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    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake (Healthy & Refined Sugar Free!)

    14/02/2020 by thebakingexplorer 117 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This recipe for Baby's 1st Birthday Cake is free from refined sugar, and the sponge is sweetened only with fruit. The cream cheese frosting is sweetened with agave nectar, which is a natural sweetener from the agave plant. It's very much like a banana bread, and at my son's first birthday party both the kids and adults loved it! So it's officially a kid approved healthy cake!

    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    When my little boy turned one I decided I wanted to make a healthy first birthday cake for him. He's not eaten any refined sugar since I started weaning him, and although of course he will have sugar eventually, I want to wait till he's a bit older. He's already an absolute fiend for fruit, so I feel like he's inherited my sweet tooth and will go nuts when he tries sugar!

    How to make Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    Make the date puree first by soaking the dates in boiling water for 15 minutes, then blending them with a stick blender. In a mixing bowl, add the self raising flour, plain wholemeal flour, baking powder and cinnamon.

    In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs and milk. To the flour mixture, add mashed bananas, the date puree and the oil/egg mixture.

    Then add the grated apple, and divide the mixture between the tins.

    Bake the 8" cakes for 40-45 minutes, then do the same for the 6" mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes.

    To make the frosting, mix together the butter and cream cheese, then mix in the vanilla extract and agave nectar. Level off the cakes with a cake leveller or a knife before you stack them.

    Spread the frosting onto the first layer of cake, then add the second layer and cover the whole cake in frosting. As you are stacking another cake on top, add dowels for support so the cake doesn't collapse.

    Also use a cake board underneath the 6" tier for extra support. Add the 6" tier and cover it in the cream cheese frosting. To decorate the Baby's 1st Birthday Cake, placed berries all around the cake, and a 'one' sign of course!

    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    Can this cake be made as one tier?

    Yes! Check the recipe card at the end of the post, I've separated the ingredients for the 8" and 6" tier so you can easily make only one of them.

    Can this cake be made gluten free?

    I've not made this cake gluten free, but I'm sure it'd work well with a gluten free flour blend. You may need to add a little bit of extra moisture as gluten free flour can be drier, but this is a very moist cake anyway.

    Can this cake be made vegan?

    You can replace the eggs for chia or flax eggs if you need the cake to be egg free, and also use a plant milk to make it vegan.

    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    More tips for making Baby's 1st Birthday Cake:

    • This cake can be frozen without the frosting for up to 3 months. Wrap it up well to prevent freezer burn.
    • I grated the apple to add it to the cake, you can also dice it if you prefer. I used pink lady apple as it's sweeter, but you can use any apple you like.
    • If you are making this into a two tier cake like I did, you'll need to insert dowels into the bottom tier, and use a cake board between the two tiers. This is essential for maintaining the structure of the cake and will stop it from collapsing.
    • I used agave nectar to sweeten the frosting, but you could also use maple syrup. Please do not use honey if your baby will eat this cake before they are over 1 year old, or if there will be any younger babies eating it. This is because honey should not be given to babies under the age of one, as it can cause serious illness.
    • I used a mixture of self raising and wholemeal flour, if you want to use all self raising then omit the baking powder. It isn't recommended that babies have too many whole grains, so I wouldn't recommended making this cake with all wholemeal flour.
    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    Troubleshooting

    If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients*

    • 8" cake tins
    • 6" cake tins
    • Cooling rack
    • Dowels
    • Round cake tin liners
    • Agave nectar
    • 6" Cake board
    • One Cake Topper
    • Freeze dried raspberries

    *I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    More refined sugar free/healthier recipes...

