Fran Manushkin - The Best Baker

Katie and her friends were eating cookies after school.

Im a great , said Haley.

Me too! said Katie.

Are you sure? Katies mom asked. When you made chocolate cupcakes, they came out hard and salty.

Oh, said Katie. Thats true.

I made a birthday cake for my sister, said Haley. But it fell apart. What a mess!

Katies mom asked Haley, Doesnt your uncle own a ?

Yes, said Haley. He works very hard. Ill ask him if he can teach us how to bake.

Surprise! Haleys uncle said he would show them.

On Saturday, Haleys uncle Harry OHara met them with a big smile and two aprons.

Welcome to the Sweet Dreams Bakery! he said.

Uncle Harrys kitchen was neat and clean.

His cupcake and cake pans were lined up in a row.

Mom would love this, said Katie.

Ill show you how to make chocolate cupcakes, said Uncle Harry. Then Ill make a birthday cake.

Yum! said Haley.

Ill say! said Katie.

Here is my cupcake recipe, said Uncle Harry. It lists all the . See how carefully I measure them?

Katie said, Oops! When I made cupcakes, I just added lots of salt and chocolate powder.

Not a good idea, said Uncle Harry.

Katie and Haley helped pour the batter into cupcake cups.

Try not to spill any, said Uncle Harry. Bakers hate messes!

Im setting the oven to the perfect for cupcakes, said Uncle Harry. I also set a timer so I know when the cupcakes are ready.

Now I need to bake a birthday cake, said Uncle Harry. Ms. Malek ordered a big one to surprise her husband.

Uncle Harry the flour. Then he added eggs and milk and other ingredients. He mixed them together.

Haley said, Now I see the mistake I made baking my cake. I didnt mix my ingredients well. Thats why my cake fell apart.

After the cupcakes and cake were baked, it was time for frosting.

This is the most fun, said Katie. I love licking the spoon.

Uncle Harry began yawning. I was baking all night, he explained. Bakers work long hours.

Ill say! said Katie.

Thank you for showing us how to bake, said Katie. From now on, I will measure well.

And I will mix well, said Haley.

Katies cupcakes came out just right! She brought them to JoJo and Pedro. They loved them.

Haleys next cake was also perfect. It made her five brothers and sisters very happy.

But Harry OHara was the happiest person of all.

Why?

Because he loved his work. And so did everyone else!

(BAY-ker) a person who cooks food, such as breads, cakes, and cookies (BAY-kuh-ree) a place where baked goods, such as breads and cakes, are made and sold (FRIL-ee) decorated with a ruffled strip of material or paper as a decoration (in-GREE-dee-uhnts) the items that something, such as a baked treat, are made from (SIHFT) in baking, to put a dry ingredient through a mesh-bottomed container to take out clumps and add air to the ingredient (TEM-pur-uh-chur) the degree of hotness or coldness of something as shown by a thermometer

1. What traits make a good baker? Would you like to be a baker? Why or why not?
2. Explain why it is important to follow a recipe closely when you are baking something.
3. Imagine you are baking a cake for someone else. Write a paragraph to explain who you are baking for and why you chose them. Then draw a picture of the cake you would bake.
4. If you had your own bakery, what special things would you sell? Make a menu of the things you would sell at your bakery.