First birthday cake for baby is actually a maple syrup cake that can be made into cupcakes or a small 6-inch baby smash cake. It's naturally sweetened and the coconut whipped cream is so good!
Baby’s First Birthday Cupcake
I said I wasn't going to be 'that Mom.'
That Mom that makes her kid a naturally-sweetened first birthday cake. Ugh. I kinda hate myself for this, except...these maple syrup sweetened cupcakes are DELICIOUS. You won't even notice they're not 'normal' cupcakes or cake...you'll just notice the deep maple flavor. Even the raw batter is lick-able.
I like to think of them as 'better for baby' babycakes. Is the maple syrup sweetened coconut whipped cream on top too far? Wait, don't answer that.
So, let's back up. I've told you before that I didn't read any parenting books before Camille was born. I only read books about how French children eat. Books like 'Bringing up Bébé' and 'French Kids Eat Everything.' All I knew is that I was NOT going to have one of those kids that only eats white foods. No no no. And I would never bring my kid to your house for a dinner party and pull out goldfish crackers and fruit snacks for Camille to eat instead of the homemade dinner you lovingly made. No no no again.
Anyway, those books told me that when you deny kids something (like sugar), they want it all the time. A little bit of the real thing in moderation sets them up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits.
I knew this. And I've been denying her sugar anyway. I just couldn't do it. She's such a good eater; I'm worried she'll stop eating her vegetables once she tastes sugar. Truthfully, that is what's holding me back.
When she was 7 months old, I was licking an ice cream cone with her on my hip. She leaned in for a lick. She enjoyed it, but didn't beg for more.
Then, when she was 10 months old, I was making oatmeal cream pies from my cookbook, and she was parked on my hip while I was smooshing the marshmallow filling between the cookies. Out of nowhere, she just went for it. Both hands grabbed that cookie, and she knotted up her fists around it and started shoving it in her mouth as fast as she could. I couldn't really do anything but laugh. Honestly, I felt like she earned it because she fought for it so hard and held it so tightly in those sweet little fists.
Then, at 11 months, I was eating this caramel carrot cake during snack time and she was eating something boring like peas. I gave her 3 little bites of the cake without the frosting. She liked it, and asked for more.
And here we are. Maple syrup-sweetened cupcakes for baby's first birthday cake.
Side note: I did make these cupcakes for a kid's second birthday and used white whole wheat flour, per request. It totally works here, but they do taste kinda blah because of it. When I make it with regular all-purpose flour, they taste like a real cupcake that you would buy at a bakery. Yes, they are that good.
The frosting? It's nothing but whipped coconut cream and maple syrup. And it's so good, I'd eat it off a shoe. I actually add it to my tea lattes during the afternoon sometimes.
First Birthday Cake ingredients
- Butter. Three tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted.
- Oil. One tablespoon of a neutral, flavorless oil, like avocado oil, grapeseed oil or canola oil.
- Maple Syrup. We’re sweetening this first birthday cake naturally with maple syrup. You can use grade A or grade B maple syrup, either work well.
- Egg. One large egg.
- Flour. One cup of all-purpose flour that has been fluffed, scooped and leveled with a knife.
- Baking Powder. Baking powder and baking soda is not interchangeable; please use baking powder.
- Whole Milk. One-half cup of whole milk. Whole milk is best for a rich-tasting cake. Do not use skim milk.
- Coconut Cream. Read the label of the can--it should say COCONUT CREAM. Not coconut milk. An entire thick can of coconut cream will still have a small amount of liquid in it. Refrigerate the can of coconut cream upside down overnight. Then, flip the can over and use a can opener to open it and drain off the liquid completely.
How to make a 1st Birthday Cake
Preheat the oven to 325, and line 8 cups in a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Alternatively, you can line a 6-inch by 2-inch round cake pan with a parchment round in the bottom. In a medium bowl, beat with an electric mixer the melted butter and oil. Stream in the maple syrup and keep beating.
Next, add the egg and beat until combined.