    • Healthy Cheesecake Pots
    • Vegan Banoffee Pie
    • Sweet Potato Brownies - dairy free and refined sugar free
    • Chocolate Courgette Loaf Cake
    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    Baby's 1st Birthday Cake

    A sugar free cake sweetened with fruit, covered in cream cheese frosting sweetened with agave nectar. Decorate with berries
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: Cake
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 20
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    For the 6" cake

    • 85 g Dates dried
    • 75 ml Boiling water
    • 80 ml Vegetable oil
    • 2 Eggs large
    • 2 Bananas mashed
    • 1 Apple grated
    • 85 ml Milk
    • 1 tsp Cinnamon
    • 185 g Self raising flour
    • 115 g Plain wholemeal flour
    • ½ tsp Baking powder

    For the 8" cake

    • 150 g Dates dried
    • 130 ml Boiling water
    • 140 ml Vegetable oil
    • 4 Eggs large
    • 4 Bananas mashed
    • 2 Apples grated
    • 150 ml Milk
    • 2 tsp Cinnamon
    • 330 g Self raising flour
    • 200 g Plain wholemeal flour
    • 1 tsp Baking powder

    For the frosting

    • 400 g Full fat cream cheese
    • 200 g Butter
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 4 tbsp Agave nectar or maple syrup

    For decoration

    • Berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries) optional
    • Freeze dried raspberries optional
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • You can make either the 8" or 6" cake first, the instructions are the same for both, or make both cakes at the same time if you have enough oven space!
    • Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line two 8" cake tins, and two 6" cake tins (that are at least 2" deep)
    • Place the dates and boiling water into a bowl and leave them to soak for 15 minutes
    • Puree the dates and water together using a stick blender or food processor
    • In a large mixing bowl, weigh out the self raising flour, wholemeal flour, baking powder and cinnamon
    • In a second mixing bowl, mash up the bananas then add the eggs, vegetable oil and milk. Whisk everything together
    • Pour the banana/egg mixture into the bowl of flour, along with the date puree, and mix until combined
    • Stir in the grated apple
    • Divide the mixture between the tins, using scales for accuracy
    • Bake the 8" cake for 40-45 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Bake the 6" cake for 25-30 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool fully
    • To make the cream cheese frosting mix together the butter and cream cheese until combined, then stir in the vanilla and agave nectar
    • Use a cake leveller or a knife to level off the cake if they have domed at all, or the top of them is not flat
    • Place the bottom 8" cake layer onto a cake board, plate or cake stand
    • Spread cream cheese frosting over the cake, then add the second 8" layer and cover the whole cake with the frosting
    • Insert dowels into the cake (only necessary if you are adding a second 6" tier)
    • Place the bottom layer of the 6" cake onto a cake board and spread with frosting, then add the top layer. Place the whole 6" cake on top of the 8" cake
    • Cover the entire 6" cake in cream cheese frosting, making sure to cover the join between the tiers
    • Add berries of your choice. Please note that cut berries will run their juice into the frosting so don't cut the berries in half if you're not ready to serve the cake yet
    • Chill in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up the frosting before serving
    • Store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 3 days
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 646IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Cake recipes!

    « Red Velvet Traybake
    Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Louise Fairweather

      February 15, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      This looks great. I have recently cut out sugar from my diet in order to lose some weight and when I get back to normal I am certainly going to ditch refined sugar. #cookblogshare

      Reply
      • Georgia

        April 15, 2021 at 11:39 am

        Is this cake good for a cake smash?

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          April 15, 2021 at 4:09 pm

          Hi Georgia, yes I don't see why not, I think it would be great! Let me how it goes 🙂

          Reply
    2. Monika Dabrowski

      February 16, 2020 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      This is officially my favourite healthy birthday cake ever, and happy 1st birthday to your little boy:)

      Reply
      • Mel

        May 21, 2021 at 7:33 pm

        5 stars
        I am a complete beginner at baking - i have made maybe 3 very basic sponge cakes in my life. I had to Google about cake dowels as had never heard of them! I wanted to try this for my daughter's birthday as don't want to give her sugar plus i fancied the challenge. I am delighted to say it came out amazingly! I followed the recipe to the T. It helped to also cross reference the recipe with your detailed instructions and photos. Thank you for such clear instructions and a delicious recipe!

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          May 21, 2021 at 11:09 pm

          I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and the instructions were helpful! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such wonderful feedback - I appreciate it so much!!

          Reply
          • Rugina

            December 30, 2021 at 8:41 pm

            I’m going to attempt this recipe on Jan 1st for my sons first birthday the next day. A bit nervous as we have guests! I couldn’t source any wholemeal flour, can I use plain flour instead and what at what ratio? Is it possible to make a complete substitute?

