This homemade healthy smash cake recipe is the perfect treat for baby’s first birthday and is so easy to make! Made with no added sugar and sweetened naturally with banana and applesauce, it’s packed with moisture and a delicious and fun way to celebrate this special day! {Gluten-free, dairy-free & paleo}
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Baby Smash Cake Recipe
If you’re looking for the perfect cake for baby’s first birthday party, you’ll definitely want to try out this healthy smash cake recipe. Our little guy just turned one and for his birthday, I wanted to make him a special cake that the rest of the family could enjoy too.
We opted for a banana smash cake with no added sugar and a light and creamy frosting. It was a major hit, not only for baby, but everyone else loved it too (especially his older brother)!
This cake recipe is naturally sweetened with ripe banana and applesauce, packed with moisture and nutrients, and has a soft and fluffy texture that’s perfectly smash-able!
For more naturally sweetened treats, be sure to try my refined Sugar Free Birthday Cake and No-Sugar Added Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes too!
Why We Love This Smash Cake Recipe For Baby
- No added sugar: This healthy smash cake recipe is naturally sweetened with bananas and applesauce. With only 5 grams of sugar per serving (much lower than your traditional cake!), it’s ideal for those looking for a lower sugar cake option.
- Nutrient-packed: This easy recipe is made with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, bananas and applesauce so it’s packed with healthy fats, in addition to fibre, potassium and vitamin C. Hard to go wrong with this healthy birthday cake!
- Simple to make: This little cake requires simple ingredients and only takes around 10 minutes to prep before it gets baked in the oven. No high maintenance cake here!
- Easily adaptable: This baby smash cake can easily be made with different flavours, like chocolate, coconut and blueberries, so you can switch it up depending on your personal preferences!
- Perfect size: If you’re looking for a small cake to serve up for baby’s first birthday celebration, this recipe is made in 6-inch pans and yields a 2-layer cake. It’s the perfect size for baby, but party guests can enjoy some too!
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: To incorporate more nutrients, we use almond flour rather than all-purpose. Use super-fine blanched almond flour for best results.
- Cinnamon and vanilla: To add flavour and sweetness to the smash cake.
- Baking soda and salt: So that the cake rises in the oven when it’s baked for a light and fluffy texture.
- Bananas: Use overripe bananas for this recipe. They will be easier to combine with the other ingredients and will be naturally sweeter compared to unripe ones.
- Eggs: Used to bind the ingredients together and incorporate protein into the recipe.
- Applesauce: Used to naturally sweeten the cake and add moisture.
How To Make a Smash Cake for 1 Year Old: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 6-inch round cake pans (I used a springform pan) with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pans with a piece of parchment paper cut so that they they fit the bottom of the pans.
- In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, cinnamon and baking soda (and salt, if using).
- In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined (do not over mix).
- Divide mixture evenly between the two baking pans.
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before removing from the cake pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare frosting of choice. We chose to to frost the cake with homemade unsweetened whipped cream. Using a knife, spread a thin layer of frosting on the bottom layer of the cake. Place the top layer on and continue to apply frosting until the entire cake is covered. Decorate the small frosted cake with desired toppings.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full recipe!
Tips for the Best Smash Cake Recipe
- Use overripe bananas (the brown spotty kind) which will be naturally sweeter. It’s best if the bananas are as sweet as possible since there is no added sugar in this recipe.
- I highly recommend that you line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the bottom of the pan and for easier removal.
- For this recipe, we whipped some 35% heavy cream using an electric mixer and used that as the icing for the cake for our baby’s first birthday. We spread the whipped cream in between the two layers, on the top and sides, but you can also just spread some over the top. If you prefer, you can add some icing sugar to the whipped cream, use coconut whipped cream or make a Greek yogurt or cream cheese icing as well.
Recipe FAQs
A smash cake is basically a small birthday cake that’s served on baby’s first birthday. As we know, one year olds can be pretty messy when it comes to meal times, so this cake is specifically designed for them to eat, smoosh and play with. It also works well for those cute cake smashing photo shoots!
