNING SICKNESS. Ugg....that was a horrible night, but now we have sweet Ruby so it was all worth it!

Potato Flake Chicken

January 24, 2012 By Brandy 12 Comments

This recipe is easy, quick, and super kid friendly. It is one of our family favorites and a good one to whip up on nights that I teach piano or the boys have scouts. I found it on the back of a potato flake box years ago.

1 cup mashed potato flakes

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon garlic salt

½ tsp. italian seasoning

1 ½ lbs. chicken breasts (sliced into 1" strips) or chicken tenders.

⅓ cup butter or margerine, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine the potato flakes, Parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Dip chicken in butter, then coat with potato flake mixture.

Place in a greased (cooking spray) baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Broil on top rack for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serves 6.

No-Sew Fleece Poncho For Kids

January 5, 2012 By Brandy 32 Comments

Make a no-sew fleece poncho for a toddler! So cute and cozy for fall, it's like a blanket for their shoulders! I'll share this quick 10 minute project with an optional ruffle detail.

little girl wearing pink polka dot fleece poncho

My mom called me the other day and told me about a little project that she made for her friend's daughter. She thought Kaylee would like it too. I agreed!

It was a little no-sew fleece poncho that she found online.

I told Kaylee about it and told her it was a little blanket for her shoulders. She was thrilled to go to Joann's and pick out some fabric for her new "shoulder blanket".

square of fleece with white fleece ruffle down the center

¾ of a yard of fleece will make 2 of these no-sew fleece ponchos. I didn't need 2 so I used the scraps to make her a little scarf with the scraps.

Measure the length from one wrist, across the chest, and all the way to the other wrist. This will be the measurement for the square of fleece. I used a 27"x27" square for this one.

If you'd like to keep this a no-sew project, you can stop right there, but I thought I'd add a little ruffle. I cut a strip of fleece twice as long as the square and stitched through the center, pulling the end strings to scrunch it. Then pinned it to the fabric, stretching and adjusting as I went.

There was extra on the ends so I just trimmed that part off.

Then I folded it in half diagonally and made the hole for her head. This little bowl is 4" in diameter and was perfect. I just used it as my guide. You'll just need a semi-circle shape on the fold.

Fleece is stretchy. It's better to start small and make the hole bigger if you need to later. If you made the ruffle, you can just back stitch a few stitches to keep the ends from unraveling after cutting the hole for the head.

There are several ways to finish the bottom. You can just leave it or cut it with pinking shears, or create a fringe. I just trimmed 2" up across the bottom to create a fringe. I didn't tie the ends, just left them like fringe.

It was so easy to make and only cost around $3 that I decided to make her 2. The one pictured, and another little black with white polka dot one.

The perfect little blanket for her shoulders.

***My little gal is 38" tall. ¾ yard of fleece is about 27" and is perfect for a little girl her size (3-4 years). You can adjust accordingly to fit your child. If making for a child 5-8 years old you'll probably need a yard.***