Veggie bakes
You’ll need
- Ingredients (see recipe)
- Oven
- Microwave
- Kitchen scales
- Wooden spoons
- Spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Washing up liquid
- Cake tins
- Food processor / blender
- Baking parchment paper
- Whisk
- Measuring jug
- Grater
- Wire rack
Before you begin
- We’ve included three tasty recipes: gooey chocolate and beetroot brownies, yummy scrummy carrot cake, and sweet and spiced courgette loaf cake.
- People should choose their recipe in advance, so they can bring the right ingredients (or so the person leading the activity can do a big shop for everyone).
Get ready to cook
- Everyone should wash their hands. Anyone with long hair should tie it back, and anyone who needs to should cover any cuts on their hands.
- Everyone should make sure they have a clean surface and all of the equipment and ingredients they need.
Ready, set, bake!
- Everyone should follow the recipe card to make and bake their cake. They’ll have to keep an eye on timings to make sure they have enough time to bake and decorate their creation.
- Once everyone’s cakes are finished, people could take it in turns to try each other’s bakes.
- Everyone should work together to clear up – each group should wash up everything they’ve used, wipe down surfaces, and dispose of rubbish, recycling, and leftovers.
Reflection
This activity was all about learning skills. When else might people use cooking and baking skills? How did using vegetables in the cake change people’s baking? What are the benefits of including vegetables in a cake? People may think about how it’s a great way to get more vegetables in their diet (and how it’s fun to try something new), even if they can’t rely on cakes as the way to get their five a day! What did people find most challenging about using vegetables in a cake? For example, did it affect the taste or texture of the cake?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Sharp objects
Teach young people how to use sharp objects safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
- Food
Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.
- Cooking
Teach young people how to use cooking equipment safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Make sure it’s safe to use and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for use.
You could try adding a time limit and making it competitive, or include a judges taste test.
You could keep what you will bake a secret, and provide everyone with the ingredients and instructions at the start of the meet. They will then have a set amount of time to complete the bake, and you can have a panel of judges to do a blind taste test and rank everyone’s bake.
If you don’t have access to cooking facilities, see if a local school, college, or cooking school may be able to help. Alternatively, see if you can challenge or work with another group who have the facilities you need. If not, why not look into no-bake recipes such as fruity flapjacks?
Make sure you have ingredients for anyone with dietary requirements, for example, dairy free butter and chocolate.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
You could create a range of cake and goodies and have a bake sale to raise money for a local charity or good cause.
There are three suggested recipes, however young people can research or choose any kind of cake they wish – even better if it includes some healthy elements.
Invite the young people to use the internet or apps, such as Pinterest, to research ideas for how to decorate their cakes. How about challenging them with a theme or specific ingredient, such as fresh fruit, to include in their decoration scheme?