Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
This homemade, healthy Smash Cake is the perfect treat for your baby’s first birthday. It’s naturally sweetened, easy to make, and has a soft and fluffy texture that even your party guests will love, too!
Baby’s First Smash Cake
Are you looking for a healthier version of a smash cake for your baby’s first birthday?
First of all, congratulations are in order! You made it a year!
Secondly, this smash cake is going to be perfect for your baby’s big day!
Smash cakes are a fun way to commemorate a baby’s first birthday. Not only do they make for beautiful photos, but you can also save a piece of the cake and make a special memory out of it. It’s a fun (and often messy!) bonding experience between parents and child as they share their first cake together.
Looking for some healthy and easy recipes for your now toddler, then be sure to check out these reader-favorite 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes, Blueberry Avocado Mini Muffins, Spinach Pancakes, or any one of these delicious 75 Toddler Meals. You can also find more recipes and information in my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.
Smash Cake Video
Watch this video to see how easy it is to make this healthy smash cake for your baby!
What is a Smash Cake
A smash cake is a small cake designed specifically for a baby’s first birthday celebration. It’s usually much smaller than a traditional cake and is made of soft ingredients that are safe for a baby to eat. The idea is to let the baby have some fun smashing it and getting messy with it, while still enjoying the taste of the sweet treat.
Smash Cake Tip: Place the cake onto your baby’s highchair tray or on top of a sheet spread out on the floor to help contain smash cake messes. Baby won’t mind having their cake picnic style!
Ingredients for Baby’s First Cake
Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!
- Flour: you can use all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, cake flour, a combination of half whole wheat and half white flour or a gluten-free 1:1 flour
- Maple syrup: for added flavor, a little sweetness and to make the cake have a nice soft texture
- Applesauce: use one with no added sugar, provides sweetness and moisture
- Eggs: can replace with flax egg as needed, at room temperature
- Butter: unsalted and soften to room temperature
- Milk: you can use any milk you prefer – regular or plant-based milk such as oat, almond, soy, etc. It is best if the milk is at room temperature.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vanilla
Nutritional Benefits of Smash Cake
This smash cake will be a healthier option than most store-bought or packaged cake mixes, making it a great option for your baby.
- Applesauce adds some fiber and nutrients to the cake and natural sweetness.
- Using maple syrup instead of sugar provides more vitamins and minerals.
- This cake is made from fresh ingredients so will have fewer preservatives than store-bought or packaged cake mixes.
- The cream cheese and Greek yogurt provide the fats needed for your baby’s brain development.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Divide the batter equally between the 3 round pans. Bake until golden brown around the edges.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. On parchment paper, trace the bottom of a 5″ round and cut out three circles. Place the parchment paper into 3 different 5″ round pans and grease or spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer, add the butter and cream for 1 minute. Add in the maple syrup and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the applesauce and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.
- Divide the batter equally between the 3 round pans. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert layers onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and set aside to cool completely.
Pan Size Tip: This recipe works best with 5-inch cake pans, but feel free to use smaller or larger ones, or even make them into cupcakes. If you do use a different size, you may need to adjust the baking time depending on the size of the pan.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake is perfect with this healthy naturally sweetened cream cheese icing.
- Cream Cheese: you will need a block of plain cream cheese. I do not recommend using a light, fat-free or whipped cream cheese as the results will vary.
- Greek Yogurt: plain whole milk Greek or regular-style yogurt is the key to making this frosting nice and soft.
- Sweetener: you can use maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: brings all the flavors together in this frosting.
- Dehydrated Fruit: we used dehydrated strawberries for this frosting to give it an ombre look. You can also add in dehydrated mango, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries if you prefer a different color and flavor. You can also add in the dehydrated fruit to the entire batch of frosting for an even layer of color.
How to Make the Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, place all of the ingredients.
- Starting on low and working your way to medium-high, beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides as needed.
- For two colors of frosting, place half of the icing into a bowl to save for the white. Then add in crushed dehydrated fruit for color (and flavor) and mix on medium until incorporated. I used dehydrated strawberries for this cake.
