Baby’s First Healthy Smash Cake (No Sugar Banana Cake)

Four 1st birthdays later and we still love this healthy smash cake recipe! This no sugar added first birthday cake recipe is sweetened with bananas and reminds me of banana bread. The fruit juice sweetened ice cream frosting is one of my favorite parts, making this healthy smash cake for 1-year-old kiddos the perfect healthy first birthday cake alternative

Thousands of you have made this sugar free cake recipe for baby, and the feedback has helped me create the more helpful frequently asked questions about making a healthy smash cake.

Below the recipe card you’ll find all the answers to your questions about bake time, cake pans, getting the frosting to thicken, and so many substitutions. 

It’s the ultimate guide to no sugar smash cake making!

My first cookbook, Everday Muffin Party, is out! If you want to enjoy more healthy, refined sugar-free muffins, check it out HERE!

Healthy smash cake

My kids have loved this smash cake for their first birthday!

I still make this recipe as a healthier no sugar banana bread option, because who needs added sugar when you’ve got ripe bananas? 

It’s a great snack because it comes together really easily, too!

Grab the recipe for this easy and delicious 1st birthday smash cake that hundreds of others have enjoyed for their little one’s first birthday too!

First birthdays with our no sugar smash cake

Want to see this healthy smash cake for 1 year old in action? 

We’ve served this healthy smash cake at each of their birthdays and it’s been a hit not only for them but also for the guests!

Let’s take a walk down memory lane for a moment, shall we?

Below you’ll see Hunter, Zoe, Nova, and Holland enjoying their special banana smash cake.

Here’s Hunter at his first birthday, enjoying this cake. Zoe at her first birthday.

She enjoyed her smash cake to the max.

Here’s Nova at her first birthday, loving her smash cake.

And Holland at her first birthday, not loving her smash cake in her chair… but then she devoured the cake in muffin form (2x!) in her daddy’s arms.

They’ve all loved it so much, and I’m so happy to share the recipe with you!

Ingredients you’ll need for this healthy smash cake recipe

Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.

• bananas
• no sugar added applesauce
• coconut oil
• vanilla extract
• baking soda
• einkorn flour (or whole wheat flour)
• oat flour
• cinnamon
• cream cheese
• no sugar added apple juice concentrate (from frozen defrosted)

How to make this easy no sugar baby smash cake

1. Mash the bananas in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate large bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. Add the mashed bananas, applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla to the flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated.
4. Coat your 4 mini tart pans (these are the mini tart pans I use) + 6-8 muffin pans (or use two 8 or 9″round pans) with oil.
5. Spread the batter into the bottom of the pans.
6. Bake at 375° for 20-23 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
7. Cool the cakes before frosting. If you used the 8″ or 9″ pan, then use an overturned smaller bowl to cut out small cake rounds.
8. While the healthy smash cake cools, soften the cream cheese.
9. Whisk the cream cheese with the apple juice concentrate and vanilla extract until creamy.

Want to watch me make the healthy no added sugar banana smash cake?  Check out the video recipe!

You can watch the recipe video below, or over on my YouTube channel.

For my no sugar smash cake, I stack all 4 layers with a layer of frosting in between them, then covered the entire cake in the frosting.

For a ‘ONE’ on top of the cake, I use fresh blueberries! I love the size of cake I get with mini tart pans.

Here’s the link to the exact mini tart pans I use!

Love no added sugar treats? Try these!

• 3 Ingredient Banana Brownies
• Mini paleo banana nut muffins
• 5 ingredient banana bread
• Carrot cake energy balls
• Chocolate peanut butter snack balls
• Peanut butter banana raisin breakfast cookies
• Dark chocolate trail mix bark

Frequently asked questions for this healthy smash cake recipe

You’ve asked, and I’ve answered.  There are hundreds of comments sharing how this smash cake recipe turned out for you.

I’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions below with the answers to simplify your search.

It’s a lot to read through all the comments, so my hope with this sugar free cake recipe for baby FAQ is that it can answer your questions that come up.

I’ve broken the questions up into cake questions, substitution questions, and frosting questions.