            Reply
            • thebakingexplorer

              December 31, 2021 at 11:33 am

              Hi Rugina, yes you can swap the plain wholemeal flour for plain flour. I hope you all enjoy the cake!

          • Gabby

            April 07, 2022 at 1:46 pm

            This looks delicious! Could it be baked as cupcakes rather and a single large cake? X

            Reply
            • thebakingexplorer

              April 07, 2022 at 9:53 pm

              Hi Gabby, thank you! A few other readers have baked them as cupcakes/muffins and had success, I've not tried it myself though.

      • Martina

        February 23, 2022 at 3:23 pm

        Hi,
        Can I just check are the ingredients for the 8 inch cake for one or two cakes?

        Thank you
        Martina

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          February 23, 2022 at 8:37 pm

          Hi Martina, they are for one cake made up of two layers, as pictured. Let me know if you make the cake!

          Reply
    3. Michelle - Lost in Food

      February 17, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      I bet he was one happy one year old with an amazing cake! Happy Birthday to your little one and thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle

      Reply
      • Elisabeth

        September 14, 2021 at 7:34 pm

        Hi! I have just baked this cake and I cannot wait to try it!! I'm not sure if we will eat a third of it and will keep it in the fridge. I'm wondering if I can freeze some of it.

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          September 14, 2021 at 8:53 pm

          Hi Elisabeth, yes you can freeze the undecorated cake, I hope you enjoy it!

          Reply
    4. Cat | Curly's Cooking

      February 17, 2020 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      This looks amazing and even better that it is healthy. I hope he and you had a lovely day 🙂

      Reply
    5. Antonia @Zoale

      February 20, 2020 at 2:54 pm

      Happy Birthday to your little one! What a great idea and it looks beautiful! Thank you for sharing your special and gorgeous cake at Fiesta Friday this week!

      Reply
    6. Angie | Fiesta Friday

      February 21, 2020 at 2:40 am

      5 stars
      That's the BEST 1st birthday cake! Ever!

      Reply
    7. mohan kumar

      February 25, 2020 at 8:15 am

      This look so fresh and delecious.So easy to make and so delicious too

      Reply
    8. Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist

      February 28, 2020 at 11:23 am

      Happy birthday to your little boy. So exciting! And a beautiful cake to celebrate.
      We didn't give Miss GF any sugar before her 1st birthday and then she had a chocolate cake... Slippery slope from then on. Wait as long as you can.
      On the up side... we managed to avoid McDonalds for about 5 years. xx

      Reply
    9. JK

      April 30, 2020 at 10:24 pm

      Looks great, I am planning on making this for my boy’s first birthday next week. Are the ingredient quantities for the 8 inch cake just for the one layer or I need to double the amounts in order to get the two 8inch layers on the bottom? Thank you!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        May 01, 2020 at 9:13 am

        Hi JK, all of the ingredient quantities are so you can make the cake exactly as it is pictured, so two layers on bottom and two on top. I hope that helps and please do tag me on social media when you make it!

        Reply
        • JK

          May 02, 2020 at 5:58 pm

          Thank you! I will tag you for sure. I am planning on using buttercream icing as would like to do some piping decorating. All a first time for me but fingers crossed my boy is not disappointed!

          Reply
    10. Nathalie

      May 23, 2020 at 5:37 pm

      Hi,
      I’m going to make this for my sons first birthday in June! Did you use unsalted butter for the cream cheese frosting?
      Thanks x

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        May 23, 2020 at 11:21 pm

        Hi Nathalie, yes it was unsalted butter. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
      • Eda

        August 05, 2021 at 10:42 pm

        I want to make this cake now but i dont have apple. Can i still make cake without grated apple?

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          August 05, 2021 at 11:32 pm

          Hi Eda, I've never made the cake without apple so in theory yes you could make it without apple but I don't know what the result would be. You could try a similar fruit if you have it like pear. Let me know how it goes!

