Healthy Smash Cake- Dairy Free/Sugar Free

When it comes to your babes first birthday most people are looking at the smash cake.. or pictures of it! And yet, no one is looking at the ingredients. It’s no secret that I’m pretty particular about my kids diets (here’s three foods I think almost all babes should have!), so it should come as no surprise that I opted out of giving both my babes a cake loaded with sugar on their first birthday and instead went for a healthy, dairy-free smash cake.

I’m not sure who invented the smash cake idea for a baby’s first birthday- I both love and hate it. I love the pictures, the fun mess, and the celebration.

However, it seems that sugar is a right of passage for turning one and it truly makes my eye twitch a bit.

Having gone through this twice now, I’m super happy that I took the untraditional route and opted for a sugar-free, dairy-free smash cake. 

Have you ever heard a mom say something like “he was a great eater until just after one! And then he stopped eating anything healthy. It’s my personal belief that this is around the point when parents change their kid’s taste buds.

Giving them more sugar (starting with the first birthday) and then processed foods, how can you expect your babe to adore broccoli when he/she just tasted a sugar explosion?

When it came to my first baby, everyone simply assumed that I would be doing a smash cake. And I definitely wanted to go that route! But the more I thought about it, the more the sugar-filled cupcake were not for me as a mom.

For the past twelve months I had been pretty particular (alright, downright adamant) about what foods my daughter ate (here’s an idea of what she used to eat in a day!). After all the reading and research I’ve done, I wanted to give her the best possible start in life. And for me, that meant no sugar.

Now side note time: I am not against anyone who decides to give their babes sugar before or during their first birthday. Food is as much a personal decision as any! 

If you read this blog you know that I am a bit crazy about food. I believe in quality food, choosing real food over all the processed options out there. This means neither of my babes got a whole lot of processed foods (no cereals or canned baby food), no made-up foods (Mams confuse the hell out of me) and no sugar (ie: frosting, cake, Timbits).

So the more I thought about it, the more I questioned just why I needed to introduce this substance for her birthday? And after asking all my relatives I was given pretty much the same answer:

“Oh, you’re depriving her”

“One cupcake won’t hurt her, she can have a treat”

“It’s her birthday!”

“Just a little bit”

Huh. So while I mulled over those clearly compelling arguments (yes sarcastic voice!), I was still uneasy about it. However, to not give her cake on her first birthday pretty much made her a social outcast.. at the age of one.

So I came to a compromise and still made an easy, healthy, dairy-free smash cake recipe- below was the original version!

My daughter did indeed have a cupcake for her birthday. A chocolate one in fact. But plain old white sugar was not an ingredient! Instead,I essentially made her an almond pancake, added some cacao powder (because the health benefits or real chocolate are epic!) and topped with avocado frosting.

Below is the original healthy, dairy-free smash cake that I used with my first babe. 

Ingredients In The Original Healthy Smash Cake Recipe

• 2/3 cup Almond meal
• 1/4 cup Oat flour
• 2tbs Unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tbs Raw cocoa
• 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 egg

Healthy Chocolate Frosting

• 1 ripe avocado
• 3 tbs Raw cocoa
• 4 tbs Pure Maple Syrup

This cupcake was definitely a hit with baby bear. She got all of the perks of a smash cupcake and I felt great knowing she was eating healthy ingredients.

Buuuutttt I felt that the smash cake could have looked a bit nicer. And so, each year, my quest continues for a healthy birthday!

Below is a photo of my daughter’s third cake (god I suck at decorating haha) and while she didn’t smash it, it was still delicious and gave me the inspiration for a healthy smash cake recipe for my youngest daughter.

I first made this healthy cake recipe for my daughter’s third birthday. It’s a banana cake, not overly sweet and I went with a dairy-free, cream cheese frosting. To color the frosting I used beet crystals (for the pink) and chlorella powder (for the green). I was pretty proud of myself to tell you the truth!

Note: both of the above ingredients can be purchased at my favorite store well.ca

The perk about the banana cake was that everyone else at the party enjoyed it also!

And now, we’re here at a little cubs first birthday and I thought I’d make the banana cake into sugar-free cupcakes with a bit more of decadent frosting.

Neither of my girls completely avoid dairy but I kept the sugar free smash cake recipe dairy-free mainly because this way I could eat them! Here’s a few tips to go dairy-free if it’s something on your mind.

These healthy cupcakes are simple, they taste good and of course, my daughter(s) both loved them! And even better- I loved them! The cupcakes give a dairy-free smash cake option filled with real food ingredients that I felt good about.

