My easy vegan smash cake <\/strong>is perfect for a baby\u2019s first birthday, with layers of moist cake, homemade coconut cream frosting, and fresh blueberries. It\u2019s entirely vegan, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and common allergen friendly, making it ideal for little ones. It\u2019s a delicious, healthy cake for your baby to dig into and enjoy on their special day!<\/p>\n When I was planning for my kids\u2019 first birthday celebrations I was hesitant to buy a store-bought traditional cake, mainly because many store-bought cakes can contain artificial ingredients and are usually loaded with sugar!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My kids had also never had sugar prior to their first birthday (with the exception of foods sweetened with real fruit) so I really wanted to prepare them a healthier cake that tasted just as good as a typical birthday cake.<\/p>\n So I set out to create a baby smash cake recipe that is fun, beautiful, festive, egg-free, and common allergen friendly. What resulted is a light, fluffy, and naturally sweetened vegan smash cake that contains no eggs, dairy, or nuts! And it\u2019s just as easy to make as it is baby friendly!<\/p>\n With layers of fluffy sugar-free coconut cream frosting for baby and fresh vibrant blueberries, my vegan 1st birthday cake recipe was a huge hit with both my kids \u2013 and all of our party guests too! The fun tradition of baby smash cakes can still be upheld with a healthy cake that baby will love!<\/p>\n My vegan smash cake is essentially a small cake that functions as baby\u2019s first birthday cake. It is made for a baby alone to play with, mash, and eat. Most smash cakes are no larger than 6 inches in diameter, and mine is a similar size.<\/p>\n Of course, your baby won\u2019t eat the whole cake, but they will have tons of fun playing with the cake in their hands and gobbling up bits and pieces. Both of my kids loved playing with their cakes when I served it to them!<\/p>\n After we took plenty of 1st birthday smash cake photos, the leftovers were enjoyed by family members who didn\u2019t mind eating a smashed up cake! For the adults, I served it with a scoop of my lychee ice cream<\/a> or mango nice cream<\/a> and it tasted great.<\/p>\n My vegan baby smash cake is also ideal for little ones with food allergies. It\u2019s a naturally egg-free, nut-free, and dairy-free smash cake recipe just for them! My recipe uses whole wheat flour for added fiber, but I\u2019ve provided an easy gluten-free substitution below. <\/p>\n This recipe is also processed-sugar free! Instead of sugar, I use bananas and applesauce to naturally sweeten the cake. This is important because studies show that introducing children to natural, less sugary foods early on can help them develop a preference for healthier foods later in life (source<\/a>).<\/p>\n My vegan smash cake recipe doesn\u2019t require any advanced techniques or exotic ingredients. It\u2019s perfect for beginner bakers: you can skip those complicated egg free baby cake recipes and make this instead. I promise it will be the highlight of your baby\u2019s first birthday party!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n My vegan baby birthday cake recipe only calls for less than 10 simple ingredients easily found at any grocery store! Here\u2019s what you need:<\/p>\n Flour:<\/strong> This vegan cake for baby uses both whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I choose whole wheat flour to add fiber and whole grains, but it can be nutty and dense. So to keep the cake light and fluffy, I added some all-purpose flour. However, you can use all whole wheat flour or oat flour if you prefer, but keep in mind this banana cake will be slightly denser.<\/p>\n Ground Cinnamon:<\/strong> Adds a warm spiced flavor.<\/p>\n Ripe Banana:<\/strong> The riper the banana, the better! My dairy-free baby cake turns out best when you use super spotty or brown bananas, as the natural sugars in the bananas give the cake moisture and sweetness.<\/p>\n Applesauce:<\/strong> I use applesauce as a replacement for oil, which makes this cake oil free while still providing moisture and a fluffy texture. Use unsweetened applesauce for a refined sugar-free smash cake! Melted coconut oil can be used as a substitute.\u00a0<\/p>\n Baking Powder And Salt:<\/strong> Helps the vegan baby cake rise and gives it structure without the need for eggs.<\/p>\n My simple and dairy free frosting recipe is made with coconut cream, but has a texture similar to cream cheese frosting. It\u2019s the perfect healthy frosting for your baby\u2019s cake and it\u2019s easy to make.<\/p>\n Coconut Cream:<\/strong> First, make sure to buy a 15oz can of full-fat coconut cream, not coconut milk. Refrigerate it in the can overnight. When you\u2019re ready to prepare this healthy frosting for baby, carefully scrape the cream that has risen and solidified at the top of the can, leaving the water at the bottom. It\u2019s important to get as much cream as possible without any water for the best results.