To Stir to Love by Kate Mildenhall illustrated by Jess Racklyeff

I am not very good at cooking, but I can make cakes, and this is all due to my mother taking the time to show me how - letting me do some steps at first and later watching me make the whole cake myself. Even now decades later I still hear her voice in my head explaining simple steps used for all cake making about sifting the flour, the speed of the beaters, and incorporating ingredients slowly. 

The little girl in this book is our narrator and she explains how every Monday she visits her grandmother and together they make a cake. 

"It's my everything cake. ... My grandmother's grandmother gave it to her and my grandmother gave it to me."

I was so pleased to see the recipe is included at the back of this book.  I am sure this book will be a 2025 CBCA Notable title in the Early Childhood category. The publisher site has an activity pack to use with this book. 

The wonderful watercolour illustrations sweep across every page, showing a Grandma’s garden with fruit trees, vegetable garden, and lots of different colours. ... I had a lovely time looking at the various older pieces of equipment used in Grandma’s kitchen: a whisk, flour sifter, hand beater, aprons, oven mitts, milk jug, tea pot etc. Read Plus

Real life photographs of the author’s family sit alongside creative colours and montages that transport us straight into the kitchen, where it feels like we’re literally holding cups of sugar and whipping the butter. There are textures and photos and little bits of flour wafting around that actually make one’s nose tickly. Kids' Book Review

For a list of other books about the relationship between a child and grandparent take a look at this post. Companion books:

The Forgettery

Grandma's Story

A Year in Fleurville

Wolfie's Secret