If you still have a question that isn’t answered, leave a comment and I will respond to you!

Cake questions

How much of the mashed banana is in the recipe? Bananas vary a lot in size. 

Just slightly over 2 cups of mashed banana.

I was wondering how ripe should the bananas be? Black or semi or just ripe?

They don’t need to be black but very ripe so that they’re soft and sweet.

I’d like to use your batter recipe to make two 6″ smash cakes for my twins’ 1st birthday. Do you think that the recipe would be enough for two 6″ cakes?

Yes, I think either recipe would be enough for two 6″ cakes. Increase the bake time.

I’m wondering if the batter rises any?

The batter doesn’t rise much. I would fill the muffin tins between 2/3-all the way full. They will rise but then fall a bit.

My question is how long can I keep this cake in the fridge? I’m planning to make 3 mini cakes at the same time for 3 little parties. They are 4 days apart. Is it possible to keep a cake fresh for a week or more? Or should I just bake each one the day of?

I think they would be fine up the 4 days in the fridge. It makes a pretty moist cake, so you shouldn’t have to worry about them drying out. Another option would be to freeze the cake once it’s cooled, then take it out the morning of to defrost. That would keep it a little more fresh than in the fridge for a while.

Smash cake sizing questions

Do you think it would work in this giant cupcake pan??

It’s tough with pans like that… you could try reducing the temp to allow it to cook longer and hopefully it would cook through and not burn the outside.

How big are the mini tart pans that you used?

The ones I have are Wilton and they measure 4.75 inches – here’s the link to them!

More cake questions

I have tried to make this recipe 2 times and both times it seems uncooked. I have even doubled the bake time. I used two 6 inch round pans. I used the extra to make mini muffins. Any suggestions?

I would check the quantity of mashed bananas used.  Since bananas can vary in size so much, make sure your mashed banana ends up being just over 2 cups total.

Best cake pans for mini smash cakes

Where did you find your mini tart pans? Everywhere I have looked, even online they are very shallow with fluted edges and it looks like yours is nice and tall with smooth edges.

These are the mini tart pans I have. I just stack em 3-4 high and smooth out the sides with frosting!

How would you describe the flavor of this cake? I am thinking about making this for my baby shower and for my personal snacks. I am trying to avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners. Also, do you think I could add lemon juice to this to make a lemon cake?

The flavor is like banana bread, so even with lemon added I don’t think it would taste like a lemon cake.

Can I make this ahead of time and store it in the freezer?

Yes, you can.

If I don’t have the round 4 mini tart pans, can I just use a banana loaf pan and cook 1 instead of 4?

Yes, you may just have to increase the baking time since it will be deeper in that pan.

I just made this recipe for cupcakes and they turned out super mushy on the inside. I cooked them for about 25 min. too. Any suggestions?

I would check the quantity of mashed bananas used.  Since bananas can vary in size so much, make sure your mashed banana ends up being just over 2 cups total.

Cake questions

I love this recipe, thank you for it! I was wondering if there is a way to make it a bit more “fluffy?”

You could try adding an egg in if you’re looking for a more fluffy option.  I would reduce the applesauce a bit to account for the extra liquid.

Do you know how long the cake will last after it’s baked? My son’s actual birthday is on Wednesday and his birthday party is on Saturday, so I was hoping to make the cake with the mini tart pans ahead of time all at once.

I’d try freezing them once they are fully cooled wrapped in plastic wrap. They should stay fresh that way!  They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days wrapped in a plastic wrap too.

I just did a test run on this but I’m having an issue where it just doesn’t seem to want to get done throughout. The outside was good to go, and a toothpick came out clean, but when I cut into it, it was just mush. 

I would check the quantity of mashed bananas used.  Since bananas can vary in size so much, make sure your mashed banana ends up being just over 2 cups total.

More smash cake questions

If I bake on Sat afternoon and only let her eat it on Sunday morning is it ok? Can it be just left in the fridge once cooled down?

Yes, that is totally okay!  Once it’s frosted you’ll want to store it in the fridge.

How long would you bake an 8 inch round cake pan?