          Reply
    11. Han

      June 05, 2020 at 3:04 pm

      Hi planning on making this for my LG’s first birthday this month lol! Can I check is the quantity for dried dates? Thanks!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 05, 2020 at 3:32 pm

        Hi Han, yes they are dried, I've updated that now to make it clear 🙂

        Reply
        • Han

          June 17, 2020 at 10:32 pm

          Thanks! Me again though, tried it out as a 6” and it came out quite dense (delicious though!), any tips on how to make the sponge lighter? Thanks!

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            June 18, 2020 at 2:11 pm

            Hi Han, this cake is quite dense so that's how it's meant to be. You could try adding some bicarbonate of soda, but I've never done this so I can't say for sure what the result would be.

            Reply
        • Jennifer Mcelheron

          January 28, 2022 at 8:30 pm

          Hi I am in the middle of making this lovely cake but not sure if cooked it has Been in oven for 40 mins at 160 but still sticky looking when I check it with a knife.any ideas?kindest regards

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            January 28, 2022 at 9:31 pm

            Hi Jennifer, the 8" layer takes 40-45 minutes in my oven, but all ovens are different. You'll know it's done when a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. I hope that helps!

            Reply
            • Hale

              March 07, 2022 at 7:35 pm

              I also tried this recipe over the weekend. Skew comes out clean, but the cake is very dense and feels raw. I chopped the top off to level it out and if those bits are that raw cant imagine how it will be in the middle 🙁 i froze it for next weekend(without the creamcheese topping). Hope it turns out ok.

            • thebakingexplorer

              March 07, 2022 at 8:01 pm

              Hi Hale, this cake is a more denser cake that your typical sponge cake (like a victoria sponge for example), but it should not be raw. Can I double check if you changed any of the ingredients, or any other element of the recipe?

    12. April

      June 11, 2020 at 10:28 pm

      Hi, I'm going to make this for my daughter 1st birthday in 2 weeks, however she can't eat Bananas. Any suggestions on what I could use instead?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 12, 2020 at 9:09 am

        Hi April, I've not made this cake without bananas, but there are several common replacements you can try. You can try substituting the bananas with mashed apples, mashed pears, mashed avocado or grated courgette (bear in mind for the avo and courgette it won't be as sweet). Let me know how you get on!

        Reply
    13. Denise

      July 03, 2020 at 12:09 pm

      Hello, I am really looking forward to making this cake for my daughter next week. Do you think I could substitute vegetable oil for coconut oil?

      Many thanks,
      Denise

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        July 03, 2020 at 8:23 pm

        Hi Denise, yes definitely! Just melt the coconut oil down but let it cool a bit before adding to the mix 🙂

        Reply
        • Denise Burke

          July 06, 2020 at 1:26 pm

          Thank you so much for replying and sharing this recipe. I can't wait to make this week. If I do a worthy job, I will give you a tag on social media = )

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            July 06, 2020 at 11:20 pm

            Hi Denise, I can't wait to see it, I'm sure it will look lovely!

            Reply
    14. Phe

      July 21, 2020 at 4:34 pm

      Hiya
      Looks like such a great cake! I can’t get dried dates can I swap it for anything else? X

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        July 22, 2020 at 12:21 am

        You could try another dried fruit like raisins, apricots or cranberries. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    15. Ruth Holland

      August 01, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      Will the cake still be as delicious if I frost it the night before and keep it in the fridge overnight? Thanks

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        August 01, 2020 at 10:32 pm

        Hi Ruth, yes, I actually did this exact thing as I made it for my son's birthday party and I kept it in the fridge overnight. Everyone at the party raved about it! 🙂

        Reply
    16. Shani

      September 08, 2020 at 9:57 pm

      Hi,
      This recipe looks great, thank you! Is it okay if I make it in the morning, the day before Bub’s birthday? It’ll be in the fridge for about 30 hours. How long does the cake keep for?
      Lastly, we are really trying to avoid giving Bub anything like maple syrup. Can I remove the vanilla extract and syrup from the frosting? I know it won’t taste as nice but I want Bub to have some. Is there anything I can substitute? Like strawberries?

      Many thanks.

