Wholesome Vegan Smash Cake | The Choosy Eater

May 30, 2024

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My simple vegan smash cake is ideal for a child’s first birthday, with layers of moist cake, selfmade coconut cream frosting, and contemporary blueberries. It’s completely vegan, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and customary allergen pleasant, making it preferrred for little ones. It’s a scrumptious, wholesome cake to your child to dig into and luxuriate in on their special occasion!

Healthy vegan smash cake topped with blueberries and vegan frosting with 1st birthday decorations on top.

After I was planning for my youngsters’ first birthday celebrations I used to be hesitant to purchase a store-bought conventional cake, primarily as a result of many store-bought muffins can include synthetic elements and are normally loaded with sugar!

My youngsters had additionally by no means had sugar previous to their first birthday (apart from meals sweetened with actual fruit) so I actually needed to arrange them a more healthy cake that tasted simply pretty much as good as a typical birthday cake.

So I got down to create a child smash cake recipe that’s enjoyable, stunning, festive, egg-free, and customary allergen pleasant. What resulted is a light-weight, fluffy, and naturally sweetened vegan smash cake that accommodates no eggs, dairy, or nuts! And it’s simply as simple to make as it’s child pleasant!

With layers of fluffy sugar-free coconut cream frosting for child and contemporary vibrant blueberries, my vegan 1st birthday cake recipe was an enormous hit with each my youngsters – and all of our celebration company too! The enjoyable custom of child smash muffins can nonetheless be upheld with a wholesome cake that child will love!

My vegan smash cake is basically a small cake that features as child’s first birthday cake. It’s made for a child alone to play with, mash, and eat. Most smash muffins aren’t any bigger than 6 inches in diameter, and mine is an identical measurement.

After all, your child received’t eat the entire cake, however they may have tons of enjoyable enjoying with the cake of their fingers and gobbling up bits and items. Each of my youngsters liked enjoying with their muffins once I served it to them!

After we took loads of 1st birthday smash cake pictures, the leftovers have been loved by members of the family who didn’t thoughts consuming a smashed up cake! For the adults, I served it with a scoop of my lychee ice cream or mango good cream and it tasted nice.

My vegan child smash cake can also be preferrred for little ones with meals allergic reactions. It’s a naturally egg-free, nut-free, and dairy-free smash cake recipe only for them! My recipe makes use of entire wheat flour for added fiber, however I’ve offered a simple gluten-free substitution under.

This recipe can also be processed-sugar free! As an alternative of sugar, I exploit bananas and applesauce to naturally sweeten the cake. That is vital as a result of research present that introducing youngsters to pure, much less sugary meals early on can assist them develop a choice for more healthy meals later in life (supply).

My vegan smash cake recipe doesn’t require any superior methods or unique elements. It’s good for newbie bakers: you possibly can skip these sophisticated egg free child cake recipes and make this as a substitute. I promise it will likely be the spotlight of your child’s first celebration!

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🥘 Substances

My vegan child birthday cake recipe solely requires lower than 10 easy elements simply discovered at any grocery retailer! Right here’s what you want:

Ingredients for healthy vegan smash cake recipe on a white background.

For The Cake

Flour: This vegan cake for child makes use of each entire wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I select entire wheat flour so as to add fiber and entire grains, however it may be nutty and dense. So to maintain the cake mild and fluffy, I added some all-purpose flour. Nonetheless, you need to use all entire wheat flour or oat flour when you choose, however take into accout this banana cake can be barely denser.

Floor Cinnamon: Provides a heat spiced taste.

Ripe Banana: The riper the banana, the higher! My dairy-free child cake seems finest if you use tremendous spotty or brown bananas, because the pure sugars within the bananas give the cake moisture and sweetness.

Applesauce: I exploit applesauce as a substitute for oil, which makes this cake oil free whereas nonetheless offering moisture and a fluffy texture. Use unsweetened applesauce for a refined sugar-free smash cake! Melted coconut oil can be utilized as an alternative.

Baking Powder And Salt: Helps the vegan child cake rise and offers it construction with out the necessity for eggs.

For The Frosting

My easy and dairy free frosting recipe is made with coconut cream, however has a texture just like cream cheese frosting. It’s the proper wholesome frosting to your child’s cake and it’s simple to make.

Coconut Cream: First, ensure that to purchase a 15oz can of full-fat coconut cream, not coconut milk. Refrigerate it within the can in a single day. If you’re prepared to arrange this wholesome frosting for child, fastidiously scrape the cream that has risen and solidified on the high of the can, leaving the water on the backside. It’s vital to get as a lot cream as potential with none water for the very best outcomes.

