First birthday cake for baby is actually maple syrup cupcakes. They're naturally sweetened and the coconut whipped cream is so good! I'm re-sharing this recipe, and my sweet baby is now 2, not 1. All the tears.
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...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 can'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. I felt like she earned it because she fought for it so hard and held it so tightly in those sweet little fists. I let her eat about ½ a cookie sandwich, which if you're doing the math (and I totally am), it was a whole cookie plus marshmallow filling. And I stressed about it so much.
I tried to get over it. 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. Well, at least it's not whole wheat or gluten free, ok? I want her to know what real cake tastes like, after all. But 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.
I'm still feeling guilty, 600 words later.
My best friend Esther made her kid a watermelon cake frosted with yogurt and decorated with blueberries for his first birthday cake, and well, bless her heart. I think it's neat. Esther's kiddo had never had a drop of sugar on his first birthday. He probably still hasn't! I wish I could be more like Esther.
But I'm not. I'm a sugar pusher, baked-good peddler, making-my-living in the sugar bin gal. And it's time Camille found out.
And meanwhile, she was all 'THANK YOU JESUS FOR THE CAKE!'
Baby’s First Birthday Cake
Naturally sweetened maple syrup cupcakes 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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 386Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 1gSugar: 45gProtein: 4g
Stephanie says
I love this! I’m a little backwards here, I made my daughter a regular birthday cake for her first birthday, and I would let her try a little sugar in moderation when I was eating it leading up to her first birthday. She still loved/loves her veggies (kale chips are her favourite!) and she thinks blueberries are treats! Now my son is about to turn one (on the 13th) and I’m scouring the internet for a refined-sugar free birthday cake! He has had significantly less sugar in his first year but he eats absolutely everything. Anyways, there isn’t really a point to this lol but I am obsessed with your blog. I will probably wind up making these into a 6” layer cake + 3” smash cake for his birthday! Btw I know Camille is all grown up now (well, compared to this) but look at her sweet baby face here! My Lily was a chubby little baby too :)
Julia says
Is there another oil that can be used instead of grape seed? My son has a tree nut allergy and I’m struggling to find one that isn’t processed with tree nuts.
Christina Lane says
Anything neutral--canola, vegetable oil, safflower oil.
Elizabeth says
I made this for me, an adult trying to quit sugar. I have food sensitivities. Has anyone made this gluten free? If so, what flour do you recommend
Sloane says
Hi! Could I substitute all purpose flour for cake flour? Thanks!
Christina Lane says
It calls for all-purpose flour, NOT cake flour.
Diana says
Can this be made as a small cake?
Ruth says
Hi, I'm looking forward to trying this recipe for my baby, but just had a question - what is "fine salt"? Sorry, I'm a very inexperienced baker, so I didn't know how fine salt differed from regular old salt. Googling didn't help so could you tell me where I could find this? Thanks!
Christina Lane says
Regular table salt is fine.
Lou says
I thought about baking this cake fpr my son but then I noticed the maple syrup! You do not that babies should not eat maple syrup for the same reasons they can't have honey? If someone is unlucky Botulismus can kill the baby! I don't know if Americans give their babies honey, but in Europe nobody would feed honey or maple sirup to a small child.
Guess I try the cake with a bit of sugar, it may not be healthy but at least no danger of bacteria!
Christina Lane says
No, you're wrong. This isn't true. Maple syrup is boiled (and thus sterilized), and is safe for babies to eat. Babies obviously shouldn't have sugar, but this is for a birthday party. Once a year is fine. My kids don't have processed sugar until they're past age 3.
Do not alter the cake recipe and except the same results. Maple syrup and granulated sugar have different moisture rates, which affect the cake crumb.
Make the recipe as-is, or use the search bar to find my mini vanilla cake or mini chocolate cake.
Debra Crosby says
Can this coconut cream frosting be made ahead and stored?
Debra Crosby
Christina Lane says
It can, but it will need to be re-whipped. So, I would just make it before serving.
Lauren says
Do you have the cook time for an 8 or 9 inch cake as opposed to cupcakes?
Thanks!
Christina Lane says
I don't, but I believe someone in the comments shared one.
April Slingo says
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Are the cup measurements in metric (250ml) or US size (237ml)
Katie L says
Has anyone used einkhorn flour for this? Did anyone try making as a cake va muffins?