<\/p>\n Agave Syrup:<\/strong> You only need a little sugar to lightly sweeten the coconut cream frosting, and I chose agave for a refined sugar free option. Maple syrup is another great choice. However, you can leave it out if you prefer a completely eggless sugarless cake for baby.\u00a0<\/p>\n Vanilla Extract: <\/strong>Gives the birthday smash cake frosting a lovely vanilla flavor.<\/p>\n If this is your first time making a smash cake recipe, you\u2019ll be happy to know that my dairy and egg free cake for baby comes together in just a few easy steps.\u00a0<\/p>\n See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe and ingredient measurements. You can also follow along with the video below!<\/p>\n Prepare Oven And Round Cake Pans:<\/strong> First, I preheat my oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Then I line the bottom of two 6 inch pans with parchment paper.<\/p>\n Whisk The Dry Ingredients Together:<\/strong> In a medium mixing bowl, I use an electric mixer or whisk to combine both types of flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whisk The Wet Ingredients Together:<\/strong> In a separate mixing bowl, I whisk together the mashed banana, applesauce, and vanilla extract.<\/p>\n Fold Wet Ingredients Into Dry Ingredients:<\/strong> Then I add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and fold them together. Be careful not overmix the egg-free smash cake batter.<\/p>\n Add Batter To The 6-Inch Cake Pans:<\/strong> Pour the batter into the prepared tins and smooth out the top. I use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon for this step.<\/p>\n Bake:<\/strong> In my oven, the cakes take about 25-30 minutes to bake. This dairy-free smash cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cool The Cakes:<\/strong> Remove the cakes from the oven. I let them cool in the cake pans for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.<\/p>\n Prepare Frosting:<\/strong> While this eggless smash cake is cooling, I make the sugar free coconut cream frosting for baby. First, I scoop the chilled coconut cream from the can, leaving the water that has sunk to the bottom.<\/p>\n Whip Coconut Cream:<\/strong> Using a hand mixer, I whip the coconut cream for about 5-8 minutes, or until firm peaks have formed and it resembles whipped cream.<\/p>\n Add Flavor:<\/strong> Add the agave (if using) and the vanilla extract to the whipped coconut cream. (Omit the agave for a sugar free frosting for baby). Then whip it in until fully combined. This typically takes me another 2-3 minutes.<\/p>\n Level Cakes:<\/strong> Level the allergen-free smash cake layers by slicing the tops off. I recommend using a sharp serrated knife to make clean lines.\u00a0<\/p>\n Frost:<\/strong> Add several dollops of icing to one layer of cake and spread them evenly.\u00a0<\/p>\n Layer Cakes:<\/strong> Arrange the blueberries on top of the frosted cake. Then, I top it with the other cake layer.<\/p>\n Frost And Decorate The Layer Cake:<\/strong> Top this applesauce and banana smash cake with the rest of the icing and sprinkle with the remaining blueberries.<\/p>\n Serve:<\/strong> Present this small frosted cake to your baby to smash or keep it chilled in the refrigerator until it\u2019s serving time!<\/p>\n My #1 Secret Tip<\/strong> for making the perfect dairy-free cake for baby is to thoroughly chill the full-fat coconut cream overnight. This step is crucial to creating a firm and stable frosting that can be whipped to the right consistency. Properly chilled coconut cream will give you a smooth, creamy frosting that will hold up well on the cake.<\/p>\n Other Tips To Keep In Mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n Gluten-Free Smash Cake:<\/strong> To make this egg-free smash cake without gluten, substitute 1\u00bd cups of your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour mix for the whole wheat and all-purpose flour.<\/p>\n Fluffier Texture:<\/strong> If your child doesn\u2019t have any egg allergies, 2 large eggs can substitute for the applesauce, resulting in a lighter cake texture.<\/p>\n Banana Cake Smash:<\/strong> For a more banana-forward flavor, use additional pureed banana instead of the applesauce. Additionally, you can decorate this special cake with sliced bananas instead of blueberries. Feel free to also add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg into the batter to get that banana bread feel!<\/p>\n For Older Kids:<\/strong> My smash cake with no eggs also doubles as a healthy cake for toddlers, or slightly older kids, because it really is so tasty that kids of all ages will enjoy it! For older kids, let them customize the toppings and fillings as much as they like (and of course, they likely won\u2019t be smashing it before eating it!)<\/p>\n Mixed Berry Smash Cake:<\/strong> You can use any fresh berries of choice in place of the blueberries. Just avoid using frozen berries.<\/p>\n Mixed Fruit:<\/strong> For another baby cake smash idea, you can also decorate this cake with diced apples, pears, peaches, cherries, or mandarin oranges.<\/p>\n Frosting Variations:<\/strong> Try strawberry or chocolate frosting instead of vanilla! For a chocolate flavor cake frosting, mix 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder with the coconut cream and agave. For strawberry frosting, take freeze dried strawberries, grind them into a powder, and mix with the coconut cream and agave.