It depends if you use one or two.  For one, it will take longer, around 35-45 minutes.  For two, bake time will decrease to 25-30 minutes.

How early should you buy the bananas to be sure they are sweet enough?

I guess it depends on how ripe they are when you get them!  If they are quite green, give them 5-7 days to ripen.  If you need them to riper quicker keep them close to apples.

Approximately how many servings are in this cake?

If you make a smash cake using the 4 mini tart dishes, that would be for baby (although it can feed more – my 3 bigger kids devoured it) – and then you’ll be left with 6-8 muffins size servings.

I’m making the cake (no frosting). Does this go in the fridge or stay at room temperature after it’s made? How long will it last (not freezing)?

It can be kept at room temperature for a few days (which is totally okay with no frosting used), but should last up to 5 days in the fridge!

Would this recipe work for a 6x2in a cake pan?

Yes, I’m sure! Just adjust the baking time until the cake is set… probably just a little bit longer since it’s larger.

Substitutions

Can you substitute regular vegetable oil for coconut? Allergic to coconut.

Yes, you can.  You can also try avocado oil.

I will be using coconut flour instead of oat (just because it’s what I have on hand) do you think it will affect the recipe?

If you’re going to use coconut flour I would suggest trying with an egg. My experience with coconut flour is that you will need an egg with it to keep form and also to get some rise.  The amount of coconut flour needed will be less than the amount listed for oat flour.

Oat flour questions

I was wondering if you can buy oat flour?

Yes, you can buy oat flour here! You can also make your own using my oat flour tutorial.

Instead of the oat flour, can I replace it with the Gerber oatmeal cereal?

You could certainly try, but I believe it would end up with a different texture.

How do you think almond flour would work instead of whole wheat flour?

I’m sure the texture would be a little different, but it should work!

Could I use white flour? How would that change it? Should I add an egg?

I think white flour would work just fine even without an egg.

Can I substitute the applesauce for something else? Puréed apples for example? I can’t find a no sugar applesauce where I live!

I think so. You may have to thin the applesauce out so that it’s the same consistency as store-bought since I find homemade applesauce is a bit thicker.

Is there a substitute for coconut oil? Butter? Veg oil?

Yup, either of those should work, although I’d try avocado oil first.

I was wondering what I can substitute oat flour for since she doesn’t tolerate oats very well.

You can try whole wheat flour instead of oat flour. See how the batter is and add a touch more oil if needed.

More substitution questions

I added an egg and sour cream and blended all the wet ingredients with the bananas in a blender, and also did not grind the oats up. It cake turned out perfectly!

Thank you for sharing!

My question is concerning the cream cheese. He also can’t do dairy. Would this recipe work with vegan cream cheese?

Yes, that should work!

Any substations that are wheat-free? Can I just use only oat flour?

I would use a combination of oat flour, and almond flour to keep it wheat-free.

Is there a way to not use baking powder, would like to avoid that?

You could use half the amount of baking soda and then add in 1 tsp apple cider vinegar.

Instead of using two different flours, can I use 100% whole wheat flour? If so how much?

Sure! I would aim for around 1 ¼ cups if using just whole wheat flour.

Banana questions

Could you use the banana baby food in a jar instead of mashing fresh bananas?

If banana is the only ingredient you could give it a try! Let us know how it turns out if you do.

Any thoughts on subbing mashed sweet potato for the banana?

I think you could try it! It might not be as sweet as using bananas but I bet your little one would love it!

Can I just use all-purpose flour instead of the two types of flour and if so how much ap flour in total?

You could definitely try it with ap flour instead. You may need to reduce the liquid a bit since wheat flour typically requires a bit more liquid.

How much coconut flour would I use instead of whole wheat flour or Einkorn flour?

Coconut flour is a tricky one to substitute in since it absorbs so much more. To substitute the einkorn flour I may try… 3-4 tablespoons to start and give it time to absorb before baking.

Frosting questions

Can I use apple sauce instead of apple juice for the cream cheese frosting?

Make sure the apple juice concentrate has NO WATER. So check the ingredients before buying (even if it says 100% juice). 

Where do you find no-sugar-added apple juice concentrate?

