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Oh, friend, let me share a little story with you that’s close to my heart. Imagine, if you will, my little boy’s first birthday just around the corner, and there I was, nearly convinced we’d celebrate without a cake. I couldn’t bear the thought of introducing him to all the sugar, dyes, and those not-so-nice ingredients that often sneak their way into store-bought cakes.
I kept telling myself, “He’s too little to even notice. Skipping the cake doesn’t make me a bad mom.” But deep down, I felt a tug to try something, anything, that might work.
The idea of baking a cake from scratch crossed my mind. Oh, but where to start? Finding a recipe that ticked all the boxes for healthiness seemed almost impossible.
It seemed like a daunting task to me, and I felt like it would be more trouble (and time consuming) than it was worth – especially if this was going to be a typical smash cake situation where Baby has a couple bites and then he’s done.
But then, some wise words from friends sparked a light in me. They reminded me that the cake was more for capturing memories than for eating. And really, the only taste that mattered was my baby’s.
Inspired by their encouragement, I found a gem on eatingbirdfood.com—a recipe that I could tweak to my liking.
This cake turned out to be a delightful surprise! It had the heartiness of banana bread, which we absolutely loved.
‘Healthy’ Birthday Cake Recipe:
What You Need:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup milk (I used homemade almond milk)
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup cassava flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Let’s Bake:
- Heat your oven to 350°F. Get three small bowls ready by greasing them or lining them with parchment paper. (I used 2 cup glass bowls.)
- Whisk all the wet ingredients in a big bowl.
- In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, mixing just enough to blend them together.
- Pour the batter into your prepared bowls and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden-brown. If you’ve got extra batter, why not make a few cupcakes?
For assembling, I used a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter for fun shapes and added a simple layer of frosting between each.
Now, about that frosting—I’m still on the hunt for the perfect one. The one I tried didn’t quite hit the mark. So, for now, I say stick with mashed sweet potatoes if you’re looking for a healthy ‘glue’ for your cake layers. They’re sweet, healthy, and baby-approved!
There you have it, my journey to a healthier birthday cake for my little one. It’s all about those small victories and cherished moments, isn’t it?
xo, Mary
P.S. I’d love to have you in my Facebook group where I teach new moms easy systems to get out of survival mode, start taking care of themselves again, and still put their baby first. See you there!