\u00a0<\/p>\n No Frosting: <\/strong>You can also skip the frosting altogether and replace it with your favorite fruit puree or nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter (assuming your baby doesn\u2019t have any nut allergies!)<\/p>\n Fridge:<\/strong> Store all the yummy leftover smashed-up cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.<\/p>\n Freezer:<\/strong> You can store unfrosted baked layers of cake in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Before freezing, I separate the layers with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent them from freezing together.\u00a0Defrost at room temperature for 2-3 hours before frosting. <\/p>\n Chilling the coconut cream inadequately or including too much water can make coconut cream frosting runny. To fix it, refrigerate the frosting for 30 minutes and whip it again.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, you can use a sturdy whisk. It will take longer and require more effort, but it\u2019s possible. Whisk vigorously for about 10-15 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If your vegan smash cake won\u2019t release, run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Then place a cooling rack on top of the pan and flip it upside down, tapping gently on the bottom to release the cake. If that doesn\u2019t work, let the pan sit for a few minutes and try again. Grease your pans well and line them with parchment paper before baking to prevent sticking.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n You can use 8-inch round pans but the layers will be thinner, so you\u2019ll need to reduce the baking time and check for doneness earlier. You can also use a muffin pan to make mini cakes, which usually take around 15-20 minutes to bake.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Want to Save This Recipe?<\/p>\n Enter your email & I\u2019ll send it to your inbox.\u00a0Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!<\/em><\/p>\n By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Picky Eater.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Love this plant based kid-friendly recipe<\/a>?<\/strong> Please leave a 5-star rating<\/strong> \ud83c\udf1f in the recipe below and\/or a review in the comments section further down the page!<\/p>\n You can also FOLLOW ME on\u00a0FACEBOOK<\/strong><\/a>, INSTAGRAM<\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0PINTEREST<\/strong><\/a> to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I\u2019m here to help!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n My healthy vegan smash cake is made with wholesome ingredients, and it’s refined sugar-free! It’s the perfect pick for your baby’s first birthday celebration. Layered with coconut cream and blueberries, it’s nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, free of common allergens, and has an easy gluten-free option too!<\/span><\/p>\n
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\n <\/em><\/p>\n![\"Healthy](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/healthy-vegan-smash-cake.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nLatest Recipe Video!<\/h2>\n
\ud83e\udd58 Ingredients <\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\nFor The Cake<\/h3>\n
For The Frosting<\/h3>\n
\ud83d\udd2a How To Make A Vegan Smash Cake<\/span><\/h2>\n
Making The Cake<\/h3>\n
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<\/figure>\n![\"Mixing](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/batter-for-healthy-first-birthday-smash-cake-recipe-low-sugar-gluten-free-dairy-free-easy-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/cake-tins-for-healthy-first-birthday-smash-cake-recipe-low-sugar-gluten-free-dairy-free-easy-768x1024.jpg\")
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<\/figure>\nMaking The Frosting<\/h3>\n
![\"Whipping](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/coconut-cream-icing-for-healthy-first-birthday-smash-cake-recipe-low-sugar-gluten-free-dairy-free-easy-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nAssembling And Decorating The Cakes <\/h3>\n
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<\/figure>\n![\"Spreading](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/icing-spread-on-healthy-first-birthday-smash-cake-recipe-low-sugar-gluten-free-dairy-free-easy-768x1024.jpg\")
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\ud83d\udcd6 Variations<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Vegan](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vegan-smash-cake-recipe.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\ud83e\uded9 Storage Directions<\/span><\/h2>\n
\u2753Recipe FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Vegan](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/dairy-free-egg-free-smash-cake.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pickyeaterblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/star-chat.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\ud83d\udccb Recipe Card<\/span><\/h2>\n
Healthy Vegan Smash Cake<\/h2>\n