A Holiday Party Kids Will Love

1. Bake cakes as per recipe or package directions.
2. Measure out 1 cup frosting, and set aside for later use.
3. Place one cake on a cake board and cover with ½ cup frosting. Top with the second cake and frost the outside (top and sides) with the remaining frosting.
4. Fill the piping bag with the frosting you set aside. Attach a #22 star tip and pipe a border around the bottom of the cake, covering the space where the edge of the cake meets the cake board. Remove the star tip and attach the round one. Pipe large dollops in the centre of the cake, to look like small snow banks.
5. Melt the white chocolate. Break the curved end off the candy cane and dip that end into the melted chocolate. Stick the gumball on top and place it into the middle of the icing snow banks.
6. To make the plaque, spread most of the remaining white chocolate (save just a little bit) out on a piece of parchment paper and allow it to cool completely. Once it has hardened, cut a small rectangle out of the chocolate. Using an edible pen, write a holiday message on the plaque. Melt the last of the icing and use a little to glue the plaque onto the candy cane.
7. Add the striped lollipop and snowflake candies to the cake.
8. Sprinkle the coarse sugar over the top of the entire cake to add a little snowy sparkle.

Variations: If using vanilla cake, flavour the batter with a touch of peppermint extract and add a handful of crushed candy canes. Or tint the batter in varying shades of red for a rainbow/ombre look.

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or double-broiler. Set aside and allow it to cool slightly.
2. Place the candy canes in a large zip top bag and close tightly. Crush the candy with a rolling pin until only small pieces remain.
3. Dip the lollipop sticks into the melted chocolate then skewer the marshmallows onto lollipop sticks. Dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate and then roll them through the crushed candy cane.
4. Stand the marshmallows on end, and allow the chocolate to harden completely before serving.

Good to Know: To embellish the lollipop sticks, cover them in colourful washi tape and adhere paper cutout circles to the top of the stick.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in brown sugar. Add the molasses, baking soda mixture and flour mixture. Mix to combine.
4. Beat in eggs. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and cut into squares (assorted sizes).
5. To assemble the houses, cut one square into half, diagonally, and use the two triangular pieces as roofs for two other square pieces. Attach the ‘roofs’ to the ‘houses’ by using a small amount of icing to glue the pieces together. Continue building houses until all of your cake has been used.
6. Set the houses up on a tray and sprinkle icing sugar over the tops of all of the houses.

1. Place the ground turkey, panko, egg yolk, mustard, jelly, sage, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl, and mix together with your hands until all of the ingredients are combined.
2. Lightly spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Press the meat mixture into the muffin cups, filling to the top.
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until completely cooked through.
4. While the muffins are cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes and mashed them with milk and butter, making them as smooth as possible.
6. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Take the muffins out of the baking pan and place them on a platter. Top with a dollop of potoatoes (or pipe the potatoes on using a piping bag) and then garnish with a sprinkling of sage and a fresh cranberry.

Good to Know: These can be made in advance. To serve, place the ‘cupcakes’ on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

 

1. Spread peanut butter on one side of three circles and lay a skewer down the middle.  Add the top slices and press firmly. Set the sandwich on a plate or platter.
2. Use a small piece of cheese or carrot for the nose and chocolate spread or mini chocolate chips for the eyes, mouth and buttons.
3. Tie a piece of candy into not and lay it over the neck for a scarf.
4. Add a paper hat, and serve the snowman with assorted red and green veggies.

1. Arrange your cheese cubes into a triangular tree shape, breaking up the different varieties of cheese with a sprig (or two) of rosemary.
2. Top the tree with a cherry tomato, and make a trunk using long, thin pretzels.
3. Serve with assorted shaped and flavoured crackers.

1. To make a simple syrup, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan set over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the stove top and allow it to cool for a minute or two.
2. Place the sprinkles on a shallow plate.
3. Dip the rim of the glass into the syrup, allowing the excess to drip off before dipping the rim into the sprinkles. Leave the glasses upside down and allow the sprinkles to adhere before turning the cups right side up (or the sprinkles will run down the side of the glass).
4. Make your favourite gingerbread cookie recipe and cut out gingerbread men or trees, using a 2-inch cookie cutter.
5. Place a lollipop stick in the middle of the back of the cutout cookie dough, and press down lightly to ensure the stick is adhered to the cookie. Bake as per your cookie recipe.
6. Carefully fill the glasses with milk, and rest a cookie garnish on the rim of the glass.

Good to Know: Chocolate chip cookies can be used in place of gingerbread and the milk can be flavoured with chocolate syrup and a touch of peppermint extract.