So many things drew us to this book. I mean what’s not to LOVE… cake? apples? a love story? beautiful illustrations? a recipe? Just about everything we love is all wrapped up into this one precious book. And did I mention that the recipe for apple cake at the end of the book is absolutely delicious!! Miss 4 and I couldn’t even wait for it to cool before we shoveled steaming spoonfuls into our mouths. It’s the best apple cake we’ve ever had, hands down!
Apple Cake A Recipe for Love by Julie Paschkis is a simple and whimsical story of a boy trying to get the attention of a book loving girl. The only way he can get her nose out of her book is by making her an apple cake. Paschkis uses her great grandmother’s apple cake recipe and turns it into a beautiful love story. It’s like a love story within a love story! Apple Cake reads just like a recipe, with Alfonso, our hero, finding ingredients in the loveliest of places- salt from the sea, eggs from a nest, butter from the sun….
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| Here is the actual recipe, for Paschkis’ grandmother’s apple pudding, transcribed by her mother. Notice the original recipe did not contain salt. |
What a beautiful way to honor her great grandmother. Recipes are love! They bring so many memories of loved ones and times shared preparing and eating together. Recipes can bring you right back to another time. Read a tribute to our grandmother and Italian bow knots and childhood memories of Williamsburg gingerbread (recipe included).
In true Tidbits and Tutus fashion we had to savor this book a little longer by doing some activities with it. If you liked our Ugly Pie activity, we’re sure you’ll like this one too.
Activity 1: Recipe Order Cards
As I read the story, Miss 4 placed the ingredient cards into the bowl in the correct order.
This is a nice activity for listening comprehension and chronological order.
Activity 2: Grocery List & Shopping
I made up a picture grocery list of all of the cake ingredients.
Miss 4’s job was to go around the kitchen and mark off all of the ingredients that we had and circle the ones that we needed to purchase. See our Ugly Pie post to see our shopping.
Activity 4: Cake Baking
Lastly, we worked together to make our apple cake. This is great for learning about ingredients, cooking terminology, measurements, numbers, food preparation and safety, life skills, fine motor skills……
Funny thing happened while we were getting our apples ready. I showed Miss 4 how to say her ABCs and twist the stem to see who she would marry when she grew up. Guess what letter she got? D! She screamed out “Daddy! See, I told you I was going to marry daddy!”
Activity 5: Cake Eating!!
This may have been our favorite part. Isn’t this cake lovely!!!! It tastes just like love; love that we have for each other, love for the time we shared baking together, our love of reading, our love of family recipes and the loved ones they remind us of.
** We followed the recipe exactly as written in the end of the book. We were a bit concerned at first when the batter wouldn’t hold together. Don’t fear! Once you add the drained apples, that have been soaking in water, everything will come together.
We are going to purchase Apple Cake A Recipe for Love!! It’s going to become one of our Valentine’s traditions and probably Saint Patrick’s Day too! Won’t this cake be a lovely finish to a meal of corned beef & cabbage?
If you liked this book activity, please check out our Ugly Pie book and recipe activity. Click here for a list of all of our favorite books.
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