Children are never too young to start learning Arabic! One of the first steps for children is to master the Arabic alphabet.

In our homeschool we like to find creative and fun ways for children to learn. Recently we decided to make cupcakes an decorate them with the Arabic letters. The kids loved this hands-on approach to learning and I think your family will too!

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Cooking together teaches your children important life skills, as does all the cleaning up afterwards! Younger children love mixing and pouring ingredients together, whilst the older children improve their maths skills by measuring out and weighing out the flour, butter and sugar.

Similarly, this tactile and sensory approach to learning was very successful in helping my younger children learn their Arabic alphabet. Not only does it require them to identify the letter in their mind, but also focus on how the letter is formed when making their own with icing.

Not only is this activity really fun, but it also works really well and is an effective way of teaching children the Arabic alphabet. ….And you get delicious cakes to enjoy afterwards too!

Arabic Alphabet Cupcakes

These cupcakes were very easy to make, and older children may be able to follow the  recipe will minimal help from you!

I decided to top each cupcake with butter-cream icing, because it’s just so delicious! Then on top on that we added the Arabic letters, made from Ready-to-roll icing.

You will need…

Equipment:

• 12-hole Muffin Cake Tin – Buy HERE
• Cup Cake Paper Cases – Buy HERE
• Arabic Letter Play Dough Kit -Buy from Amazon or Ibraheem Toy House

Ingredients:

• 110g/4oz Butter, softened
• 110g/ 4oz Caster sugar
• 110g/ 4oz Plain flour
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla paste (Alcohol-free) – Buy HERE

For Decorating:

• 140g/5oz Butter, softened
• 280g/10oz Icing Sugar
• 1-2 tbsp Milk
• Ready-To-Roll Icing (Several Colours) – Buy Here (Vegetarian)

Cupcake Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F / Gas 4.
2. Line the muffin tin with paper cases.
3. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat it using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into another bowl.
5. Beat the eggs and vanilla separately.
6. Mix all the ingredients together.
7. Spoon the mixture carefully into the paper cases.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
10. Remove from tin and allow to cool completely before decorating.

Icing Recipe

1. Using a whisk, beat the butter until soft.

2. Continue to whisk whist slowing adding the icing sugar.

3. Add the milk and mix well.

Let’s Decorate!

1. Apply 1-2 tbsp of buttercream icing to the top of each cupcake. You can pipe it on yourself, or let your children do it using two small spoons.
2. Flour your kitchen surfaces to prevent sticking in the next step.
3. Roll out the ready-to-roll icing to approximately 5mm (1/2 cm) thick.
4. Use the Arabic letter cutters from the play dough kit to cut out any letters from Arabic alphabet you wish to learn/revise.
5. Carefully use a butter knife to lift the letters onto the top of the cakes.
6. Continue until all the cakes are decorated.
7. Enjoy!

Tip: If your ready-to-roll icing gets too warm, it will be difficult to cut out the letters. To prevent this, keep the icing in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

I hope your family enjoy making and eating these Arabic alphabet cupcakes! They would be a great addition to any children’s party, iftaar or Eid celebration!

Have you ever used cooking to teach your children an Academic subject?

What other creative ways have you used to teach the Arabic Alphabet?

Please tell us about it in the comments below!

Peace and Love,