Sprinkle the flour, baking powder and salt evenly over the batter, and beat just to combine for a few seconds.
Next, add all of the milk at once. Beat everything until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Divide the mixture into the prepared muffin cups or pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
To make the coconut cream, you really should refrigerate the can overnight. Flip the can over and open from the opposite end to drain off all of the liquid. It helps to refrigerate the bowl, too. Add only the white cream to a bowl, and beat until fluffy. Add the 1.5 tablespoons of maple syrup, and beat to combine.
Taste the frosting--if you want it sweeter, you're going to have to add powdered sugar because any more maple syrup will make it too thin. Frost the cake/ cupcakes and serve.
How to serve baby's First Birthday Cake
The best way to serve baby’s first birthday cake is to place it on the high chair and let them dig right in. Have your camera ready :)
How to store Cupcakes for First Birthday
If you want to make this cake/ these cupcakes a day ahead of time, you can refrigerate with the frosting on. Place them in a covered container in the fridge overnight. The frosting need to stay somewhat chilled because of the coconut cream, so do not let these become overly warm. This is the not the recipe to use for a park birthday party.
Babys First Birthday Cake FAQs
Can babies eat cake on their first birthday?
In general, we like to limit sugar with kids under 3. This is just my personal philosophy. I think cake is okay for a birthday, but it doesn’t need to be a gateway to sugar every single day for little kids.
What's a smash cake?
A smash cake is a decorate small cake that you give to a kid to eat/play with however they like. It is assumed that only the birthday kid is going to be consuming it. It will most likely be destroyed by the kid, but you will capture great photos :)
Can a baby have a normal cake at 1st birthday?
My personal philosophy is to limit all sugar to kids under 3. I think this helps develop their palate to other flavors, like slightly bitter vegetables, savory meat/ eggs and spices. I make an exception on birthdays, and in that case, I use a natural sweetener, like maple syrup. Once a kid has a more developed palate that appreciates all types of flavors, I think sugar in moderation is great. For my kids, around age 5, I start letting them decide on what they eat.
Cupcakes for First Birthday
Naturally sweetened maple syrup cupcakes or a 6-inch smash cake for baby's first birthday cake!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed)
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup whole milk
For the coconut whipped cream:
- 1 14-oz. can of coconut cream, refrigerated overnight
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325, and line 8 cups in a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, beat with an electric mixer the melted butter and oil.
- Stream in the maple syrup and keep beating.
- Next, add the egg and beat until combined.
- Sprinkle the flour, baking powder and salt evenly over the batter, and beat just to combine for a few seconds, then add all of the milk at once.
- Beat everything until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
- Divide the mixture into the prepared cups.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- To make the coconut cream, you really should refrigerate the can overnight. And the bowl.
- When the cupcakes are totally cool, make the frosting: scrape all of the coconut cream out of the can and into a cold bowl (do not add the little bit of coconut water or juice in the can--just the thick, white cream).
- Beat with an electric mixer on HIGH until light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup, and beat to combine.
- Taste the frosting--if you want it sweeter, you're going to have to add powdered sugar because any more maple syrup will make it too thin. Sorry, bub.
- Frost the cupcakes and serve.
Notes
A note on Coconut Cream: Read the label of the can--it should say COCONUT CREAM. Not coconut milk. An entire thick can of coconut cream will still have a small amount of liquid in it. Refrigerate the can of coconut cream upside down overnight. Then, flip the can over and use a can opener to open it and drain off the liquid completely. Only beat the thick white cream, do not add any liquid from the can to the bowl. It helps to refrigerate the bowl you will b using to make the frosting. The colder the coconut cream is, the faster and thicker it will whip up.
Storage: This cake must be kept cold becasue of the frosting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 386Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 1gSugar: 45gProtein: 4g
Debbi Herman says
Happy Birthday Camille - your mommy is a genius isn't she! I am definitely printing off this recipe. I originally started printing off mommy's recipes and placing in plastic sleeves, but now I'm on a roll and have to purchase a binder, hurrah for mommy. I'm going downstairs right now and baking the almond butter cc cookies. I also bought mommy's both cookbooks, she is that good.
