Healthy Baby Smash Cake (No Added Sugar)

This naturally sweet smash cake is soft, simple, and made with just a few pantry staples. It’s sweetened entirely with ripe bananas.

• Naturally Sweetened: We use zero refined sugar—just ripe bananas.
• Protein-Packed: The addition of Greek Yogurt and eggs makes this more nutritious than a standard muffin.
• Actually Fluffy: Almond flour can be heavy, but the acidity in the yogurt helps this cake rise beautifully.
• Gluten-Free & Grain-Free: Gentle on little tummies.

• Almond Flour: Make sure to use Super-Fine Blanched Almond Flour. Do not use almond meal (which has skins), or the cake will be gritty.
• Bananas: The uglier, the better! You want them brown and spotty for maximum sweetness.
• Greek Yogurt: This is the secret moisture maker. Use plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt for the best texture and healthy fats for brain development.
• Eggs: These provide structure. Room temperature eggs mix better than cold ones.
• Cinnamon & Vanilla: For that warm, “birthday cake” flavor without the sugar.

1. Prep the Pans Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 6-inch cake pans (or three 4-inch pans for a tall mini cake).

• Laura’s Tip: Cut a small circle of parchment paper for the bottom of the pans. This guarantees the cake won’t stick!

2. Mix the Wet Ingredients In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they are almost liquid. Whisk in the eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

3. Add the Dry Ingredients Add the almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined.

• Note: Don’t overmix! Overmixing releases the oils in the almond flour and can make the cake greasy.

4. Bake Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 25–28 minutes.

• The Test: A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

5. Cool Completely Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then flip them onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. If they are even a little warm, your whipped cream frosting will melt!

For a soft, baby-friendly “frosting,” I love using:

• Whipped heavy cream
• Whipped cream cheese or Greek yogurt
• Coconut cream (chilled + whipped)
• You can even tint the frosting naturally using pureed fruit like strawberries or blueberries
• You can also top cake with fresh berries for decoration

• Make sure to use overripe bananas. The super spotty, brown ones are best because they’re naturally sweeter and make all the difference in this no-added-sugar recipe. The riper, the better!
• A quick tip I swear by: line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper as well as greasing the pans. It makes removing the cakes so much easier.
• For my baby’s mash cake, we kept it simple and sweet by whipping up some 35% heavy cream with an electric mixer — no sugar added — and used that as the frosting. We layered it between the cakes and spread it on the top and sides.
• You can just frost the top if you prefer or add fruit on top of the frosting. Want to switch it up? You could add a touch of icing sugar to the cream, use whipped coconut cream, or even go for a Greek yogurt or cream cheese option. All baby-friendly and delicious.

Set up a cute little smash station with a drop cloth, bring out the camera, and let the baby-led mess begin. This cake is soft and easy to grab, making it perfect for curious little hands (and adorable cake-face photos).

Store smash cake covered in the fridge for up to three days. This cake can also be frozen.

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