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Healthy Smash Cake for Baby’s 1st Birthday

  • Author: Jessica
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 20-35 min
  • Total Time: 50 min to about 1 hr
  • Yield: 1 cake
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Cake

Description

An easy and quick smash cake that’s made with wholesome ingredients and sweetened only with fruits. Make this for your baby’s 1st birthday or as a healthy weekday treat. This recipe can easily be doubled.


Ingredients

Smash Cake
1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk
1 container (113 g) unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup (60 g) full fat or 2% plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
About 1 cup or half a 15-oz can (214 g) pure pumpkin purée*
1 cup (110 g) barley flour*
3/4 cup (105 g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon

Smash Cake Frosting
1 cup (227 g) heavy cream, cold
1/2 cup (113 g) Greek yogurt, cold


Instructions

1. If baking in a quarter sheet pan, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. If baking in an 8 inch round tin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Grease and line the quarter sheet pan or round tin with parchment paper.

3. In a bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together. Add all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly and to the edges of the pan. For the quarter sheet cake bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For the 8 inch round bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a rack.

5. Once the cake is completely cool, remove from the pan. If the cake has domed or puffed up unevenly, use a serrated knife to level the top. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out two to three rounds of cake. The cake layers can be made in advance. Wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove frozen cake layers from the freezer 30 minutes before frosting.

6. To prepare the frosting, whip the heavy cream and Greek yogurt together until stiff peaks form. Store in the fridge until the cake is ready to assemble. The frosting can be made one day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

7. To frost the cake place one of the cake rounds onto a cake stand or plate. Top with some of the prepared frosting. Spread evenly, then repeat with the rest of the layers. Use the remaining frosting to frost the sides and top of the cake. Decorate with fresh flowers or herbs if you’d like. The cake is best served the day it’s assembled, but can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.


Notes

The pumpkin purée can be substituted with an equal amount of butternut squash purée or 1 cup (227 g) of mashed ripe bananas.

Barley flour can be substituted with 1 cup of whole wheat flour or 1 cup of all purpose flour.

Keywords: smash cake, healthy, no sugar, no fat, baby, 1st birthday, baby led weaning