A WINTER FOREST … on a cake –
This year I decided to take little Temeculans bakers to another level of baking during Thanksgiving 2019 baking camp for kids November 25-27, 2019, in Temecula
I wanted this baking camp to be unique in the Valley. I wanted to stand out and instead of using the same baking theme as other baking instructors, ( aka using flashy fluorescent colored cupcakes …not always made them from scratch, the same boring cookies and cupcakes ), I wanted this camp to be a beautiful moment to remember: 1/ for the kids who participated 2/ for the parents to be happy and proud of their kids’ creations and 3/ for me as a serene / happy cooking/ baking instructor.
Two camps were scheduled , one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each camp lasted 2.5 hrs. There were 14 kids in each camp, each camp was divided in two groups of 7 kids.
On the first day of camp, the menu was simple , even if I knew most of the kids ( in both camps 50% of the kids were returning from previous camp or classes with me) I wanted the first day to be easy, for the kids to know each others, be comfortable ,so we made the best possible cupcakes : Vanilla Cupcakes from the famous Magnolia Bakery in NYC. This day was a good start for later days of the week with unique and amazing creations to be completed one day at the time. Kids were happy to finish the day camp with homemade lemon-orange-ade with tons of flavors and real vitamins C, to keep colds away during Thanksgiving break.
On the second day we made sugar cut cookies and icing all from scratch. We used “nature”,” winter” “Christmas type of cookie cutters , from an elegant moose to a cute squirrel for the decoration of the future cake, and kids cut and made plenty of more cookies they were happy to eat them the next day since the icing had to dry out.
One camp used food coloring and the other one just regular white icing. Kids had also ton of fun making tiny mushrooms meringues cookies to decorate the future cake. It looks easier that it is in reality!
On the third and last day, we baked a simple large rectangle chocolate cake, that we covered with crushed Oreo cookies ( soil) and plain cookies crushed and mixed with green food coloring for the forest moss. We made edible pine cones and Christmas tree with chocolate, seed butter and cereals. So much fun and creativity and a lot of work.
Then we topped our cake with the sugar iced cookies made the day before, the Christmas tree, the pine cones and the mushrooms made also the day before, the green moss and the soil.
It was so beautiful. Each camp made and decorate a large cake. Kids ate it. We also made hot cocoa with whipped cream.
I do not think kids were happier than that day, hot cocoa and cake!
They worked very hard and delivered a unique creation. I feel so blessed I was able to conduct these two camps with the most amazing kids.
I want also to thank my children Tommy and Zoe who helped me with daily cleaning ( my son was so tired of cleaning everything with chocolate on the last day!). Both of my children helped the other kids when needed, and over all they earned Community Services Hours for their college application.
I am thinking of doing more unique baking camps for kids, with new creations, new themes and more challenges! Very exciting.