Agave Syrup: You solely want a little bit sugar to evenly sweeten the coconut cream frosting, and I selected agave for a refined sugar free possibility. Maple syrup is one other nice alternative. Nonetheless, you possibly can go away it out when you choose a very eggless sugarless cake for child.

Vanilla Extract: Offers the birthday smash cake frosting a stunning vanilla taste.

🔪 How To Make A Vegan Smash Cake

If that is your first time making a smash cake recipe, you’ll be comfortable to know that my dairy and egg free cake for child comes collectively in just some simple steps.

See the recipe card on the backside of the put up for the complete recipe and ingredient measurements. You may also observe together with the video under!

Making The Cake

Put together Oven And Spherical Cake Pans: First, I preheat my oven to 360 levels Fahrenheit (180 levels Celsius). Then I line the underside of two 6 inch pans with parchment paper.

Whisk The Dry Substances Collectively: In a medium mixing bowl, I exploit an electrical mixer or whisk to mix each forms of flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt collectively.

Whisking the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Whisk The Moist Substances Collectively: In a separate mixing bowl, I whisk collectively the mashed banana, applesauce, and vanilla extract.

Whisking applesauce in a large white and blue mixing bowl.

Fold Moist Substances Into Dry Substances: Then I add the banana combination to the dry elements and fold them collectively. Watch out not overmix the egg-free smash cake batter.

Mixing up the healthy smash cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Add Batter To The 6-Inch Cake Pans: Pour the batter into the ready tins and clean out the highest. I exploit an offset spatula or the again of a spoon for this step.

The cake batter divided evenly between the cake pans before baking.

Bake: In my oven, the muffins take about 25-Half-hour to bake. This dairy-free smash cake is prepared when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clear and the muffins are pulling away from the perimeters of the pan.

Cool The Truffles: Take away the muffins from the oven. I allow them to cool within the cake pans for five minutes earlier than turning them out onto a wire cooling rack to chill fully to room temperature.

Two baked loaves of healthy smash cake on a wire cooling rack.

Making The Frosting

Put together Frosting: Whereas this eggless smash cake is cooling, I make the sugar free coconut cream frosting for child. First, I scoop the chilled coconut cream from the can, leaving the water that has sunk to the underside.

Whip Coconut Cream: Utilizing a hand mixer, I whip the coconut cream for about 5-8 minutes, or till agency peaks have fashioned and it resembles whipped cream.

Add Taste: Add the agave (if utilizing) and the vanilla extract to the whipped coconut cream. (Omit the agave for a sugar free frosting for child). Then whip it in till absolutely mixed. This sometimes takes me one other 2-3 minutes.

Assembling And Adorning The Truffles

Degree Truffles: Degree the allergen-free smash cake layers by slicing the tops off. I like to recommend utilizing a pointy serrated knife to make clear traces.

Slicing the domes of the cake off on a weekend cutting board.

Frost: Add a number of dollops of icing to at least one layer of cake and unfold them evenly.

Spreading the coconut cream on the bottom layer of the smash cake.

Layer Truffles: Prepare the blueberries on high of the frosted cake. Then, I high it with the opposite cake layer.

Frost And Enhance The Layer Cake: Prime this applesauce and banana smash cake with the remainder of the icing and sprinkle with the remaining blueberries.

Serve: Current this small frosted cake to your child to smash or maintain it chilled within the fridge till it’s serving time!

An overhead shot of the smash cake decorated with blueberries.

My #1 Secret Tip for making the proper dairy-free cake for child is to totally chill the full-fat coconut cream in a single day. This step is essential to making a agency and steady frosting that may be whipped to the fitting consistency. Correctly chilled coconut cream provides you with a clean, creamy frosting that can maintain up nicely on the cake.

