Tip 1

Snip the corner off a zip lock bag and put your icing mix inside.
Great way to ice cup cakes!

Tip 2

Use an icecream scoop to deposit cupcake mix into patty cases - just the right amount to make 12.

Tip 3

When making multiple cakes to bake a bigger one for a special occasion make sure that you drop the oven temperature according to the number of cake mixes: 20 degrees for 2, 30 degrees for 3 ...

Tip 4

Instead of lining the tin with flour, when making a chocolate cake line it with cocoa.

Tip 5

Spread icing & frosting with a hot knife for a smoother, glossy surface.

In our family we decorate the cupcakes so they're all pulling faces. Liquorice strips make the best evil poking-out tongues!

I taught my son that there's 'grown up' stuff like lighting the gas and chopping but there's also 'kid's stuff' like mixing and decorating. Now he knows that, he's happy just doing the tasks that match his age.

My 8 year old son is so precise he loves tasks like measuring and setting the temperature. My daughter Jules is the creative one, so we let her do the icing and decorations.

If the kids make a cake which doesn't rise, we cut it in half once it's cool and fill the centre with chopped pre-set jelly and whipped cream. The jelly works better than cream alone. Suddenly it's not only twice the height but twice the goo. Brilliant.

I measure all the ingredients into plastic bowls first. That way my four year old can mix it all together without me constantly correcting her and the recipe will still work.

Just let them forget about mess until you're finished. Throwing flour around is the fun part!

Make baking fun by creating interesting shapes with your cakes and biscuits. Get fun shaped pans from any baking store. My kids love to see how their cake will come out of the oven and sit watching it bake!

When we're cooking, my kids love when we pretend like we are doing a cooking show. Not only do they kids get to cook but they also learn that cooking involves a step by step process. It also brings out the inner actress/actor!

Use different coloured icing to make funny characters on cupcakes, biscuits and slices. It's such fun to do and the kids love taking them to school for recess and showing their friends.

Get into the kitchen with the kids, have fun, laugh a lot, forget about the mess until later and treat Mum to a well deserved break in the kitchen!

Let the kids be creative by adding the ingredients they like - that way they will be more inclined to eat what you're making. For example one of my kids likes choc chips and the other jam so we do half and half in our biscuits.

Let them measure, mix, knead, roll, stir, beat and lick the bowl. It's OK to make a mess. That's the part we like the best!

Being a single dad with a 9 year old daughter, time in the kitchen has to be fun and definitely has to be with Green's - my daughter calls them the 'fun' cakes and making them together is a fun moment in the kitchen.

We made our a 4 year old son a chef's hat and explained that the chef was responsible for keeping the kitchen clean while cooking. He loves being in charge!

My grandson adores helping write on our cakes - piping bags are great for small hands end result is usually wobbly cream reading HIPPY BIRFDAY MUMMEE!

Change cup cakes into various creations using whatever happens to be in the lolly jar. Add a paper sail to a mock pirate ship, or a cocktail umbrella to a beach scene. Provide all the tools and the kids will be as creative as you let them be.

I incorporate my children's love for movies into baking. We try recreating their favourite characters like the gingerbread man. Next challenge - Shrek cookies!

When making biscuits my kids always loved to see their names, so instead of boring rounded shaped cookies we always went for letters of their names. The kids showing off their cooking to Dad when he walked through the door was priceless!

Whenever my family's children come and we bake, they love it when I let them make cupcakes. Then, using a plastic piping syringe they get to put their friend's names or initials on top of a cupcake for them to give them the next day

I always use Green's cake mixtures because they are quick and not much mess. I let the kids loose and worry about the bit of mess later. Always great fun together.

When making muffins or pancakes we like to add an extra ingredient to the mix. Our favourites are mashed banana or grated apple (depending on the flavour of the mix we are using). Sometimes even dried cranberries.