Review: Reynolds Fun Shapes

Let's make no mistakes about it: Reynolds Fun Shapes are all about kids. And folks, that's just right up our alley. With two kids in the house, one of whom being just the right age to enjoy the Fun Shapes, we knew that if the Fun Shapes actually worked, they'd be getting a good review. And that they are.

Reynolds Fun Shapes are billed as a fun new way to make sweet treats for the family, and the possibilities are limited only by the imagination. You can make cakes, cookies, brownies, Jell-O jigglers, and even mini pizzas.

For the Men in Aprons testing labs, we decided to play it safe and go with basic cakes. We took our oldest son, Aidan (3), to the store and bought some cake mixes, some icing, and decorations. He'd seen the Fun Shapes boxes earlier in the week and was looking forward to making the cakes. Granted, he'd be excited if we just said the word "cake," but he was talking all week about making a Star cake for Daddy and a Heart for Mommy.

There is really nothing to these miniature cake pans. They're made of very thin aluminum foil and are pre-formed into three different shapes: heart, star, and egg. The instructions are simple: fill each shape half full with batter, place eight on a cookie sheet and cook according to instructions on your mix box. There is no need to grease the shapes with oil, butter, or spray. Just put the food straight in and let it bake.

It was easy. We used a Betty Crocker strawberry cake mix and cooked according to the instructions for cupcakes. Afterall, that's essentially what we were making. They came out of the oven fully cooked throughout, and the cupcakes even pulled away from the edges without force.

At this point, we had the option of removing the cakes and icing them free of their confines, but we decided to leave them in their home so they can be transported easily.

There is nothing bad to say about Reynolds Fun Shapes. They do what they say the are going to do, my son had fun making the cakes, and the cleanup was easy. One hidden feature to these Fun Shapes is that they really help you to portion your desserts. We all know how much portion control is an issue with obesity and diets these days. There's no taking a giant slice of cake when you have these perfectly portioned cakes ready to eat.

It could be argued that the kids will probably have fun cooking in the kitchen with you no matter what you are preparing. But for a young one like Mr. Aidan, he gets really excited about baking with TheWife. He has a special chair that he pulls over to the island to stand on and help her mix the ingredients. He enjoys counting out measurements when she needs it and he definitely enjoys eating the rewards.

I know that people who don't have kids proabably won't care about this new product, but that's all right. They're not for everyone. We had a great time using these new Reynolds Fun Shapes. Aidan had a blast with us shopping for ingredients and helping decorate the cakes. Just look at him.