Time-Saver Tip: if you are tight on time, you can also use any store-bought frosting or store-bought whipped cream.
Toppings
This healthy smash cake is topped with a yummy cream cheese frosting, which is tasty enough on its own. But if you want to add a few extra toppings that will really make your cake pop, here are some favorites:
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- blackberries
- sliced bananas
- sprinkles
- mini chocolate chips
- cake topper
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If using gluten-free flour, it’s best to use a 1:1 substitute, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. If you use a digital scale to measure your gluten-free flour, the amount for this smash cake is 9.5 ounces.
There are many different types of egg replacers you can try. In this recipe, I’d recommend a flax egg substitute, replacing each egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed in 3 tablespoons water until thick and gelatinous.
Yes, you can substitute vegan butter and any plant-based milk for dairy-based ingredients in the smash cake. For the cream cheese frosting, you can substitute vegan cream cheese and a plant-based yogurt, although the consistency of the frosting will likely be a little thinner with these changes.
Yes. But if making more than a few days in advance, I’d recommend storing the cake at room temperature and the cream cheese frosting in the fridge. Wait to frost the cake until right before serving.
Storage
If you plan to make, frost, and serve this cake in the same day, store this smash cake in the fridge. The cream cheese frosting is perishable and could spoil if left out.
If you plan to make this smash cake a few days in advance, store the cake and cream cheese frosting separately. Place the cake in an airtight container and store it at room temperature until ready to assemble and frost the cake just before serving. Storing the cake in the fridge for too long can cause it to become dense and dry out.
Tips for Success
- Place the cake onto your baby’s highchair tray or on top of a sheet spread out on the floor to help contain any smash cake messes. Baby won’t mind having their cake picnic style!
- Make sure the cake is the right size for your baby. You don’t want it to be too big or too small.
- Use an allergen-free cake if anyone attending has food allergies.
- Decorate the cake with edible decorations that are safe for babies, such as whipped cream and sprinkles.
- Have a few spoons and forks on hand so that your baby can dig in with ease.
- Have a camera ready so you can capture the special moment!
Baby’s First Healthy Smash Cake
Ingredients
Applesauce Smash Cake
- 2 1/4 cups flour, all-purpose, white whole wheat, half wheat and half white flour, gluten-free flour blend
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup maple syrup, room temperature
- 1 /2 cup applesauce, no added sugar, room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup milk room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese block, room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed (optional) can also use freeze-dried mango, blueberries or raspberries
Instructions
Applesauce Smash Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. On parchment paper, trace the bottom of a 5" round and cut out three circles. Place the parchment paper into 3 different 5" round pans and grease or spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
![A mixing bowl full of flour.]()
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer, add the butter. Cream (mix) for 1 minute. Add in the maple syrup and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the applesauce and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.
![A bowl with a smash cake batter made with healthy ingredients such as applesauce, maple syrup, eggs, and milk.]()
- Divide the batter equally between the 3 round pans. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
![Three round cake pans with batter in them.]()
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert layers onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and set aside to cool completely.
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer, add in the cream cheese, yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes or until soft and smooth. If too thick, you may need to add in 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
![Silver mixing bowl with smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting.]()
- Divide the frosting into two bowls and add in the freeze-dried fruit into one of them. Mix until incorporated.
![A hand mixing healthy cream cheese icing with dehydrated strawberry pieces in a pink bowl against a white background.]()
To Assemble
- Place one of the round cakes on a serving platter and top with 1/2 cup of strawberry frosting, spreading the frosting to the edges. Add on the second round cake, and spread 1/2 cup of frosting. Add on the third round cake.
![Hey Kaitlyn assembled on a teal plate for Baby's first birthday.]()
- Add on the white cream cheese frosting generously to the top and top half of the sides in the tiered cake. Take the rest of the strawberry frosting and starting on the bottom of the cake and working your way up to the top mix the two frostings together in the middle of the cake creating an ombre effect.
![Up close of a ombre smash cake with white and pink frosting on a teal cake stand against a white background.]()
Video
Notes
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