Different Ideas To Maintain In Thoughts:

Mix Moist and Dry Individually: Whisk the moist elements and dry elements collectively in separate bowls earlier than mixing collectively.
Don’t Overmix: Gently fold the moist elements into the dry elements and don’t overmix past when the streaks of flour simply disappear from the batter. Mixing any additional will lead to a dense, chewy, or rubbery cake.
Stand Mixer Instructions: This selfmade vegan smash cake recipe can be made within the bowl of a stand mixer. To take action, mix the moist elements collectively in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. After whisking the dry elements collectively in a separate giant bowl, add them to the moist elements and mix in till no streaks of flour stay. Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl as wanted.
Lining the Cake Pans: Line the baking pans with parchment paper in order that the muffins simply launch from them.
Cake Doneness: Keep watch over this vegan first birthday cake to your child when it’s baking within the oven. Close to the tip of the baking time, pull it out when it begins to brown, and when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clear.
Chill Your Bowl and Beaters: When whipping the coconut cream for the frosting, chill your mixing bowl and beaters within the fridge for about Quarter-hour beforehand. This helps obtain a firmer, extra steady frosting.
Frosting Ideas: Cool the muffins fully earlier than frosting. In any other case, the frosting will soften on the muffins.
Don’t Use Boxed Cake Combine: When you can technically substitute boxed cake combine in for the flour, I wouldn’t advocate it as a result of it actually is very easy to make your individual smash cake at dwelling! Additionally, boxed cake combine received’t be as wholesome or flavorful as my diy wholesome smash cake recipe.
Refrigerate the Cake Till Serving: The coconut frosting will keep probably the most steady at cool temperatures, so maintain this vegan dairy free first birthday cake refrigerated till able to serve.

📖 Variations

Gluten-Free Smash Cake: To make this egg-free smash cake with out gluten, substitute 1½ cups of your favourite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour combine for the entire wheat and all-purpose flour.

Fluffier Texture: In case your baby doesn’t have any egg allergic reactions, 2 giant eggs can substitute for the applesauce, leading to a lighter cake texture.

Banana Cake Smash: For a extra banana-forward taste, use extra pureed banana as a substitute of the applesauce. Moreover, you possibly can embellish this particular cake with sliced bananas as a substitute of blueberries. Be at liberty to additionally add a splash of cinnamon and nutmeg into the batter to get that banana bread really feel!

For Older Children: My smash cake with no eggs additionally doubles as a wholesome cake for toddlers, or barely older youngsters, as a result of it truly is so tasty that youngsters of all ages will take pleasure in it! For older youngsters, allow them to customise the toppings and fillings as a lot as they like (and naturally, they possible received’t be smashing it earlier than consuming it!)

Combined Berry Smash Cake: You should utilize any contemporary berries of alternative rather than the blueberries. Simply keep away from utilizing frozen berries.

Combined Fruit: For one more child cake smash concept, you may as well embellish this cake with diced apples, pears, peaches, cherries, or mandarin oranges.

Frosting Variations: Attempt strawberry or chocolate frosting as a substitute of vanilla! For a chocolate taste cake frosting, combine 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder with the coconut cream and agave. For strawberry frosting, take freeze dried strawberries, grind them right into a powder, and blend with the coconut cream and agave.

No Frosting: You may also skip the frosting altogether and exchange it together with your favourite fruit puree or nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter (assuming your child doesn’t have any nut allergic reactions!)

Vegan smash cake topped with blueberries and vegan frosting with 1st birthday decorations on top.

🫙 Storage Instructions

Fridge: Retailer all of the yummy leftover smashed-up cake in an hermetic container within the fridge for 4-5 days.

Freezer: You’ll be able to retailer unfrosted baked layers of cake in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Earlier than freezing, I separate the layers with parchment paper or plastic wrap to forestall them from freezing collectively. Defrost at room temperature for 2-3 hours earlier than frosting.

❓Recipe FAQs

Why is my frosting runny and the way do I repair it?

Chilling the coconut cream inadequately or together with an excessive amount of water could make coconut cream frosting runny. To repair it, refrigerate the frosting for Half-hour and whip it once more.

Can I make the frosting by hand if I don’t have a mixer?

Sure, you need to use a sturdy whisk. It is going to take longer and require extra effort, nevertheless it’s potential. Whisk vigorously for about 10-Quarter-hour.

What do I do if my cake received’t come out of the pan?

In case your vegan smash cake received’t launch, run a knife across the edges to loosen it. Then place a cooling rack on high of the pan and flip it the wrong way up, tapping gently on the underside to launch the cake. If that doesn’t work, let the pan sit for a couple of minutes and check out once more. Grease your pans nicely and line them with parchment paper earlier than baking to forestall sticking.

What can I exploit if I don’t have 6-inch spherical pans?

You should utilize 8-inch spherical pans however the layers can be thinner, so that you’ll want to scale back the baking time and examine for doneness earlier. You may also use a muffin pan to make mini muffins, which normally take round 15-20 minutes to bake.

Vegan smash cake with a piece cut out of it and the piece on a white plate in the foreground.

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