I’m here to re-share one of the most requested recipes of all time. Back when Sidney turned one I made him the perfect smash cake that was easy to make and SO fun to watch him enjoy. I shared a photo of the cake on Instagram and got tons of requests for the recipe — here we are 4 years (and 2 more kiddos) later and I thought I’d remind you all about this incredible recipe!
This smash cake recipe is truly the best dessert for a one-year-old birthday. It comes together in one bowl, takes 30 minutes to make, and uses super simple, wholesome ingredients that you can feel good about giving your kiddo. Plus, it tastes amazing and is the perfect base for adding tons of different types of frostings and decorations.
I’ve included all of the tips, tricks, and FAQs you could possibly think of, PLUS decoration & gift ideas, so be sure to read through the whole post before getting started! Watching your little one explore the smash cake and taste it for the first time is such a fun, special moment, and I hope you love it as much as they do.
What is a smash cake?
A smash cake is the perfect treat for celebrating your baby’s first birthday. It’s essentially a small cake that’s low in sugar and made with wholesome, baby-friendly ingredients that your one-year-old can enjoy by “smashing” with his or her hands (and face, of course!) Yes, it will end up everywhere, and yes, it’s the cutest thing in the entire world.
The only smash cake recipe you’ll ever need
Whether you’re celebrating your own baby turning one or are sharing a special treat with a niece, nephew or friend’s kiddo, this is truly the best smash cake you’ll ever make that’s baby and adult-approved! It just so happens to be:
- Gluten free
- Naturally sweetened with fruit (AKA this is a no sugar added recipe!)
- Dairy free
- Absolutely delicious
Everything you’ll need to make a healthy smash cake
This smash cake recipe is made with super simple ingredients, is low in sugar, and happens to be dairy free and gluten free. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Banana: this smash cake is naturally sweetened with ripe, mashed bananas! Because it’s fruit-sweetened, this smash cake is a no sugar added recipe! The ripe bananas give it the perfect flavor that your kiddo will love.
- Eggs: you’ll need two eggs in this cake to help it bake up properly. See notes on flax eggs below!
- Peanut butter: the cake gets a lovely texture and delicious flavor from natural, creamy peanut butter. You can also use almond butter, cashew butter or tahini if you prefer.
- Flours: we’re keeping this smash cake gluten free by using fine blanched almond flour and oat flour. Learn how to make your own oat flour right at home with this tutorial!
- Baking staples: you’ll also need vanilla extract (learn how to make your own here!), baking soda and cinnamon.
How to make a vegan smash cake
I think flax eggs should be okay to use in this smash cake recipe, but please note that I have not tested it to be certain. I might recommend using 2 flax eggs total. Learn how to make flax eggs with this tutorial! You’ll then want to be sure to use a dairy free frosting (ideas below!)
Recommended substitutions in this smash cake recipe
I highly recommend making the smash cake as written so that it bakes up properly but feel free to use almond butter, cashew butter, or tahini in place of the peanut butter. If you don’t have any oat flour, remember that you can learn how to make your own at home using rolled oats and this tutorial!
What does this healthy smash cake taste like?
This easy, healthy smash cake recipe tastes like a delicious banana bread cake infused with peanut butter flavor! It’s not overly sweet because it’s only sweetened with bananas, but it still has an amazing flavor that both kids and adults will enjoy — especially at a first birthday party. The frosting you choose will determine the flavor as well. All of my kids LOVED the cake!
What sized pans should I use for a smash cake?
I like to use three, 4-inch round cake pans to create the perfect mini cake that has lovely layers. The layers also give your kiddo the opportunity to really smash the cake, which he or she will love!
Of course, you can also use 6-inch round cake pans, but I find 4-inch cake pans to be the best option for this smash cake.
The best smash cake in 5 simple steps
- Prep your pans. Line your 4-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and be sure to spray the paper and sides with nonstick cooking spray. This is very important!
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk together all of your wet ingredients in a large bowl until they’re nice and smooth.
- Add the dry. In the same bowl, add all of your dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is well combined.
- Divide & bake. Divide the batter between your three cake pans and bake them up until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool & frost. Let the cakes cool completely before adding your favorite frosting and decorations. Then serve on a little cake stand and watch your kiddo enjoy!
Fun & easy frosting ideas
The options are truly endless in terms of what you can use as a frosting for a smash cake. Here are some of my fav healthy frosting options:
- Simple Mills Vanilla Frosting or Miss Jones Vanilla Frosting for organic, gluten free & vegan options. I love these because not only do they taste delicious but they are easy to buy when you are in a pinch and/or don’t feel like making your own frosting.
- Babies love yogurt, so you can easily top the layers and full cake with their favorite vanilla yogurt! I love siggis brand and both of my boys do, too.