The flavour that you decide upon for baby’s cake is totally a personal preference, but we went with banana flavour since it’s a great way to sweeten the cake naturally without using any added sugar. Plus, most babies love bananas so it’s tough to go wrong with a banana cake that tastes like banana bread!
Smash cakes are traditionally made for 1st birthdays, but there’s no reason why you can’t make it for a 2nd or 3rd birthday (or another occasion) if you like. They are great for those special photos!
I used two 6-inch cake pans and found they worked perfectly for this cake. I haven’t tried making this cake in another size cake pan, so if you plan to use another size, you may need to adjust the baking time depending on the size of the pan. If you’d like a taller or larger cake, simply double the recipe and add two extra layers or use larger cake pans.
I haven’t personally tested this cake with all-purpose flour, but some readers have tried it and noted that the cake turned out way too dense with all-purpose flour. For best results, stick with the almond flour as noted in the recipe card.
Storage Guidelines
Refrigerator: You can store this banana smash cake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Beyond that, I recommend storing it in the freezer.
Freezer: Freeze the unfrosted cake layers in a freezer safe bag or container for up to three months. Place in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours to thaw before frosting and serving.
Ideas for Serving Baby’s Cake
We spread homemade whipped cream with no added sugar as the icing on our smash cake recipe to keep the sugar content lower. If you’re extra fancy, you could also use a piping bag to pipe a design around the edges. We finished the cake by topping it with some fresh mixed berries.
You can also top it with any or a few of the following:
- Coconut whipped cream
- Greek yogurt
- Homemade cream cheese frosting (try this peanut butter cream cheese frosting)
- Chocolate frosting without powdered sugar
- Chocolate sweet potato frosting
- Naturally sweetened frosting
- Nutella or other nut butter
- Vanilla buttercream
- Flaked coconut
- Banana slices (or other fresh fruit)
- Sprinkles
- Shaved chocolate or mini chocolate chips
Tip: Try blending up freeze-dried fruit like raspberries, strawberries or blueberries into a powder and mixing it in with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, coconut cream or whipped cream. It will add extra flavour and colour! Alternatively, you can add in vanilla extract, a little maple syrup, or date paste for some added sweetness.
Other Smash Cake Flavour Variations
- Blueberry: Add blueberries to the cake mix for blueberry banana cake.
- Coconut: Add unsweetened coconut flakes for banana coconut cake.
- Chocolate: Add cocoa powder and chocolate chips for a banana chocolate cake. This should be reserved for older children and adults since babies shouldn’t be served chocolate until after the age of two due to the sugar and caffeine content.
What Readers Are Saying
“I made this exactly as the recipe recommends for my baby’s 1st birthday. It came out great!! I made cupcakes and stacked two on top of each other + cream cheese frosting to make a mini “cake” for her. Then I stored the remaining ones and she ate the leftover cupcakes for breakfast! Great recipe, really flavorful and good texture.” – Vanessa
This turned out great. I made it for my niece’s first birthday and even grownups couldn’t stop eating them (made mini-muffins). – Alexa
“Loved it! Made these in a cupcake tin. I put a little bit of grease in the tin and put the dough straight in it, because the cupcakes would stick to the paper cupcake holders. Great recipe and the kids loved them! They make good breakfast snacks, also!” – Priscilla
More Healthy Treats
- 2-Banana Bread
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Healthy Banana Cookies
- Spinach Banana Muffins
- Banana Egg Pancakes
- Banana Blueberry Mini Muffins
- Vegan Pumpkin Cake
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Baby Smash Cake Recipe {No Added Sugar}
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups super-fine blanched almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 large overripe bananas
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting (optional):
- 35% heavy whipping cream whipped (I used 1 1/2 cups for this recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 6 inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pans with a piece of parchment paper cut so that they they fit the bottom of the pans.
- In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, cinnamon and baking soda (and salt, if using).
- In a separate bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined (do not over mix).
- Divide mixture evenly between the two baking pans.
- Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from the cake pan. To remove, run a sharp paring knife around the edges of the cake to help loosen it from the pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare frosting of choice. We chose to to frost the cake with homemade unsweetened whipped cream. Using a knife, spread a thin layer of frosting on the bottom layer of the cake. Place the top layer on the bottom layer and continue to apply frosting until the entire cake is covered. Top with desired toppings.
Notes
- Use super-fine blanched almond flour. If your almond flour is too coarse, use a food processor to grind it to a finer texture and sift it through a mesh strainer. This is important in order to achieve the right texture.
- Do NOT use all-purpose flour as a replacement for almond flour. Some readers have tried it and noted that the cake turned out way too dense with all-purpose flour. For best results, stick with the almond flour as noted in the recipe card.
- Use overripe bananas (the brown spotty kind) which will be naturally sweeter. It’s best if the bananas are as sweet as possible since there is no added sugar in this recipe.
- I highly recommend that you line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the bottom of the pan and for easier removal.
- For this recipe, we whipped some 35% heavy cream and used that as the icing for the cake for our baby’s first birthday. We spread the whipped cream in between the two layers, on the top and sides, but you can also just spread some over the top. If you prefer you can add some icing sugar to the whipped cream, use coconut whipped cream or make a yogurt or cream cheese icing.
- If you want to make this recipe into banana bread instead, follow these instructions for baby banana bread!
Nutrition
Looking for more baby-friendly meal ideas and recipes!
Check out Healthy Baby Foodie!
Such an easy and delicious recipe. I made these into cupcakes to serve to my daughter on her first birthday and she enjoyed them, as did my husband and I. I had leftover batter when I made these and turned the rest into pancakes. I have made these several times since for the family to enjoy as snacks.
Thanks so much for sharing these tips! Love how you used the rest of the batter for pancakes — I’ll have to try that sometime! So glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
This cake turned out dry for me – not sure what I did wrong as I used all the correct measurements. Is the oven temp fan or not fan? I wonder if it would be improved with some coconut oil in the recipe?
I’m sorry to hear that it turned out dry! I’ve made this recipe numerous times and it’s never been dry, so I’m not quite sure what went wrong. I didn’t use an oven fan, or convection if that’s what you mean. Did you use enough banana? Was it ripe enough? You could always try adding a bit of coconut oil if desired. Keep me posted if you decide to try it again. Hope you have better results next time!
Was wondering about how much cake mix this makes? Wanting to use a giant cupcake cake tin and need to divvy up the mix on both sides. Thanks!
I haven’t measured out the exact amount of batter, but it makes about two small 6-inch cakes. I’ve also used it to make mini muffins too and it makes about 30 mini muffins. Hope that’s somewhat helpful!
This recipe sounds so yummy and I’m sure my little boy turning 1 next month will love it. I would like to make the icing with a blue color. Any ideas of how to make it? thank you!
I’m wondering if you could blend up freeze-dried blueberries into a powder and mix it in with whipped cream or whatever frosting you decide to go with. It might have more of a purple-ish hue, but could be worth trying. Another option would be mixing in a small amount (~1/4 teaspoon) of blue spirulina powder into your frosting. I haven’t personally tried it, but from what I’ve read, it creates a nice bright aqua blue color. Keep me posted on how it goes if you decide to try it! I hope your little guy enjoys the cake :)
Hi, what would I change if I was using it for muffins/cupcakes instead of a cake? How would the bake time change?
Sorry for the delay! Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to test these as muffins, but plan to soon! I would say start with 15-20 minutes. Check them around the 15 minute mark. If they’re not ready, continue to bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Keep me posted on how they turn out!
Haven’t tried this cake yet, but would like to! My son has an egg allergy. Is there anything I can substitue?
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to test this cake with an egg substitute, so I can’t make any solid recommendations at this point since I’m not sure what the outcome would be. I’m so sorry! If you decide to experiment, please keep me posted!
The cake was perfect!! I iced it with full fat vanilla yogurt which dissolved pretty quickly. Can I still refrigerate or freeze even after icing with yogurt?
