Maker Monday: Let’s try baking a cake

Happy Monday, Kidsburgh families.  This week’s fun and easy “Let’s Try” Maker Monday project, courtesy of our friends at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, teaches your child to make a cake from scratch and decorate it. We’re glad to kick off the week by bringing you this especially delicious maker activity.

A note to kid makers (and bakers): Please work with a parent or caregiver on every project and always be very careful when using tools of any kind.

Maker Monday materials you’ll need:

• 1.5 cups flour
• 4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup cold water
• 9-inch cake pan
• an oven

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a big bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt).
• Add wet ingredients (oil, water, vinegar, vanilla).
• Mix until batter is smooth.
• Use a bit more oil (or use butter, or cooking spray) to grease the 9-inch pan.
• Pour batter into the pan and use a spatula to smooth it out.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).
• Now it’s time to decorate! One option: Use powdered sugar and sprinkles. check out the video for a simple way to make a powdered sugar heart on your cake using paper, a pencil or pen, and a sifter.

Want more at-home fun making beautiful things? Check out more Maker Monday videos from Kidsburgh and the Children’s Museum!