Your kiddo likely won’t be eating much of the cake, so if you don’t mind it feel free to try a more traditional frosting or topping from these recipes. I recommend cutting the frosting recipe in half for these as you won’t need as much or want it as thick.
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Regular or Vegan Buttercream Frosting
- 2-Ingredient Paleo Chocolate Frosting
Toppings & decoration ideas
For some fun topping ideas:
- you can do dye free sprinkles
- fresh berries on top of the cake
- a big candle
- this homemade Vegan Salted Peanut Butter Caramel takes just 5 minutes to make and is naturally sweetened with maple syrup! It’s gorgeous when drizzled on top of the frosted cake
Tips for frosting the smash cake
Make sure your cake layers are completely cooled, then I recommend doing a crumb coating so that the frosting lays nicely on the entire cake. To do so you’ll simply frost the layers as you normally would, coat the outside of the cake with a very thin layer of frosting, and then place the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before you finish frosting. This is so that the crumbs stick to this layer of frosting and not your main layer.
Don’t forget the first birthday decorations
- Wooden name topper
- First birthday onesie or t-shirt
- First birthday banner or this face birthday banner is adorable
- Animal birthday decorations
One-year-old gift ideas
- Sensory name puzzle so cute! they’ll spend hours playing with this
- Mini monster truck set recently got this and it’s great for bringing in the car
- Usbourne Big Book of Colors my kiddos learned so much from this book!
- Super soft stuffed animal my kids sleep with this every night!
- Dump truck duo my boys LOVE this!
- Classic ride in Little Tikes car my boys use their car every day (they also fight over it- ha!)
Check out all of my baby & toddler products + gift ideas HERE!
How to store & freeze a smash cake
- To store: cover the whole frosted smash cake and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- To freeze: feel free to freeze this smash cake either frosted or unfrosted for up to 2 months! When you’re ready to serve it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then let the cake come to room temperature before serving.
Make this smash cake ahead of time
Feel free to save time by baking the individual cake layers, letting them cool completely, and then placing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store the cake layers in the for up to 3-5 days until you’re ready to frost and serve the healthy smash cake.
More kid-friendly recipes to try
- Sidney’s 4-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
- Homemade Crispy Baked Fish Sticks (kid & toddler-friendly!)
- Blender Banana Spinach Muffins (kid-friendly!)
- Fluffy Yogurt Pancakes (high protein, gluten free)
- Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
- The Best Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets
- Zucchini Mac and Cheese
Pair this smash cake with one of my kid-friendly dinner ideas!
I hope you and your kiddo love this healthy smash cake! If you make it be sure to leave a comment to let me know how he or she liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Baby's First Healthy Smash Cake
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 2 overripe medium bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup (128g) natural creamy peanut butter* (only peanuts & salt as ingredients)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup (112g) packed super fine blanched almond flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
- ¼ cup (23g) oat flour (do not pack)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- For the frosting:
- See blog post for recommendations
- For topping (optional):
- Dye free sprinkles
- Fresh berries
- A big candle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of three 4-inch round cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Spray parchment paper and the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. YOU SHOULD USE PARCHMENT PAPER or the cake is likely to stick. Please do not forget!
- In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, peanut butter and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients: almond flour, oat flour, baking soda and cinnamon together. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Divide batter evenly between pans and spread out with a spatula to smooth the tops. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. If you use 6-inch pans, it will likely take closer to 20 minutes for the cakes to bake. If you use any other pans, you need to watch carefully as changing pan sizes will change the baking times.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before removing them from the pan; this is essential. Cakes can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge if you’d like.
- To frost the cake: make sure your cake layers are completely cooled, then I recommend doing a crumb coating so that the frosting lays nicely on the entire cake. To do so you'll simply frost the layers as you normally would, coat the outside of the cake with a very thin layer of frosting, and then place the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before you finish frosting. This is so that the crumbs stick to this layer of frosting and not your main layer.
Recipe Notes
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on July 19, 2022, and republished on May 21st, 2024.
I tried a very simple variation without frosting or vanilla extract. It came out really good!
Can I use regular flour instead of almond and oat?
I haven’t tested it, so I wouldn’t recommend it!
This recipe was perfect for my baby’s first birthday cake. She loved it! I did have to cook it an extra 5 minutes but I think the banana makes it pretty moist so it appears uncooked when it actually is.. I frosted with just plain whip cream and topped with figs. So happy I found a healthy recipe for a cake as we are trying to not give sugar for the first 2 years.
Amazing! Glad she loved it!
My baby is allergic to almonds and cashews. Will this recipe work with all purpose flour in place of the almond flour? Or would it turn out better with all oat flour? Thank you!
I haven’t tested it with other flour variations, I’m sorry!
Hello! Any thoughts on substituting apple sauce for the banana?
I haven’t tried it but it may work!! Let me know if you do!