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
Don't worry about her not eating her vegetables if she eats sugar - she'll stop eating EVERYTHING when she's a toddler. My girls were the best eaters as babies - they ate all kinds of veggies (including mushrooms and asparagus), any type of protein (including fish) and basically all fruit. Then it's almost like they hit this switch and all of a sudden they stop eating. One day my 2-year-old will eat nothing (like 5 bites of food and that's IT), and then she'll eat everything we eat at dinner. They also get naturally sweetened food and food with sugar but they eat it just the same - they can't tell the difference. My almost-4-year-old is back to almost eating like a real person and last night she ate pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, salsa, and a tortilla for dinner (we had fajitas). Just keep doing what you're doing, feeding her what you eat and lovingly prepare - you're doing awesome :)
PS it's super fun raising kids that love real food - shopping in the produce department is such an adventure.. they act like we're in a toy store and want ALLTHETHINGS haha
Christina Lane says
I have heard about the toddler phase where they stop eating everything! I'm so scared for it! I don't know how I'm going to handle it. Thanks for your wisdom, Sharon :)
Christina says
I am now an old grandmother but I was given a piece of advice from a baby health nurse when my first child was going through the not-eating stage. She said if a child was offered good healthy food and chose not to eat it, don't worry and don't give in to demands for other types of food. No child for whom food was on offer ever died of malnutrition - they all eat when they get hungry enough. On the other hand when I was small my father insisted I eat spinach/silver beet which he loved. I hated it and it got to the stage when I gagged every time a forkful got near my mouth and it still happens. My son hated brussels sprouts when he was little but now loves them because, I believe, he was never forced to eat them. The bottom line is: everything including sugar in moderation, offer healthy food and refuse to substitute other things eg sweets, candy etc, and don't force a child to eat something he/she clearly doesn't like.
Christina Lane says
Thank you so much for your advice! :)
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
HHAHAHA omg she's the cutest. And I feel like I'm gonna be just like you--nervous about giving the babies sugar but not like...the kind who would full on deny it. This cake idea is the perfect balance and I'm pinning it for future! :D
Phoebe @ Feed Me Phoebe says
ahhh i wish you were really that mom and those cupcakes were GF so I could come over and raise my hands to the lord with camille!! (best picture ever). my mom was the exact same way, and lucky for me, my grandmother would feed me bites of ice cream whenever she wasn't looking. because of this, my first word was "mo." Meaning, more ice cream.
Christine @ WRY TOAST says
Camille is the CUTEST baby, ugh she kills me! Such a sweet, sassy little thing, and the cupcakes don't look half-bad either ;)
Puneeta says
I made these cupcakes today (minus the frosting) and they were simply delicious. Thanks for such a great recipe which I will be using again & again.
Puneeta says
PS: Forgot to say I made these cupcakes gluten free using rice flour and gf baking powder - worked perfectly!
Cara Stolen says
Any thoughts on making these dairy free? I'd like to make these for my son's first birthday, but he can't have dairy :( I was thinking of trying solid refined coconut oil and unsweetened almond milk, but didn't know if you had any recommendations!
Christina Lane says
Hi Cara! Oh gee, I don't have any ideas, I'm sorry! I would try them with your alterations many weeks ahead of time so they're just right on the big day. And let me know how it goes :) Best of luck!
Allison says
Hi!
Can this recipe be used in a cake pan?
Thank you :)
Christina Lane says
Hi Allison,
I haven't tried it, but I don't think so...It may sink in the middle. But if you try it, let me know how it goes :)
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet says
My hubby is cutting out sugar and I think he would love these. No babies in the house but my toddler won't eat fish! None of it. No tuna, salmon or tilapia. She will eat shrimp. But she used to be the one who would anything and everything. Now all she wants is watermelon. Go figure!