Ingredients In The Healthy Smash Cake

• 3 large bananas
• 1/4 cup coconut yogurt
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 2 eggs
• ¼ egg whites
• 1.5 cups spelt flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 tbs coconut flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs maple flakes (optional)

Sugar-Free Icing Options

Coconut Whip Frosting (makes a purple color)

• ​​​​​​​Full Fat Coconut Milk, chilled in the fridge overnight
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• ​​​​​​​1 teaspoon beet crystals

Scoop only the hardened coconut cream from the can and drain the water. Place in a high powered blender. Add in the blueberries and beet crystals. Blend until smooth. Pour into a container and place it into the freezer for a couple of hours until mostly hard. Remove from the freezer and let thaw ten minutes.

Remove from the container and whip with a handheld mixer. Pipe onto the cupcakes

Note: coconut whip melts if left out of the fridge/freezer for too long. It must stay chilled to retain it’s shape. Thus, it’s normally better if it’s made just before you’re serving

Cream Cheese Frosting (pink)

• 2/3 cup Lactose-free cream cheese (if needed)
• 1 teaspoon Beet crystals or chlorella (amount based on color)
• 2 tablespoons maple flakes (amount based on sweetness preference)

Use a handheld mixer to whip all ingredients until smooth. Pipe onto the cupcakes.

Side note:if you’re not looking for color, this chocolate frosting is easily our favorite. Four ingredients and we use it on everything from cupcakes and cookies to a spoon out of the fridge.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Handheld Mixer
• Blender
• Muffin Tin

How To Make The Cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a powerful blender, combine the first five ingredients. Blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients minus the maple flakes.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until no clumps remain.

Line a muffin tray with paper muffin cups and portion out the batter.
Use a silicone spatula to smooth down the tops.

Sprinkle the top with maple flakes if using.
Bake for twelve minutes, turn the pan and bake for another eight minutes.
Immediately remove the muffins from the tin to cool.

Once full cooled, top with frosting of choice and enjoy!

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Note: I’ve also made this into a cake but cooking times were longer so keep an eye on it.

Don’t forget to pin this first birthday, dairy free smash cake!

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Healthy First Birthday Smash Cake- Dairy Free/Sugar Free

A healthy smash cake recipe perfect to celebrate a baby's first birthday! Made with real food ingredients, sugar free and dairy free.

Prep Time 21 hours 52 minutes

Cook Time 21 hours 52 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 165 kcal

Author Fit as a Mama Bear

Ingredients

• 3 bananas large
• 1/4  cup  coconut yogurt
• 1/2  cup  coconut water
• 2  eggs
• ¼ egg whites
• 1.5 cups spelt flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 tbs coconut flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs maple flakes optional
• 1 can ​​​​​​​Full Fat Coconut Milk chilled in the fridge overnight
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• ​​​​​​​1 teaspoon beet crystals
• 2/3 cup Dairy free cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon Beet crystals or chlorella amount based on color
• 2 tablespoons Maple flakes amount based on sweetness preference

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a powerful blender, combine the first five ingredients. Blend until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients minus the maple flakes.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix until no clumps remain.
5. Line a muffin tray with paper muffin cups and portion out the batter.
6. Use a silicone spatula to smooth down the tops.
7. Sprinkle the top with maple flakes if using.
8. Bake for twelve minutes, turn the pan and bake for another eight minutes.
9. Immediately remove the muffins from the tin to cool.
10. Once full cooled, top with frosting of choice and enjoy!

11. For The Coconut Topping:

    Scoop only the hardened coconut cream from the can and drain the water. Place in a high powered blender. Add in the blueberries and beet crystals. Blend until smooth. Pour into a container and place into the freezer for a couple of hours until mostly hard. Remove from freezer

    Remove from the container and whip with a handheld mixer. Pipe onto the cupcakes

12. Cream Cheese Frosting:

    Use a handheld mixer to whip all ingredients until smooth. Pipe onto the cupcakes.

Recipe Notes

Note: coconut whip melts if left out of the fridge/freezer for too long. It must stay chilled to retain it’s shape. Thus, it’s normally better if it’s made just before you’re serving

Note: The nutrition facts are based with just the cupcakes, not the frosting

Nutrition Facts

Healthy First Birthday Smash Cake- Dairy Free/Sugar Free

Amount Per Serving

Calories 165 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 27mg9%

Sodium 27mg1%

Potassium 228mg7%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 60IU1%

Vitamin C 3.5mg4%

Calcium 72mg7%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The focus of a babes first birthday shouldn’t be the sugar content or even the smash cake at all. It should be about the celebration, the next step, the letting go (for the mama!) and the enjoyment in all that’s to come. Make your baby’s first birthday a healthier one and opt for a sugar free smash cake- you’ll both be happy!