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
Megan @ MegGoesNomNom says
More Baby Camille posts please! Pinned this for little one's first bday. :)
Emily says
I'm planning to make this for my son's first birthday on Saturday but was hoping to do it as a mini cake instead of cupcakes. I have a 5.9 inch round cake pan... do you think the recipe as written would be the correct amount to make a cake that size? And could you approximate about bake time? Thanks for helping me brainstorm! I seriously LOVE all of your recipes and am patiently waiting for you to release a baby food/baby friendly family meals cookbook ????
Christina Lane says
Hi Emily! Tell your LO happy birthday for me! :)
I haven't tried the recipe that way, but many have asked. Next time I make it, I will! I'm worried the cake will sink because of the maple syrup. The cupcake pan sides help it rise, but in a 6" round cake pan, I really don't know what the batter will do. I would make it ahead of time and test it before the big day! Let me know how it goes!
Sammy says
Thank you so much for this post! I was really struggling about what to do for my little one's first birthday yesterday and I'm so happy I stumbled upon this.I definitely had a laugh reading how Camille has bested you (mine has lunged for ice cream and other baked goodies numerous times) and it's nice to hear someone share similar concerns. In the end I decided to bake these cupcakes and I have no regrets. It was delicious and the birthday boy loved it :)
Christina Lane says
I'm so glad to hear it, Sammy! Thanks :)
Chanay says
Made these for a bake sale at work. Are the batter and cream supposed to be looser than usual batter and cream?
Christina Lane says
Yes. I hope you enjoyed them!
Heather says
This cake tastes amazing! I made it in an 8 inch pan x 2 (doubled the recipe for a layered birthday cake effect) and it did NOT sink in the middle (thank the lord, since I did not have a plan B). Thanks for the recipe!
Tessa says
Oh my God she is so cute!! Stop stressing about the sugar--she is clearly healthy and happy and you are clearly a great mom! As long as you're not putting soda in her sippy cup I think you're good ;)
Erica says
Just finished baking this and it is delicious! I have tried several healthy baby cakes for my daughter's first birthday and I finally found one that works. It is delicious enough to feed to adults and healthy enough to ward off my mom guilt! I baked it in a small, 7 inch cake pan for 30 min instead of 20 and it came out perfectly - no sinking and also no bulging requiring me to trim the top for a flat cake. The taste reminds me of a delicious pancake, obviously because of the maple syrup but also the moistness and bounciness - it is a really great consistency for a cake! I'm thinking of making two layers and putting fruit in between. Thank you and Camille so much!
E says
Would it be possible to make these into a cake? Or a layer cake? Any tips on pan size or increasing amounts would be very helpful and much appreciated! Thanks!
Christina Lane says
Hi E! Check the comments above you..I believe someone made it into a 6" cake successfully. I haven't done it myself, but I trust them :)
Joanna says
I am SO happy to have found this recipe. I want something like birthday cake for my little guy, but not over the top with refined sugar. I love your blog. Thank you!
Tiffiny says
Hi!! Does this recipe only make enough for 8 cupcakes? Or is it more? Also, have you made them into mini cupcakes...if so how long should i keep them in for and should i adjust the temp? thanks!!
Christina Lane says
Hi Tiffiny! Yep, all I do is small-batch desserts. You can double this recipe. I have not made it into mini cupcakes, but check the comments, others have made them in different ways. I would start checking them after 10 minutes and do not adjust the temp. Best of luck :)
Tiffiny says
Thank you!! I'm going to double the recipe and make my first batch as minis to see how it works! I've been staying away from sugar so I'm making them for my baby shower that's tomorrow, I'm excited to try them out!
Tiffiny says
I just made some minis and I baked them on 325 for about 15 mins! They turned out perfect! This is definitely a keeper recipe. (making some reg size ones now for my cupcake stand.)