Your baby’s first birthday is a special time. It’s a time to celebrate the successful first-times and milestones in their first year with their very own smash cake.
Even if your child will end up smooshing and pounding their birthday cake (like they do with any food put in front of them), it’s just fitting to have a specific and specially made smash cake for their day. But if you are conscious about what goes in your child’s food, it can be hard to track down the exact ingredient lists of pastry shops. Your next best option is to bake the cake yourself.
As a parent, you see that your child is getting their nutritional needs through the food they eat. Baking your soon-to-be 1-year old’s cake is the perfect opportunity to do the same, but with more fun and creative process!
Pick out the ingredients you want and ensure your child’s nutritional needs will be met. There are many ways to slip in some nutritional value and still give them a fun time (taste-wise).
It’s time to take out your baking tools and put your apron on. We’re going to do some baking!
Mashed Banana For Oil or Sugar
You could be looking to sport a vegan or healthy smash cake for your child. Substitute processed ingredients with healthier options. One way you can do that is by using ripe bananas instead of regular oil. Generally, about half a cup of oil is used in baked goods. If you think about it, that’s more than anyone would anticipate.
Bananas carry many nutrients that benefit your baby. They strengthen bones, improve memory recall, regulate bowel movement, and improve heart health. All good things you want to provide for your baby. They’re a healthy proxy to sugar too. You can add them to cookies, muffins, and of course, cakes.
Be sure to get ripe bananas. Mash them to prepare them for baking.
Fruit Puree for Icing
Who doesn’t love icing?
Icing is a deal-maker; if it tastes as good as it looks, it’s a win. Although there are many ready-made ones in the market, it’s not as fun as making them yourself. The fun thing about it is choosing which fruit to puree for icing. There’s a variety of colors and flavors to choose from!
Slipping in some healthy stuff in the icing is the sneakiest parenting trick yet. Mix in some blueberry puree (for healthy digestion) or cherry puree (for better sleep quality) with your cream cheese, and voila! Your smash cake’s icing is ready.
You can get creative and add as many colors as you like. You can go for an ombre design or go for one solid color.
Applesauce With Brown Sugar as Glaze
If you’re not that big on icing, maybe glazing is for you.
Glazing makes anything look effortlessly elegant and charming. It’s easy to prepare. All you need is some applesauce (organic, homemade, or whichever way you prefer to have it) and brown sugar. Since applesauce is sweet on its own, a bit of brown sure will suffice. To spice things up a bit, you can add a dash of cinnamon too. This can be sweet, so it’s best to add conservatively, which is why it’s great as a glaze. It’s the perfect final touch to your cake.
Decorate With Fruit Slices
Decorating is the highlight of making a cake. They amp things up while providing bursts of flavors–especially when they’re fruit.
Get your creative juices flowing (no pun intended!). If you’re a little stuck on how to go about it, you can always go to Pinterest for some cake inspo. Yes, your one-year-old might end up smooshing it. But a pretty cake is good for taking pictures!
Add strawberry slices, kiwi slices, blueberries, or any fruit of your choice. It’s a fun way of throwing in some healthy goodness. These can serve as accents to your cake topper, too.
Important Reminders
When adding fruit slices, be sure that they are of adequate sizes to avoid choking. Don’t cut them too small that your child may find a hard time eating them. If you’re adding any fruit with seeds, be mindful of them and remove the seeds first.
Another thing to watch out for is signs of an allergic reaction, especially when it’s your child’s first time eating some of these ingredients. If your child starts to display any signs, be sure to call your doctor or visit the nearest ER in your area.
