Paleo First Birthday Smash Cake
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My last three babies have received the most benefit from my healthy dietary changes. They were gluten and garbage food free in the womb, through the duration of nursing, and only very slowly did junk food come into their lives after that. It's always a little sad when that happens. And... it usually happens at Grandma's house... as it should be!
For two of the three, their introduction to the world of sweets came at their first birthday party. Who is going to deny that sweet face a piece of birthday cake and ice cream??
But I just couldn't do it this time. Soon enough, he will be sneaking sugared orange gummy candies out of Grandma's candy jar. But not yet.
So I made him a little cake that I knew would nourish him and wouldn't end up making him feel crummy at his own birthday party. It's paleo, gluten free, and obviously delicious.
The rest of my kids were not as excited about a non-sugar birthday party so I broke down and made our favorite junk food box mix cake for them. We were at Grandma's after all. But I shared the baby's cake with him and we were just as happy as the little sugar fiends hopping all around us.
The Essential Paleo Carrot Cake is not only a healthy treat for the littles but also happens to be MY birthday cake of choice! The frosting recipe is a light and refreshing paleo coconut cream. Or you can just cover your cake in berries like my daughter did for my birthday (below). But if you don't mind some dairy and a sugar splurge, the traditional cream cheese frosting is a great option.
This is my favorite brand of coconut milk because it doesn't have any ingredients other than pure coconut milk and water. Coconut Milk
This recipe makes two 9-inch rounds or 24 cupcakes. To make a little smash cake, bake your cake as directed and cut a smaller cake out of the center (one or two layers... one layer is pictured above). I used a bowl as a guide and cut around with a sharp knife before frosting. Do what you like with the outside edge scraps. I freeze them for an amazing breakfast treat.