      Cheers, Shani

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 09, 2020 at 1:15 pm

        Hi Shani, yes it will be fine in the fridge until the next day. I did the same thing and made it the day before my son's party. Vanilla extract doesn't contain any sugars, and it is nice to add in for extra flavour, however you can of course omit it if you like. The cream cheese frosting really isn't tasty without any kind of sweetener. You could try using fruit juice (I've heard pineapple juice is good) but don't add too much as it could make the frosting sloppy. You could reduce the juice first to avoid this. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    17. Sara

      September 16, 2020 at 12:58 pm

      Hi, can I use whipping cream in place of cream cheese?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 16, 2020 at 3:29 pm

        Hi Sara, yes you can cover the cake in whipped cream if you prefer. I have never done this myself though so I'm not sure what the quantities would be.

        Reply
    18. Kirat

      September 17, 2020 at 8:40 am

      Hi, this cake looks great! Can you use regular dates instead of dried? And will you need a different amount?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 17, 2020 at 4:49 pm

        Hi, thank you! I've not made this recipe with fresh dates, only with dried. They provide sweetness so I would suggest using the same amount, and you will not need to soak them so you can omit the boiling water.

        Reply
    19. Sarah

      September 25, 2020 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      It was my sons first birthday recently and I made a promise to my self that I would always make him his birthday cakes.
      I have never made a cake before so when I googled 1st birthday cake this one popped up.
      I'm really pleased with it. We particularly liked the frosting. In fact I might just make a bowl of that on its own and eat it!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 25, 2020 at 10:34 pm

        I'm so happy to hear this Sarah! I think I might join you in enjoying a bowl of the frosting haha! 😀

        Reply
    20. Jacinth

      September 28, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      What cake do you call this?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 28, 2020 at 6:04 pm

        I would call it a healthy banana, apple and date cake if you're not making it for a baby/small child 🙂

        Reply
    21. Bee

      October 19, 2020 at 10:21 pm

      Hi this sounds wonderful for our little girl's first birthday, thank you for posting! Wee question though, would the recipe work for cupcakes?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        October 20, 2020 at 9:10 pm

        Hi Bee, I haven't tested this recipe as cupcakes, however I don't see why it wouldn't work. I would suggest testing a small batch first before the big day! 🙂

        Reply
        • Bee

          October 21, 2020 at 10:56 pm

          Sure thing thank you, will report back - although in my case the story could involve some crispy black bits 🙂

          Reply
    22. Bee

      October 19, 2020 at 10:29 pm

      P.S. I know literally nothing about baking 🙂

      Reply
    23. Mag

      November 22, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, I just tried to make this cake as a practise before my sons birthday, but I am wondering if I chose the right cream cheese, as it came out a bit salty? I mean you can taste the saltinnes in the icing. Does it supposed to be like that? Or is there some kind of brands of cream cheese that have zero salt?? I used philadelphia soft cheese. Don't judge if this isn't the best one, as there was no more options, and I am begginer. Waiting for your reply, thanks. And it is delicious by the way

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        November 22, 2020 at 9:09 pm

        Hi Mag, I've never known of a cream cheese being salty, they are usually quite bland. I use Philadelphia too and it's never been salty. Have you checked the label on the cream cheese? Does it say it contains much salt? I'm glad you found the cake delicious! 🙂

        Reply
    24. Caitlin M

      December 14, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      Hi - This looks lovely! Do you think it would work well as a cupcake recipe?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 14, 2020 at 2:16 pm

        Hi, thank you! I've never tried it as cupcakes, but I don't see why not. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
        • Caitlin M

          December 15, 2020 at 4:58 pm

          Hi! Just wanted to let you know that the cupcakes turned out alright!! They baked in about 13 mins (my oven) but they are still soft and perfect. Thank you so much for this recipe! I feel incredibly comfortable giving this to my soon to be 1 year old!

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            January 02, 2021 at 9:52 pm

            Hi Caitlin, thank you so much for letting me know! I'm so pleased to hear this!

            Reply
          • Anna-Cajsa Johansson

            August 18, 2021 at 9:09 am

            Hi! How many cupcakes did the recipe make please? Did you do just part of it (ie either 8 or 6 inch part?) Thank you!!

