Easy Blueberry Cake from Scratch

"The more you know, the more you can create. There's no end to imagination in the kitchen."

- Julia Child

It's a warm, sunny holiday weekend near us and we are flush with blueberries. About 6 lbs. worth and we are enjoying it. I asked our oldest what she would like to do with all the yummy blueberries. Naturally, she said, "Let's make a cake!" So, off we went to explore blueberry cake recipes. Check out how we make Blueberry Dump Cake the Montessori way!

Learn more about cooking with kids.

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Easy Blueberry Cake

Since our daughter is reading everything in sight right now, she was able to pick out her own recipe. It's a relatively new milestone for her. She was really happy to be able to read through the recipes and choose what she wanted to make.

This Blueberry Dump Cake recipe is the one she liked the most and it's also healthy. If you follow us on Pinterest, you can find it pinned under Practical Life in the Kitchen - Inspiration.

Ingredients & Tools

• Blueberries
• Stevia
• Lemon Juice
• Coconut Flour
• Almond Flour
• Baking Powder
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Butter
• Apron
• Measuring Cup
• Bowls
• Kitchen Scale
• Wooden Spoon
• Pie Dish
• Pan

Once she chose her favorite recipe, we preheated the oven and assembled all the ingredients on her table (check out the recipe for specifics). She enjoyed using her Learning Tower (not affiliate) when she was younger, but she doesn't need it as much for cooking or baking anymore. She prefers to use her larger work table. It's relatively new and she appreciates having her own separate area to work. In addition, we provide low shelving and drawers to accommodate our little ones. As a result, they don't hesitate to grab what they need when they need it. We've shared our Montessori Food Prep tools and area a few times in the past.

Montessori practical life in the kitchen is a great time to incorporate some math. We use a kitchen scale to assist in measuring out ingredients and talk about temperatures when we preheat the oven.

Also, we review kitchen safety. On this particular day, I melted the butter while our daughter gathered other ingredients.

Don't forget an appropriately-sized apron and wooden spoon. These items go a long way in encouraging interest and participation.

Creating Blueberry Mixture

Montessori practical life in the kitchen means setting up a work space that functions from left to right, as a subtle reminder of the process for following the dump cake recipe. She setup her workflow on the table, so she arranged items on the left that she knew she needed to combine before transferring them to her pie dish. These Montessori food prep skills provide a helpful routine for kids to implement when following all recipes.

Once she had all of her ingredients set up, she worked from left to right, adding the stevia and then the lemon juice to her bowl of fresh blueberries. Afterwards, she used a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients and transfer the mixture to a pie dish.

Taste Testing

Who can resist a good taste test? It definitely had her seal of approval at that point. Notice, there is a Motor Trend Magazine collage happening on the wall to the left of the table, courtesy of our 3 y.o. who accidentally got his hands on our neighbors subscription, and some Schleich dinosaurs in the background. That's just how we roll. I have a feeling our neighbor might like some cake right about now. Continuing on.

Adding the Remaining Ingredients

She carefully added the remaining dry ingredients to the pie dish, leaving the butter in the measuring cup.

Stirring it All Together

She carefully stirred the mixture in the dish. Afterwards, she drizzled the melted butter over the top. When she was done, she walked the pie dish to the oven and I helped her place it in safely. Then, we waited.

Letting it Cool on the Rack

Thirty minutes later, we had a hot Blueberry Dump Cake filling our home with the sweet, comforting aroma of blueberries and cinnamon. This is always a great opportunity for lessons in patience, if for no other reason than to avoid burning your hands and mouth.

Enjoying Easy Blueberry Cake

Truth be told, this sweet summer treat was gone in less than a day. It was scrumptious. This is a great recipe to pair with blueberry picking. If you have a large family like us, AND one unlucky neighbor, we would highly recommend doubling up on your ingredients. That way, the kids can take part in this awesome blueberry baking experience and everyone can savor the dessert.

We really enjoy our time in the kitchen. It's the heart of our home and our kids have acquired so much independence and sharpened so many skills through their time spent there. As parents, we appreciate when our kids gain confidence through mastering everyday skills.

If you enjoy this baking experience, you'll love this bread pudding.

In Conclusion

So, what do you think of letting kids bake the Montessori way? Interested in adaptations for the whole family? Check out our Easy Baking for Kids Using a Visual Recipe.

Looking for more blueberry activities to integrate with your blueberry baking fun? Julie from Nature Inspired Learning has a Blueberry Activity Guide that's sure to add to the enjoyment!

Looking for more summer activity ideas and inspiration for kids? We have some of those listed below too.

More in the Kitchen

• Ethiopian Sambusas: A Printable Recipe with Pictures
• Bahian Chicken Stew
• Making Scrambled Eggs
• Coconut Flour Pizza

More Summer Activities for Kids

• Summer Activity Roundup: 20 Educational Activities by Growing Dawn
• Summer Mindfulness Activities by Simply Candice

Thanks for stopping by!

- Kristin

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