First Birthday Cake (Fluffy Smash Cake For 1 Year Old)
This fluffy first birthday cake recipe for your one year old features a soft airy vanilla sponge layers, frosted with light silky smooth cream. A healthier smash cake since it’s naturally sweetened with fruit and maple, and decorated with fresh berries and extra whipped cream.
The recipe was inspired by this banana muffin recipe but it shares the airy spongy texture with these Santa mini cakes, although it doesn’t include bananas.
A Healthier First Birthday Cake
Whether you’re looking to celebrate your baby’s first birthday, or for delicious desserts to feed your little one, or a fun activity to do together, this 1st birthday cake is sure to be a hit.
Why Homemade Smash Cake is Better
- Health benefits: you control the ingredients by using organic wholesome ingredients, without artificial colors, no refined sugar and omit potential allergens.
- Saves money: costs less than buying a cake from a bakery;
- Personal Touch: a homemade cake symbolizes love and effort. Imagine the joy years later when your child sees photos and learns you made their first cake.
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Ingredients Needed
For the smash cake batter you need simple basic ingredients, but if you prefer this first birthday smash cake to be on the healthier side, here is exactly what ingredients I used:
For The Cake Batter
- Flour – I’m using all purpose organic einkorn flour (healthier white flour) it will make the cake light and fluffy. I also tried making this first birthday cake with half all-purpose and half oat flour (ground oats) and it’s still good, but it had a denser texture and darker color.
- Eggs – are need to provide that soft spongy texture and to bind ingredients together.
- Banana – is used as a sweetener and for flavor as well as for moisture and softness. If you don’t want banana in it, use apple sauce or yogurt instead.
- Maple sugar – it’s basically dry/crystalized maple syrup, a natural alternative to cane sugar. I used a small amount, but you can omit it, if you like to avoid it.
- Butter or oil – use melted butter, coconut oil or avocado oil – it provides moisture and fluffiness.
- Baking soda + lemon juice (or vinegar) – as the leavening agent, it replaces baking powder.
- Vanilla + salt is optional.
For the baby cake frosting, you need only 3 ingredients:
- Heavy cream – I used this organic heavy cream (without gums). It whips in 2 minutes.
- Sour cream – the sourness helps with the flavor and the creaminess improves the texture. If you can’t use sour cream, use a thick yogurt with a similar texture, such as Greek yogurt (strain the liquid);
- Maple sugar – is used as a natural sugar alternative.
How To Make Baby’s First Birthday Smash Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two 6 inch cake pans by covering the round bottom with parchment paper.
Step-by-step Guide For Making The Batter
- In a large bowl, mix together the two eggs (cold), until frothy, then add the maple sugar and continue mixing with your mixer until it transforms into a silky smooth white mixture and doubles in size. This is the base for an airy spongy cake – soft enough for a baby to smash.
- Next, add the mashed banana (use a fork) and melted butter (or oil) to the egg mixture and continue mixing until incorporated. You can add pure vanilla extract here if you like.
- Gradually sift in your flour, half at a time, stir and ensure that there are no lumps. Then whisk in your baking soda + lemon juice (together) their reaction should make some foam, and gently mix until fully incorporated. But don’t overdo it, you don’t want to disperse the bubbles too much.
- Finally, divide the cake batter evenly between your two cake pans and tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Baking time may vary and depend on what ingredients you used. If you made a healthy smash cake, by using flours like whole wheat or oat flour – it may increase the baking time considerably.
Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting the baby cake.
How To Make Baby’s First Birthday Cake Frosting
- Simply whip together the heavy cream and maple sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Add in the sour cream (or yogurt) to the whipped cream, and continue to whip until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
Assemble Your Baby’s First Smash Cake
Put together the birthday smash cake by coating the two cooled cake layers with frosting. Use a generous amount on each side and top. If you have some leftovers, use it for piping a few flowers.
You could also cut the cake layers crosswise and make a 4 layer first birthday cake.
Decorate the first birthday cake with some fresh berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or other seasonal fruit.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the entire birthday smash cake to your baby as is, or cut and just put a slice in front of your baby, so you’ll get the same cute messy cake pics, without the waste. If serving for your baby’s first birthday, get ready to snap some adorable photos of them digging in!
Also you can serve leftovers the next day as well.
Making Ahead Tips
Prepare the cake layers up to 2 days ahead and store in a cold place, covered.
Make the frosting and assemble the smash cake up to 12 hours before the birthday party starts. Apply décor up to 1 hour prior to serving.
Storing Baby’s First Birthday Cake
For best texture and flavor is best to make and assemble the smash cake with frosting at least 6 hours (or the day before) before serving.
The resting time will help the frosting moist the cake layers on a deeper level, make it sturdier and prevent the frosting slipping off the birthday cake.
Once frosted keep the baby cake in the refrigerator, preferably covered.
Decorate with your favorite items (fruit, sprinkles, chocolate) an hour or so before serving.
If you have (un-smashed) cake leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
First Smash Cake Decoration Ideas
There are endless possibilities for first birthday smash cake decorations. Here are a few ideas of what healthy food items you can use for design:
- Smashed cookie crumbles sprinkled on top or some ground nuts (if not allergic).
- Coconut flakes and fresh fruit.
- Melted chocolate drip or chocolate mixed in the frosting.
- Grated / shaved chocolate pieces on top or use cacao powder.
- Freeze dried fruit powder and pieces sprinkled all over the birthday cake. Choose between mango, banana, strawberry or pineapple.
- Cover the first birthday cake with baby puffs, or arrange them as “number 1” on top.