            Reply
    25. Hannah

      January 01, 2021 at 10:15 pm

      Hi, this looks amazing and just what I'm hoping to create for my little boy's first birthday next weekend! Just wondering whether you think grated carrot could work in the recipe instead of grated apple, to make it a bit like a carrot cake? Carrot seems to be his favourite food so thought this might be fun, but perhaps it wouldn't be sweet enough? Thanks in advance!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        January 02, 2021 at 9:40 pm

        Hi Hannah, thank you! I'm so glad you're planning to make this cake! Yes I think carrot would work well. It is on the sweet side as far as vegetables go, and there should be plenty of sweetness from the dates and bananas. Please do let me know how it goes!

        Reply
        • Mina

          January 24, 2021 at 2:37 pm

          Hello, I am planning on making this for my little ones 2nd birthday. Can I substitute the full fat cream cheese to fat free cream cheese? Also, for frozen raspberries, do you buy them, wash and freeze them? Can’t wait to try this one. This will be my first cake baking experience

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            January 24, 2021 at 2:58 pm

            Hi Mina, you can use fat free cream cheese but I've never done this, it could be less thick and more runny. There aren't any frozen raspberries in this recipe, if you wanted to decorate it with frozen raspberries you could, but I would recommend putting them on right before serving so they don't defrost and run their juices all down the cake. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂

            Reply
    26. Rakel

      February 16, 2021 at 9:14 pm

      I tried this today and it was a complete fail 😩 don’t know what I did wrong!? It looked so good and tbh tasted good but it didn’t cook enough inside and was too cooked outside (brown) 🙁 any advise? X

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 16, 2021 at 10:01 pm

        Hi Rakel, I'm sorry this happened but I'm glad it tasted good! This cake is not like a normal light and fluffy sponge cake, it does have a more dense texture (like banana bread) and is very moist, so sometimes this can be confused for it not being baked. I am going to update the post as soon as possible with a photo of the cake sliced so you can see what it should look like. I didn't do this at the time because I made the cake for my son's birthday, and I didn't decorate the tester cakes. I hope that helps explain it!

        Reply
        • Rakel

          February 17, 2021 at 11:01 am

          Thank you soo much for your answer!!! Yes it did have a texture of a banana cake but still was too soft like uncooked. I will give it another go! Maybe the apple was too big as well and made it more watery?? And the eggs I used weren’t large one! In that case should I use 3?? I’m always confused when it comes to use eggs!

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            February 17, 2021 at 5:22 pm

            Of course, I'm happy to help if I can! I don't think the apple would've made a huge difference - I used a normal sized eating apple, so unless you used a really massive one? You should be fine using the same amount of medium eggs, again eggs won't make a huge difference. Of course it is always best to stick to the egg size recommended in the recipe for the best results. I hope that helps 🙂

            Reply
      • Jennifer

        September 07, 2021 at 12:42 pm

        Oh my, this looks incredible! I can't wait to try this for my son's 1st birthday next month. Will have a trial run making either cupcakes or a loafcake with the 6" recipe. I was going to use self-raising wholemeal flour also and omit the baking powder, do you think that would work? Thanks!

        Reply
        • thebakingexplorer

          September 07, 2021 at 1:38 pm

          Hi Jennifer, thank you! Yes that will work, let me know how it goes!

          Reply
    27. Theresa

      February 19, 2021 at 6:49 am

      This looks like the yummiest healthy baby cake recipe I've seen! Can I use applesauce instead grated apple?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 19, 2021 at 7:58 am

        Hi Theresa, thank you! I've not tried this but yes I think it would be fine to do, let me know how you get on!

        Reply
    28. Nell

      March 06, 2021 at 7:40 am

      Is it safe to give one year olds maple syrup?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        March 06, 2021 at 8:27 am

        Hi Nell, I've never read anything that suggests it is unsafe and my son ate it when he was one with no ill effects, but please do your own research as I am not a nutritionist, dietician or doctor. I know that honey is not safe for children under one year old. You can find more info on foods to avoid giving to babies and young children here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/foods-to-avoid-giving-babies-and-young-children/

        Reply
    29. Rianna

      March 20, 2021 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      This was my son's first try of cake and he loved it! The recipe was super easy. The cake and the icing were delicious. I highly recommend this as a first birthday cake!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        March 21, 2021 at 9:08 pm

        Thank you so much for the lovely feedback Rianna!

