first birthday smash cake

I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that I was super excited to bake my son Dylan’s first birthday cake. Typically called “smash cake”, it’s a birthday cake for a one year old that they can essentially smash, play around with, eat, dig in, throw, whatever. Anything goes! And extra cake for me to eat? Yes please! While researching recipes, I knew I wanted something on the healthier side- not too much added sugar for sure. Fresh fruit like bananas are a great way to add a natural sweetness to your cakes without having to add a bunch of cane sugar. I also used a combination of coconut oil (healthy fats!) and applesauce, which keeps the cake nice and moist. Oat flour is a healthy alternative to all-purpose, and I made mine by grinding up rolled oats in a food processor. Super easy! If I’m honest, I didn’t even pulverize the oats into total flour consistency, and left it a bit coarser to give the cake some texture. Whatever you prefer! Plus, if you use certified gluten-free oats, this cake is completely gluten-free as well. In terms of frosting, which can all too often be a huge sugar bomb, I went the Greek yogurt route, with just a touch of maple syrup for sweetness! Make sure you strain it so it’s extra thick for frosting purposes. Feel free to decorate however you desire- a more “naked” frosted cake or spread all-over, and top with berries or natural sprinkles. I was assembling this away from home, without my usual tools and decorating accessories, so it didn’t end up being the prettiest cake out there (I essentially threw sprinkles at it to cover up a messy frosting job), but it was still super fun to make! Just don’t forget the first birthday candles! I’m happy to report Dylan dug right in and ate quite a few handfuls (mostly frosting). Thankfully, he even shared with his mama ;) Happy baking!

First Birthday Smash Cake:

  • 3 cups oat flour

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 6 tbsp coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled

  • 6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 3/4 cup mashed banana (about 1.5 large bananas)

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

  • 4 large eggs

  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • fresh berries or sprinkles, for topping

Greek Yogurt Frosting: 

  • 3 cups whole milk greek yogurt

  • 1 cup cream cheese

  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place greek yogurt in a mesh sieve or fine-mesh strainer lined with a paper towel with a bowl underneath. Let sit for a couple hours (or overnight in the fridge). Transfer the yogurt to a bowl and stir in maple syrup and vanilla extract. You may add more maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 6-inch cake pans (you can alternatively use two 9-inch cake pans, but baking time will need to be adjusted), line each with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment as well. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl or base of a stand mixer, whisk together melted coconut oil, applesauce, maple syrup, mashed banana, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between prepared cake pans, and bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place pans onto a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before removing cakes from pans to cool completely.

To assemble, level off any dome shape on your cakes, so you have flat surfaces. Place one cake on your cake stand, (you can also use cake boards and a revolving cake stand if you’d like!), and top with frosting, spreading it in an even layer just past the edges. Add the second, repeat with frosting, and then repeat with the third cake . Use an offset spatula or knife to scrape off the frosting overhang for a “naked” cake look, or use additional frosting to coat the entire cake. Top with berries or sprinkles, and enjoy!

*Adapted from First Birthday Smash Cake with Yogurt Frosting by Yummy Toddler Food.


superfood green smoothie

I love smoothies- for one, they’re delicious, but they’re also a great way to pack a bunch of nutritional ingredients into your diet in a jiffy! Plus they’re oh so refreshing any time of year. My superfood green smoothie boasts an exceptionally healthy profile thanks to fresh greens & spirulina, chia & flax seeds, plus fresh ginger & medjool dates, among other things. It not only tastes delicious, but is uber nourishing for your body as well. It’s perfect for those days when you feel you need some extra “health” in your life- maybe you’ve been noshing on a bit too much sourdough bread or pasta, and need to up your greens game, stat! Not to mention, it’s a great way to sneak veggies into your toddler’s diet if they’ve started to become a bit, ahem, particular…. Superfood smoothie to the rescue! I find smoothie recipes to be pretty forgiving, so feel free to make swaps and use what you have on hand. This one gets the majority of its sweetness from fresh fruit, but feel free to add a couple medjool dates or a spoonful of honey if you prefer things a bit sweeter. If I want to up my protein game, adding a serving of Sakara Organic Protein & Greens Super Powder to my smoothie to really kick things up a notch. I like my smoothies on the thicker side, where you could eat it out of a bowl with a spoon if you feel so inclined. But my husband, on the other hand, prefers a much thinner, easy-drinking smoothie, so feel free to add as much liquid as you prefer to get to your desired consistency. I’m happy to say that this smoothie satisfies not only myself, but also my husband AND baby! Winning! If you’re jonesing for more smoothies, definitely try my matcha coconut smoothie and turmeric sunrise smoothie as well! Enjoy :)

Superfood Green Smoothie:

  • 1.5 cups frozen banana slices

  • 1.5 cups frozen pineapple chunks

  • 2 cups almond milk (add more as needed)

  • 1 cup coconut water (or water)

  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt)

  • 2 cup fresh or frozen greens (spinach or kale)

  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen veggies (cucumber, cauliflower, carrot)

  • 1-2 tbsp nut butter (I like Nuttzo!)

  • 2 tbsp chia, flax, and/or hemp seeds (mix it up!)

  • 1 small nub fresh ginger, peeled

  • 1 tsp spirulina, optional

  • 1 serving protein powder (I like Sakara!), optional

  • 2 medjool dates (pitted) or 1 tbsp raw honey

  • ice, optional

To make your smoothies, add all ingredients to your blender (a high-powered Vitamix works best!) and blend away! Add protein powder for an extra protein boost, and extra dates/honey if you prefer a sweeter smoothie. More milk or water can be added to thin the smoothie to your desired consistency. Makes 2-3 smoothies. Enjoy!

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