I love making special cakes for my kids birthdays! Who doesn’t love a cute smash cake for a first birthday?!? I wanted my little guy to get the fun experience of a smash cake but without overloading him with sugar, so I decided to make him a healthy smash cake!
He absolutely loved the cake, and I didn’t have to worry about how much he ate. I could just let him go to town on it haha.
The cake itself is basically a large muffin and then it’s topped with homemade whip cream. Honestly, if it wasn’t a smash cake, it would probably make a great breakfast treat!
Healthy Smash Cake Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnemon
- Salt
- Banana
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Whole milk
- Pure maple syrup
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients
- Heavy whipping cream
- Pure maple syrup
Building the Cake
This cake was so simple to build, and it turned out so cute for my little guy!
Simply put a little dollop of your frosting on a cardboard round, cake stand, or whatever surface you want to build your cake on. Put one layer of cake on top of the dollop and that will keep the cake from sliding as your put it together.
Next, put about 1/2 cup of frosting in between the cake layers and then use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
Finally, shake some sprinkles on the top and sides of the cake to finish the look and then let your little one smash away!
A healthy smash cake is the perfect compromise between celebrating with sweets and still prioritizing your child’s health. With the right ingredients, creative flair, and a sprinkle of love, you can craft a delicious masterpiece for your little one! I’m confident that this recipe will be the perfect treat for their big day!
Alongside the smash cake I also made a delicious chocolate chip cookie cake for the rest of the crowd. Check out my full post on how to recreate the best chocolate chip cookie cake you’ll ever have!
Healthy Smash Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
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minutesThis healthy smash cake is the perfect treat for your little ones first birthday! All the fun without any guilt. This cake is like a giant muffin topped with whipped cream frosting. You can let your little one eat as much as they want without worrying about a sugar overload!
Ingredients
- For the Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ripe banana
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup milk, whole preferred
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Frosting
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
Sprinkles for decoration (optional)
Directions
- Healthy Smash Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 4 inch cake pans and lightly dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Place banana, applesauce, milk, and maple syrup in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup. Whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and mix with a rubber spatula or spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; it’s ok if there are a few bits of flour still visible in the batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. Pans should be just over half full with the batter. Bake for about 20-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, gently run a knife around the edges and carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Whipped Cream Frosting
- Place a mixing bowl and beater in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours before you are about to prepare the whipped cream. Pour the whipped cream into the chilled bowl, and beat on high with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Frost the bottom layer of the cake first, then follow with the top layer. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.