So sorry for the delay! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake! Love how you used yogurt for frosting! You should be able to refrigerate it just fine. If you were to freeze it, I’m not quite sure what the consistency of the yogurt would be like once thawed, but keep me posted if you decided to try it out :)
Am I the only person who doesn’t see amounts listed for the ingredients other than what I can visually gather in the photo?
The quantities and instructions are listed in the recipe card at the end of the post :)
Delicious and easy! I love the cakey texture, and my son can’t get enough of these. I first did them for his Bday with whipped cream frosting as suggested, and now I make them as easy snacks to take to daycare. Great recipe!
That’s amazing!! So happy your son has been enjoying the recipe!
Thank you for this yummy recipe! Any suggestions for an egg substitute? My son unfortunately has an egg allergy and cannot have eggs even baked into things. Thanks so much!
Working with almond flour is a little bit more finicky since the typical egg replacers like flax egg or store-bought dry egg replacers won’t properly bind the almond flour. You may need to add a different type of flour to the recipe in order for it to work, but unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to test this recipe with other types of flour/egg substitutes so I’m not 100% sure how it would turn out. Sorry I’m not able to help you out!
Perfect for my granddaughter’s first birthday! I’m gluten free and continue making this for myself as a sweet treat, so yummy!
I’m so happy the cake turned out well for your granddaughter’s first birthday and that it continues to be a nice treat for you too! I agree, it’s super tasty anytime…not just on birthdays ;)
um, how yum is this cake! I like it more for me than Maddie hehe
I baked a test cake with 3 small bananas as my large bananas were eaten. Baked in 4 x 4inch springform pans for about 20-25 mins. Everyone at home liked it. Bub has yet to smash the test cake as I wanted to see what it was like when I have it all ready (iced too) the day before as I don’t think I would have time to ice on the day. It still looks great. For some reason it did brown in one spot, not too sure why. So I’ve scraped it down again and reapplied icing on it. The icing I used for this size is 1 cup thickened cream, 1/2 cup coconut cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla been paste (coconut cream chilled in the fridge for at least 24 hours). There’s a hint of coconut and it for me is really yum. I thought to make a 4 layer cake but with the icing not being as stable I only made a 2 layer cake. I’m going to test again with maybe 3 x 6 inch layers or 2 x 7 inch layers.
We’re just waiting for Maddie to wake up to hopefully smash it. I wish I could post photos here to share :)
Thank you Elysia for sharing this recipe.
Mellie-Mel
Sydney, Australia
Oh it’s my pleasure! Thanks so much for sharing such detailed feedback! This is so helpful for both myself and other readers :) Love the combination for the frosting too! If you’d like to send photos along, you can send them to [email protected] or through instagram if you’re on there! I’d love to see them!! Hope Maddie has fun smashing (and eating) the cake!!
I was tasked to make my nephew’s 1 yo bday cake and tried different recipes. I have to say this one is my favorite; it came out delicious, naturally sweetened, and fluffy (even after it cooled down). Thank you for sharing!
Amazing!! And my pleasure — so happy the recipe was a hit! Thanks so much for leaving such a kind review :)
Delicious, light and moist cake. Made three 4” tin cakes – took 35 mins to bake to perfection. Baby loved it.
Thanks so much for sharing the timing for the 4 inch cakes! So happy baby enjoyed it! Your feedback is very much appreciated :)
Made this and used 3 – 4” cake rounds. Came out tasting like a less sweet banana bread which I am happy with giving to my baby girl on her first birthday. I just wish it was a little fluffier like actual cake (reason for the -1 star). Also in case anyone is doing 4” rounds, I had to go 35min to fully bake through.
Thanks so much for the feedback! I’m sure that info will be helpful for those baking the cakes in 4 inch pans :)
how much cocoa powder should I add to make this a chocolate cake?
I haven’t personally tried it with the cocoa powder but I would maybe try 1/4 cup cocoa powder to start? Hope you enjoy the cake if you try it out!