Looking forward to making this recipe! Can I make it as cupcakes instead?
Yes, that should work!
Can’t wait to try!
If using almond flour — is it the same ratio as Oat Flour?
Hi! This recipe has both – 1 cup of almond flour, and 1/4 cup of oat flour.
My baby is allergic to oats and milk protein what can i sub the oat flour for ?
Try regular all purpose flour or a gf 1:1 flour.
I made this cake 2 years ago for my daughter’s first birthday and it was easy and delicious. We got great photos. I’m about to make it again for my son’s first birthday. Love the wholesome ingredients.
So happy to hear that!
This cake is disgusting. Thank you for wasting my time
Sorry to hear that! It is for babies, so it’s not meant to be very sweet like a regular cake. Were your bananas SUPER ripe? That’s what will give the cake its natural sweetness.
I love this cake and more importantly, the babies do! I have made this for bdays 1-3 for my toddler and it has been a hit every time. For the 1st bday, I have done a plain yogurt frosting that works great. So easy and feels special to make their cake from scratch!!
Amazing! I’m so glad!
Loved this, came together easy enough and baby loved it. I’ve used it on 2 first birthdays and plan to use it on my last baby’s first as well 🙂
So happy to hear that!
Can we use all oat flour?
I’ve only tested this recipe as written so I’m not sure how the texture and flavor will change!
Can you use AP flour if you are not trying to make the cake GF?
I wouldn’t recommend it as the texture will come out much differently!
Do you have a modification for regular cake size pans? I don’t want to buy smaller ones. Thank you!
Hi! You can use 2 8-inch cake pans as well.
What would be the conversion if you just used regular flour in the recipe?
I haven’t tested this recipe with regular flour so I can’t recommend a conversion – sorry!
Made this for my daughter’s smash cake photos. It turned out amazing! The texture is like a lighter banana bread, and the flavor is a light peanut butter banana! Truly amazing 👏🏻
So happy to hear that! Happy birthday to her!
Have you ever added pumpkin to this recipe? My LO’s bday is in October, so I’m trying to think of how to add a pumpkin flavor without throwing off the recipe (I know pumpkin is a very wet ingredient). Any suggestions would be so appreciated! PS. Love all your recipes! My baby has a dairy allergy, so you’ve been such a great resource! Xx
I haven’t tested it so I can’t be sure about all of the other ingredient measurements I would change! You could try swapping it in for some of the banana, but it won’t be as sweet. I’m glad you’re loving the recipes here!
I always love all your recipes!! Your healthy chocolate chip banana bread is my family’s favorite!! Excited to make this one for my baby’s 1st bday coming up. Can I use regular pure vanilla extract or need to find alcohol free? I wasn’t sure since it will be baked and the alcohol free ones are quite pricey or imitations. Her bday is October 7th so hoping to make it October 6th!
So happy to hear that! I always use regular vanilla extract, but feel free to consult with your pediatrician if you have any concerns!
I haven’t make this cake yet, but I’m excited to for my son’s first birthday. I do have the ambitious kitchen, but I can’t find the recipe in the book.
I hope you love it! This one is not in my cookbook, it’s just on this site 🙂
Easy, quick and quite nice. My 1yr old son literally loved smashing into it and eating it. I iced it with a Greek yoghurt flavoured with strawberry coulis and lots of berries
So happy to hear that!
If I use stainless steel pans do I need to bake it longer?
It should be the same baking time!
My baby has an oat sensitivity- is there a good substitute for the oat flour?
Hi! I haven’t tested a substitute, so I can’t recommend a good swap for it. Sorry!
Warning! If you make this with sun butter it will come out green! Still tastes great though and easy to make 🙂
This is true! Such an odd chemical reaction haha. Glad it still tasted great!
This recipe is great! I made a double batch with 6 small bananas, and it made two 4″ layers in glass pyrex and 12 cupcakes. Our son absolutely loved it. The texture was soft and it was delicious. A recipe we’ll turn to again and again!
Perfect! So glad it was a hit 🙂
super bummed I waited till the night before my sons 1st birthday to try this. I followed the recipe exact, other than using a 6 inch pan and cooked for 20 minutes. it came out so dry, im scared it’s going to be a choking hazard. the flavor is fun and as an adult its a fun snack, but I think im going to whip up my orange olive oil cake right now then just give him a slice. thanks anyways
Sorry to hear that this turned out dry! Did the batter seem overly thick or dry before baking?
We baked this several times, it works great with tahini too instead of peanut butter. Mixed in some dates and sometimes added pure cocoa powder or grind lemon/orange…
Not only for babies, everyone loves it.
Thank you for the recipe! ❤️
Perfect!!
My daughter has a tree nut allergy. If I’m using regular wheat (or whole wheat) flour instead of almond flour, do you think the recipe will still turn out? Would you suggest the same amount of flour vs almond flour for the recipe? Thanks!
