RSPCA Cupcake Day

In the month of August our animal rescue organisation the RSCPA organises a Cupcake Day to raise much needed funds for the animals.  My daughter asked if we could participate. She has always been an animal lover.  She was just born that way!  From when she was tiny she has always loved animals and if  there was ever a petting zoo at any events we would attend, she would spend HOURS in there.  I could never get her to come out!

So we talked about what to do, listed down the jobs and away she went.  It was a good way for her to do something positive for animals after suffering the loss of her much loved chicken, Luna, last week.

She designed a flyer on the computer and we emailed it out to family and friends.

And the orders came in. I thought maybe I should have put a limit on the maximum number of cakes you could order!!

We decided we would bake the cakes on Sunday and deliver on Monday.  We made a really delicious vanilla cupcake with cream cheese icing.  My daughter hasn't always been that keen on helping in the kitchen.  I used to wish she would take more of an interest in it.  But, I found that if I didn't pressure her and just got on with the baking, her curiosity would get the better of her and she would eventually find her way to the kitchen bench.

So I mixed up the batter, while she laid out the patty pans.

Then she spooned the mixture into the patty pans.

Out of the oven they came, ready and cooling.

Ready for the fun part, icing and decorating.

We participated in the RSPCA Cupcake Day a few years ago and we found this simple but effective cake topper.  It is just one chocolate button and four chocolate chips.  A paw print!

We packaged them up, according to the orders and stored them in the fridge ready for delivery the next day.

On Monday we delivered the cakes to friends and family.   There were lots of ooohh and aahhs!  I could tell my daughter felt very happy.  She gratefully accepted the money and counted it all up.  She raised a grand total of $105.

On the September school holidays we will go for a drive to the RSPCA and she can give them the donation money directly herself.  It will be more meaningful for her that way.

A huge amount of learning went on in this process.  Making a flyer (marketing, english and computer skills), working out how much to charge and adding up the donations (maths), cooking (so many skills!), delivering the cakes (communication skills and using manners).  It really is a worthwhile process to have children volunteer and raise money for something important to them. They gain a greater understanding of issues outside of their world and it helps them to grow up learning how to become good citizens in our society.  I think she did a great job.