Some friends have two sons, one ten, the other eight.

Ten-year-old is allergic to nuts and loves my pumpkin pie . Youngest adores cupcakes, and as I recall, wouldn't touch some fancy things I've brought to their house for dessert, but devoured a simple white cake baked with potato flour (no wheat) as an experiment in Italian regional cooking, incredulous that I was responsible for something that good.

Any recommendations?

Of course, gummy worms could be wriggling in and out of the frosting on top. But what kind of frosting?

I don't have to make cupcakes. Anything else?

Powers that Be: I just found the Cupcake topic. Feel free to tag this onto the pre-existing discussion and I'll wait to see if there are any new ideas or recommendations.

When I was small, I loved pudding, and I find most kids still do. How about pumpkin pie parfaits? You could make a pumpkin custard, layered with crushed gingersnaps. If wheat is an issue, tropical is the way to go with pineapple or mango with crushed macaroons. Or ice cream sandwiches, those are always fun.

What's the occasion? The latest craze in kid's parties is letting them decorate their own desserts, like icing cookies or cupcakes. Kids don't really care how it tastes, as long as it's not too foreign, they eat with their eyes.

You could bake them pumpkin cookies or muffins, with enough self applied sprinkles over the top, they'd gobble them.

What about chocolate fondue? Bring cut up fruit, some marshmallows, cut up cake or graham crackers and let the kids have at it. To make it kid safe, you could just put the melted chocolate and cream mixture in individual ramekins or small bowls for the kids.

Just a dinner with grown-ups talking. Thought a kid-centric offering would be an appropriate gesture under the circumstances.

I like the idea of letting the kids decorate or participate. The youngest loved helping me make pasta once, so...