        Reply
    30. LJ

      April 11, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      Hi, I hope to make this for my daughter’s first birthday next weekend. If I just did the 8” cake, how much frosting would I need for just that part?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        April 11, 2021 at 6:16 pm

        Hi LJ, two thirds of the frosting will be enough. So 265g cream cheese, 135g butter, 2 1/2 tbsp agave nectar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Ash

          September 16, 2021 at 12:29 pm

          Hi I was just wondering if you had any suggestions on how I could make this gluten free? Would you just substitute with gluten free self raising flour?

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            September 16, 2021 at 5:07 pm

            Hi Ash, yes absoutely just replace it with a gluten free self raising flour blend, I hope you enjoy the cake!

            Reply
    31. CL

      May 26, 2021 at 9:23 am

      Hi, I would like to make 4 inch size for this cake. How much ingredient would I need? And hopefully to know is there any substitute for dried dates?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        May 26, 2021 at 4:28 pm

        Hi CL, you can work out the conversion to a 4 inch cake using my conversion guide here: https://thebakingexplorer.com/ingredients-conversions/ Instead of dates you could use another dried fruit like raisins, sultanas, cranberries, apricots etc. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    32. FC

      June 28, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      This cake looks amazing and I want to make this for my bubs! He does have a bit of a sensitivity to eggs though...would you be able to recommend an egg substitute I might be able to use for this recipe? I'm planning to just make a simple 6inch cake for him...

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 28, 2021 at 10:02 pm

        Hi FC, I've never made it without eggs but there are a few options like flax seed or chia seed "eggs", or adding additional milk and then cider vinegar and bicarbonate of soda - they react together creating air in the batter.

        Reply
        • Felicia Cheong

          July 02, 2021 at 2:14 am

          Thanks a million for the advice! What quantities would you suggest for milk, bicarb soda and vinegar for just a 6inch portion of the cake?

          Reply
          • thebakingexplorer

            July 02, 2021 at 8:26 am

            Hi Felicia, if I was going to make it without eggs I would try 1 tsp cider/white vinegar, 1 tsp bicarb and 120ml milk. But please be aware I have not tested this, so I don't know what the results will be. This is just my educated guess on how I would do it.

            Reply
    33. Bianca

      June 29, 2021 at 2:29 pm

      Hi am I supposed to make 4 cakes or 2 and just cut them in half I'm just not understanding it ?
      I'm going to make a trial run because iv never baked before and I want it to be perfect any help appreciated.. hope someone can help ..
      Thank you

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        June 29, 2021 at 9:01 pm

        Hi Bianca, if you want to make the same size cake as I have, then you'll need one 8" cake baked in two layers, and one 6" cake again baked in two layers. I would not advise making them as one layer each and cutting them in half as they will not bake all the way through properly. Let me know if that makes sense (or not) 🙂

        Reply
    34. Helen Gray

      September 07, 2021 at 11:14 am

      5 stars
      Excited to give this a try for my sons second birthday. I was wondering how long it would keep? It's his birthday on the Thursday and party on the Saturday so wondering if I made 2 (one for Thursday and one for Sat) on the Wednesday, whether it would keep or not? Or should I make and freeze one for the Saturday?

      Thanks,
      Helen

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        September 07, 2021 at 1:36 pm

        Hi Helen, I would recommend freezing the one for Saturday, I hope your son has a wonderful birthday!