I used the frozen apple juice concentrate that comes in a tube – just make sure to look for one that is only apple juice with no added sugar or water.

Are apple juice concentrate and apple juice FROM concentrate the same thing? Will either work?

No, they are not. Apple juice concentrate you purchase frozen in a tube – the only ingredient is apple juice concentrate, no water. Apple juice FROM concentrate has water added into it, so it is diluted and will leave you with runny frosting.

I can’t find apple juice concentrate anywhere! No supermarket near me had it! Any sub?

You could try white grape juice concentrate if you can find that. It would also be in the frozen section.

I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong but it seems too watery, I there something I can do to thicken it up? I followed your directions exactly.

Try putting the frosting in the fridge for 1-2 hours. It should make it less runny as the cream cheese cools, then whip it with a mixer.  Be sure you used apple juice concentrate, not apple juice FROM concentrate.

More frosting questions

I’m definitely having the same issue with soupy icing, any suggestions?

Try using a mixer and keep whipping it and it finally became stiff! You may need to whip it for a good 5 mins or so. 

Can I frost it a night before the event?

Yes! Just keep it in the fridge once frosted.

Can the cake be left out free frosting the night before? Or does it need to be refrigerated?

Yes, the cake can be left out covered on the counter if not frosted.

I was wondering how well does the frosting holds up? Thinking of using this on cupcakes that will be served a few hours later….Is it runny or is it stiff at all?

If you keep it cool before bringing it would it will stay stiff. My cake sat out for a few hours and was just fine.

More frosting questions

Could I use water instead of apple juice?? I’m trying to have my daughter stick to water no juices.

If you use water it wouldn’t sweeten it up at all.  It will also be runnier.

I can not find apple concentrate (or any other frozen fruit concentrates) anywhere near where I live or online in my country. Can you suggest a substitute to concentrate?

The apple juice concentrate is used to sweeten. If you didn’t mind using sugar you could try maple syrup or honey, or use a jam to sweeten it up.

For the frosting, does it taste extremely cream cheesy? Or do the apple juice concentrate and vanilla help cut the flavor?

It tastes like cream cheese flavored with apple juice. You can definitely taste the apple juice flavor.  It’s slightly tart-sweet.

What is another frosting alternative?

Try this healthy cream cheese frosting recipe without butter!

Apple juice concentrate questions

Is the concentrate supposed to be thawed when you measure?

Yes, defrost and thaw it before measuring.

For “apple juice concentrate” do you mean actual apple juice, or do you mean the frozen concentrate before the water has been added?

The frozen concentrate before water is added.

Is apple juice concentrate the frozen juice that you add water to?

Yes.

I am wondering if you have any ideas for a dairy-free frosting that’s still healthy?

Try whipping up the solid coconut milk from canned full-fat coconut milk. You can put the can in the fridge to become more solid, open up the can and remove the coconut water. Scoop the solids into a bowl, whip away and you’ve got dairy-free whip to use!

How long is the frosting good for if kept in the fridge?

I would keep it for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Helpful tools for baking your banana smash cake

• For small first birthday smash cakes, I baked about ⅔ of the batter in 4 mini tart pans. These are the exact ones I use. I use them for making mini quiches all the time too.
• The extra batter turns into cupcakes for the party – I love using silicone muffin liners because less sticking happens which makes clean up a breeze!  Have you baked in silicone before?  Game. Changer.

Use 4 of the 6 mini tart pans to make the perfect size baby cake. If you have them, I highly recommend them! 

If you don’t have the mini tart pans, just use an 8″ or 9″ cake pan and cut the cake smaller if you’d like a smaller size cake.

Thank you for sharing your baby’s enjoying this healthy smash cake recipe!

I have absolutely loved making this no sugar banana smash cake for my kiddos. 

Want to know what else I’ve loved? 

Seeing how much you all love this recipe too! It brings my heart so much joy to see you tag me on Instagram @fitmamarealfood with your beautiful smash cake photos on your little one’s first birthday!

Keep them coming!

If you try this healthy smash cake recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather

*Originally published in June 2013. Updated February 2022*