Hi! Unfortunately, I can’t recommend swapping the flours here because the texture will be much different (almond flour is a lot more absorbent than regular wheat flour).
The cake just wasn’t good. No one in my house wanted to eat it. Won’t stop me from making any of your other recipes though!
Sorry to hear that! This one is really meant for baby to smash and taste, etc. as it’s not as sweet as a traditional dessert others might enjoy.
Wonderful recipe! I made this in a 7”x5.5” pan to test it for my baby’s first birthday. It had a delightful crumb, much like a wheat flour cake! At worst, it was slightly bland. I’m going to make this again soon with a little salt and possibly a touch of maple syrup! But this recipe is solid as-is. Thank you so much!
Perfect! Yes, feel free to add some flavor boosters if you’d like – I kept mine more “plain” for my kiddos when they were 1.
This is not an easy cake to make!! So beware. Mine was a sod. I am not a good baker but gosh even I have never failed at making a cake so badly. Can’t comment on taste, so 3/5
So sorry to hear that! Can you let me know what went wrong?
Hi! This cake looks so good. I’m planning to bake one for my baby’s birthday. How many cake can you get if using 6 inch pan? Thank you!
Hi! You should still get 3, they’ll just be a bit thinner!
Amazing per usual! Made this and did a full-fat greek yogurt frosting and it was a hit! (I also tasted it and concur it is delicious!)
So happy to hear that!
Can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I went for half the ingredients as I wanted a smaller cake and the texture still turned out perfectly moist. We didn’t give the cake a taste as it was smashed before anyone could get their hands on it.
Thankyou for having the measurements in ‘g’ – it was so useful.
I made the frosting with your coconut cream recipe but I had a back up recipe that I read on another blog incase the coconut cream didn’t play game. For anyone that is interested, the other recipe was blending avocado and organic cocoa – and it was the perfect frosting texture! Hope this helps a Mama out there x
Perfect!! So glad it was a hit!
Haven’t tried the cake yet, but just took it out of the oven and it smell amazing! I actually misread the recipe and used baking powder instead of baking soda. Have you made the recipe with baking powder? Does that make a huge difference?
How did it turn out? I’ve only made the recipe as is so I’m not sure how different the texture will be!
Hello! Could I make a 3 layer cake using 6 inch pans?
How would the ratios differ? I’m planning this for my daughter’s 1st. I’m SO EXCITED
Thanks
Megan
Hi! I’m afraid there won’t be enough batter to fill 3 6-inch cake pans, so I’d recommend getting 4-inch pans!
what can I use instead of Peanut butter? I don’t know if my baby is allergic to peanuts or not and I don’t want to find out at her party!
Hmm you could try sunflower seed butter!
Do you soften the peanut butter at all? Our natural one must be kept in the fridge. Should I let it get to room temp?
I would let it come to room temp! My natural peanut butter gets stored at room temp 🙂
I absolutely loved this recipe, Super easy to make and it does taste a lot like a moist banana cake. I followed the instructions for the cake to a T and I had an amazing birthday cake for my baby’s 1st birthday celebration. She loved it and I did too. It does not need any sugar, I was surprised how delicious it ended up with the right amount of sweetness for a baby and an adult. However, I couldn’t find the icing option she suggested here in Canada so I just blended heavy wiping cream until I got a wiped cream consistency and sweetened it with maple syrup and Vanilla extract ( 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 tbs of maple syrup and 1/2 tsp of vanilla). Thanks for this amazing healthy alternative!
Amazing! So glad you found this one and that your baby loved it!
Good recipe but I followed it to the T and the banana cakes take a really long time to bake. Mine got some reason dropped in the middle. Usually it’s when you put too much baking powder. Which I did not.
Cakes made with gluten-free flours like this one do tend to take a bit longer to bake! I’d recommend double checking your oven temp as well.
I’ve made this twice now and although it tastes great
Hi I made this and it was so flat. I used 6 inch pans. What could I have done wrong? Can you make this with plain flour also?
So strange! Did you follow the recipe exactly? And was your baking soda fresh? I can’t recommend a substitute for the flours in this recipe.
I made this cake as written for my daughter’s first birthday and it was a hit. She ate it for several days after too. I made three layers but only planned to use two to allow myself a margin for error and it worked perfectly. I froze the third round for later. It a a more dense cake (think somewhere between regular cake and a dense banana bread with a solid peanut butter flavor), but baked up beautifully and was easy to handle. We frosted with vanilla coconut yogurt and added some sprinkles. Perfection! It was such a win to find a good no sugar or salt added recipe. I would honestly consider using this as a breakfast bread recipe too.
Amazing! So glad you found this one!
I love that!!! About to do one for my little one.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?
I wouldn’t recommend it as the texture will change!