        Reply
    35. Jungsies

      November 29, 2021 at 10:55 pm

      Hi! I am doing a blueberry theme for my daughter's first birthday. Do you think it would work to add some fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter? Or would the liquid from the fruit mess up the batter? Thoughts/suggestions for how to incorporate more blueberries into the recipe?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        November 29, 2021 at 11:47 pm

        Hi! I'm not sure if blueberries would affect the batter as I've never tried it before. If you want to add more blueberries to the cake, you could make a blueberry jam/compote and fill the cake with it. And of course decorate it with lots of them! Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    36. Charlie Cave

      December 01, 2021 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      Ooooh this looks scummy and perfect for my sugar free babies first birthday!! Her party is on Sunday, but her actual birthday is the Saturday and I don't want to be panic baking on her actual birthday. When do you recommend baking the cake? I plan to ice it on the morning of the party. Thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        December 01, 2021 at 11:01 pm

        Hi Charlie, I'm so glad you're planning to make this cake! You can make it on Friday, let it cool fully and store in airtight containers until you're ready to decorate on the Sunday. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    37. Charlie Cave

      December 02, 2021 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      Amazing. Thank you for your reply. That takes a bit of pressure off Saturday night!! Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.

      Reply
    38. Amalia

      January 09, 2022 at 2:32 pm

      Hello,
      Can I make the frosting a bit in advance? Like the day before?

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        January 09, 2022 at 8:50 pm

        Hi Amalia, yes I don't see why not, make sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge if you do. Let me know how the cake turns out!

        Reply
    39. Amalia

      January 16, 2022 at 9:54 pm

      5 stars
      Hello,
      I made the cake for a friend's son! They loved it!
      I loved the frosting. I am gonna be using it for my regular cakes for sure! thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        January 16, 2022 at 11:03 pm

        Thank you Amalia - this makes me so happy to hear! 😀

        Reply
    40. Lenka

      January 31, 2022 at 10:55 am

      I am going to make this for my son 1st bday. Grandad does not eat apple. What can I replace the apple with? would butternut squash work or carrot?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        January 31, 2022 at 12:16 pm

        Hi Lenka, yes or perhaps pear? It's mainly for sweetness and a bit of moisture too. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    41. Rebecca

      February 04, 2022 at 7:32 pm

      This looks great I can't wait to try it! Have you tried making the recipe into cupcakes instead? Does it work, any reccomendations?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        February 04, 2022 at 11:24 pm

        Hi Rebecca, I haven't, but another reader did try it and she said they turned out perfect! It's further up in the comments if you have a browse 😀

        Reply
    42. Laura Gee

      March 26, 2022 at 11:07 am

      Hi! Can't wait to try this for my daughter's 1st birthday! I'm a baking beginner, but I'm thinking about making a number cake by baking a slab and then cutting out a number 1 and then icing. Do you think substituting the round tins for square or rectangle/slab tins would work? I would probably use the 8" quantity? Thanks heaps!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        March 26, 2022 at 4:43 pm

        Hi Laura, I've not tried making it in a rectangular tin but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I would recommend using 3/4 of the 8" mix, I think all of it would be too much for a 12" x 9" tin. Please let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    43. Will

      April 09, 2022 at 9:09 pm

      Made this for our daughters birthday and the cake took around 1.5 hours and the resulting cake was extremely dense and claggy, almost like raw dough.

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        April 11, 2022 at 10:24 pm

        Hi Will, I'm so sorry to hear this! This cake is not like a normal light and fluffy sponge cake, it does have a more dense texture (like banana bread) and is very moist, so sometimes this can be confused for it not being baked. Can I double check if you changed anything about the recipe at all? As this would've changed the final result too.

        Reply
    44. Jade

      April 24, 2022 at 9:15 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for my Son’s first birthday! Was very easy and really yummy!
      He loved it!

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        April 25, 2022 at 5:06 pm

        I'm so happy he loved it Jade, thanks so much for the lovely feedback!

        Reply
    45. Caroline

      May 25, 2022 at 6:45 pm

      Hi, I really want to make a healthy cake for my son's first birthday and this recipe looks great, but one of the guests is allergic to bananas. Is it possible to make it with an alternative to bananas?

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        May 25, 2022 at 8:12 pm

        Hi Caroline, unfortunately I've never made it without bananas, I would not recommend substituting them in this recipe as they are quite a main part of the cake. Sorry about that! Maybe you can make the allergic guest something else like cupcakes?

        Reply

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