Baby Cake Topper Ideas
Here are some cute birthday cake toppers and decoration ideas you can use for you 1 year old:
Make This First Birthday Cake – Gluten Free
Use a gluten free flour mix as a all-purpose flour alternative.
How To Make It Dairy Free
Since the cake layers are already naturally dairy free, you just need to come up with a dairy free frosting.
As heavy cream replacement use coconut cream (about 1.5 to 2 cups) and a dairy free yogurt (about 1 cup).
Beat the coconut cream on high until light and fluffy together with maple sugar then add the yogurt.
FAQs
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the size of first birthday smash cakes can vary depending on your preferences. Usually between 4 and 6 inches in diameter, so the baby could handle playing with it.
A first birthday cake smash can typically be done at any age from around 12 months to 18 months, and sometimes later. Though it is important to consider your child’s food allergies, and to avoid including ingredients that may be harmful or triggering. Some parents prefer to wait until their baby is a bit older, while others may choose to do the first birthday cake smash as soon as their child is ready.
There are many different ways to decorate a first birthday smash cake, depending on your preferences and the preferences of your child. Some popular decorating ideas include sprinkling cookie or nut crumbles on top, adding fresh fruit or berries, drizzling melted chocolate, or using grated or shaved chocolate pieces. You can also use freeze dried fruit powder, baby puffs, or other fun and festive toppings to add a unique touch to your first birthday smash cake. Additionally, you can use first birthday cake toppers.
More Sweet Treats For Your Baby
- Mini Santa Hats – Strawberry Cake Bites
- Healthy Banana Carrot Muffins (Baby, Toddler, Kids)
- Banana Bread For Babies, Toddlers, Kids
- Easy Baby Blueberry Muffins (6 months+ Dairy Free GF Option)
- Healthy Banana Muffins For Baby (BLW)
- Cherry Mango Popsicles & Ring Ice Pops
If you made this baby birthday cake and you loved it, please leave a comment, or a 5 star rating review!
Printable Recipe
Fluffy First Birthday Cake (Healthy Smash Cake For 1 Year Old)
Ingredients
Baby Cake Batter
- 2 large eggs (cold)
- 4 tbsp maple sugar
- 1 large banana (mashed)
- 3 tbsp butter (melted (or oil))
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp lemon juice
Optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/5 tsp sea salt
Cake Frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp maple sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or thick yogurt)
Optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make The Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare two 6 inch cake pans by covering the round bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the two eggs (cold), until frothy, then add the maple sugar and continue mixing with your mixer until it transforms into a silky smooth white mixture and doubles in size. This is the base for an airy spongy cake – soft enough for a baby to smash.
- Next, add the mashed banana (use a fork) and melted butter (or oil) to the egg mixture and continue mixing until incorporated. You can add pure vanilla extract here if you like.
- Gradually sift in your flour, half at a time, stir and ensure that there are no lumps.
- Then whisk in your baking soda + lemon juice (together) their reaction should make some foam, and gently mix until fully incorporated. But don’t overdo it, you don’t want to disperse the bubbles too much.
Bake The Cake Layers
- Finally, divide the batter evenly between your two cake pans and tap the pan a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.Baking time may vary and depend on what ingredients you used.
- Remove from cake pan and allow the 1st birthday cake to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Make The Frosting
- Simply whip together the heavy cream and maple sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Add in the sour cream (or yogurt) to the whipped cream, and continue to whip until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
Assemble The Baby's First Birthday Smash Cake
- Put together the smash cake by coating the two cooled cake layers with frosting. Use a generous amount on each side and top.
- If you have some leftovers, use it for piping a few flowers.
- Decorate the baby's birthday cake with some fresh berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or other seasonal fruit.
- Serve the entire birthday smash cake to your baby as is, or cut and serve a slice.
Notes
Make Ahead
Prepare the cake layers up to 2 days ahead and store in a cold place, covered. Make the frosting and assemble the cake up to 12 hours before the birthday party starts. Apply décor up to 1 hour prior to serving.Gluten Free Option
Use a gluten free flour mix as a all-purpose flour alternative.Dairy Free Option
As heavy cream replacement use coconut cream (about 1.5 to 2 cups) and a dairy free yogurt (about 1 cup). Make sure its a thick yogurt. How To: beat the coconut cream on high until light and fluffy together with maple sugar then add the dairy free yogurt.
Nutrition
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How can I make this recipe vegan please? Thanks!
I didn’t test the vegan version, but I promise I’ll make one.
Thank you for this recipe, absolutely loved it, clean ingredients but still the same great taste!
Could you replace the maple sugar with granulated sugar!?
Absolutely , any granulated sweetener would work well.
Do you refrigerate the cake once it’s iced?
Yes!
I am having some trouble with the rising. My layers didn’t rise like the photos. I used a 6 in pan and the amount of batter I had barely cover the bottom of the pan. Any thoughts that could help me troubleshoot? Thanks!
Somehow you ended up with less batter, so probably that’s why it looked like it didn’t rise. Maybe you skipped or changed some ingeredients by mistake. If you follow the recipe exacly, the actual result should look like in the photos.
Would you be able to do this in a square 9×9 pan?
Yes you could probably dump all the batter in one 9×9 pan, but make sure it’s a tall one, and the baking time may vary (it will need more time to cook inside).
This actually made a fluffy cake! I took a gamble on this recipe for my daughter’s first birthday wanting a cake 1) without refined sugars and 2) easily adapted to a gluten free cake and 3) fluffy not super dense. This is a fantastic, slightly sweet cake that’s fluffy. I used smaller pans anticipating it wouldn’t rise but this cake doubles, at least, while baking. It therefore took almost twice the time but cake out beautiful nonetheless. Thanks!!
Thank you for your feedback! It sounds wonderful!