Celebrating the season with cake

Adding flowers to sprouting cakesSo. I had three activities lined up to celebrate the halfway point of Winter. Hardly surprising that it was the edible one that caught the children’s imagination. The one we’ve done before.

collecting the eggs

Youngest even rushed out to the hen house to collect the eggs we needed.

digging out sprouting cakes

There was talk of finding a little spade to dig out the hole at the top of the cake, ready to plant the sprouting shoots. That would be sweet. Maybe next year.

making imbolc candlemas cakes

We used my favourite chocolate tray bake recipe and divided it between the muffin cases. I added chocolate chips to act as pretend stones in the cakes. We debated how to make roots. Something to add next year.

Sprout cake cut in half

We used a pack of Renshaw icing to create the shoots beginning to burst through the soil. As a sign of the new life. The icing is the real reason the children love this activity. Not only can they have fun modelling it, but sooner or later, they will eat it. A sweet treat.

candlemas imbolc cakes craftTo make a change, we added a small bit of blue to some of the new growth. To give the impression of maybe hyacinth flowers readying to bloom.

A simple activity to celebrate the season, but it always goes down well. We’ve spotted the snowdrops in bloom along the lane, as we walk to school. This activity gave us a chance to discuss how nature was starting to wake up. Although some still slumbers.

choosing a sprouting cake

Almost forgot, this one is for you.

Happy Imbolc. Blessings for all. Looking to Candlemas tomorrow and more craft activities. If I can persuade anyone to join in……