We recently marked my daughter Harley's first birthday. Seeing her reach this milestone has been the most rewarding experience of my life. She enjoys reading books, listening to music, is nearly walking, still nurses six times daily (occasionally more and still at night), and just recently had her first taste of organic raw green juice (she absolutely loves it!). I have become a mother unlike anything I ever envisioned... Saying I am bonded to her is an understatement. I bring her everywhere, even on work trips, and cannot fathom ever being apart from her.
When planning her first birthday, I ignored the typical advice from parenting books. They recommend keeping the guest list small, decorations minimal, and the event low-key. I went the other direction—oops! I invited every one of her friends, booked one of our go-to organic eateries (Pure Pizza), and covered the venue with her beloved barnyard animals that she enjoys playing with and mimicking sounds for.
The celebration was absolutely lovely. She adored seeing her relatives and friends, and we all had a wonderful time. Harley's absolute favorite were the pig-shaped balloons—she couldn't get enough of them! (Those balloons are still drifting around our living room as I write this, and she wakes up each morning thrilled to play with them.)
For her cake, I chose to create a unique, custom cake using organic ingredients she already enjoys. Since we haven't introduced wheat yet, I used organic oat flour as the base. You can easily make oat flour by grinding any oats in a spice grinder or purchasing it pre-made.
I also debated extensively about whether to use real sugar for the frosting. Rather than obsessively crafting a completely refined-sugar-free icing, I opted for a traditional approach: powdered sugar blended with butter and vanilla to pipe floral decorations. I didn't expect her to consume much of the frosting, but of course, I couldn't foresee what would unfold at the party.
During the party, after we sang 'Happy Birthday' and blew out the candle, Harley's grandmother (my mom!) took the white icing from the cake and fed it directly to her. And, naturally, Harley loved it! Haha. So my daughter tasted refined sugar for the first time on her birthday—something I bet you never imagined would happen! At least it was organic, homemade frosting, right? That reminds me: the Food Babe lifestyle isn't about denial or guilt—it's about savoring the foods you love in the healthiest way possible while leading a normal, fun, and stress-free life.
After I posted the photo below on Facebook and Instagram earlier this week, many of you requested the recipe. So here it is! I hope your kids enjoy it as much as Harley did.
Harley's Wholesome First Birthday Cake
- 1 cup oat flour
- ½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ripe banana
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or less
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- butter and oat flour for the pan
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar
- Set the oven to 350°F.
- Grease your pan with butter and dust it with oat flour. (I used a special tiered mini cake pan.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt) and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, blend the banana, applesauce, coconut milk, egg, vanilla, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Transfer the batter into the cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing it, then cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, cream together all frosting ingredients until smooth.
Whenever possible, opt for organic ingredients.
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I used a tiered mini cake pan to shape her cake. Harley enjoys feeding me—even on her own birthday!
If you know a parent searching for a healthier cake option for their child, please pass along this recipe! It works wonderfully for adults as well. I personally enjoyed sharing this cake with Harley and intend to make it again for my own upcoming birthday.
Xo,
Vani
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