Vanilla Egg Cakelets & Crayon-Shape Craft

EGGLET

It's Easter Eve & I've baked a fresh strawberry cake (will post the recipe tomorrow) & these "cakelets" that I make every year for the children- nieces & nephews, & this year, my toddler. I call them my Egglets.

I have a cupboard full of different bakeware in different sizes, shapes, holidays... all for different purposes & made of different materials. For these cakelets, you need an egg-shaped pan. Mine is from Williams-Sonoma but Nordicware also has one.


Williams-Sonoma Recipe for Vanilla-Egg-Cakelets
I follow the recipe exactly except I leave out the apricot jam part. I also use my vanilla frosting recipe, below, instead. And they come out yummy & perfect for the children.

Bare Egglets.

All dressed for the Easter Parade.

Vanilla Frosting

• 1/2 Cup Shortening
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Orange Juice
• 2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
• 3 TBSp Milk

Using the mixer paddle, beat the shortening, vanilla & juice together. Slowly add half the sugar & then a TBSp of milk, incorporating the everything well. Slowly add the rest of the sugar & more of the milk until well-mixed & spreading consistency. 

This is the perfect amount for 9 cakelets. Decorate the egglets with sprinkles, colored sugar, etc. These are for the children- they did not have to be perfect :)

Crayon-Shape Craft

OK, everyone with children seems to have broken, in pieces crayons. I did not, yet at least, until Gabriel's 2nd Birthday Party last week. And I was excited because I've been wanting to do this craft! Be careful- this is a good one for your children to watch, not help. The wax is hot!!! These make great favors for birthday parties or great gifts to accompany coloring books. 

Start out by taking the paper off of the broken crayons. Line a muffin tin with liners. In each, separate liner, place the color combination that you want the melted color to be:

Blue & Pink pieces.

Place the tin in the oven on it's lowest setting. I did 200 degrees. There's no "time"- just keep watch until the crayon wax is entirely melted together & looks like this:

Have this ready: 

Heart & a Star...

Parchment paper & METAL, cooking-sprayed cookie cutters (not the plastic! they may melt from the heat) or Candy shapes plastic from the craft store. 

HOLD the cookie cutter in place tightly & carefully pour the melted wax into the cookie cutter. Hold until the wax sets, just a moment. And you will end up with these:

BEAUTIFULLY, repurposed, shaped crayons!

Hoppy Easter everyone!!!!
*Lishie