Gift Guides & Inspiration
How to have your cake and eat it this Easter
Bake your way to holiday nirvana with recipes you can make and enjoy together
Feeling frazzled at the looming bank holidays and the thought of entertaining the kids for two solid weeks, while juggling work? Same same.
If you have a range of ages to amuse, baking is the one activity everyone can get behind.
The rules are simple: stock up on baking essentials you’ll want to keep and use all year, then choose something easy to make that everyone will want to devour once baked (a good incentive to keep them engaged).
We’ve fallen for this loaf-shaped Nordic non-stick Bundt tin (although younger kids might prefer bunny Bundt tins) and have grand plans to make this chocolate nest Bundt cake on repeat throughout the holidays. Once you’ve perfected the recipe together, you can serve it up for dessert on Easter Sunday for extra brownie/Bundt points with friends and family.
Want something less, well, chocolatey? Give Marth Collison’s spiced marmalade Bundt cake a spin. It’s a grown-up option so the kids can be off finding/scoffing chocolate eggs while you feast in peace.
Unisex unbleached kids’ apron, £7
Keep their clothes clean with this simple apron, which can also be used for science or tech classes once school starts up again.
ANYDAY sieves, £10
Designed to rest over saucepans and cups, these pastel lightweight sieves are perfect for little hands. They also nest together to save valuable cupboard space.
Le Creuset chef’s apron, £50
A pièce de résistance for all your baking needs. Made from pure cotton with fabric protector coating to make it stain and spill-resistant, there are handy deep front and side pockets ideal for stashing a miniature for when it all gets too much. Joking! They’ll be useful for kitchen equipment or your phone with the recipe on.
Le Creuset Chef's Apron
£50.00
Salter Eco bamboo scales, £39
No baker worth their sugar would be caught without a decent pair of weighing scales. The rustic, natural style will look excellent on your worktop and they’re made from FSC-certified bamboo, with a USB rechargeable battery.
KitchenAid, £399
Is it cheating to use a KitchenAid? No – we’re always in favour of anything that makes life a little easier. It’s pricey but if you fall in love with baking with the kids, this is definitely worth the investment. Also comes with a five-year guarantee.
Leckford butter dish, £14
Definitely one for us more than the kids, but storing butter in a dish hygienically keeps it at room temperature and saves you wasting three blocks hastily microwaving to try to achieve that soft-but-not-a-fiery-bubbling-liquid consistency you need for baking.
PME palette knife, £6
One of the most useful pieces of baking equipment, little hands will easily be able to spread icings and fillings on to cakes with this. It’s also dishwasher-safe for fuss-free cleaning.
ANYDAY pastry brush, £3.50
A traditional wooden pastry brush perfect for delicately and evenly brushing egg on to pastry or greasing a baking tin. Just don’t let them use it for actual painting…
Eva Solo kitchen timer, £44.95
Another one for us but have you ever seen such a classy timer? With a non-slip rubber base, it’ll sit firmly on your worktop, while the easy-to-read markers mean you’ll avoid soggy bottoms.
Looking for a quicker activity?
Our four favourite short-cut crafts for kids, from £8.50
