My younger daughter turned one recently. Like most caregivers, I am in awe that the year has passed so quickly, but because of COVID quarantining and social distancing, it feels like she has been a part of our family for so long. I have gotten a large amount of quality time with her this past year. She has grown from a nonchalant baby to a boisterous, giggling toddler right before my eyes. She is endlessly curious, and will stop in the middle of her play to run over to where I am sitting on the couch for some snuggles. She loves big, and is a reminder to me that there is no reason not to love big every day. I can’t wait to see how she grows up. I am sure it will take my breath away.

I decided to try my hand at a festive smash cake. If you haven’t heard of smash cakes (have you been under a rock?), it is a smaller, personal-sized cake that one year olds get to eat by themselves at their party, hence the smashing. Usually they end up with frosting coating their body and a smile on their face at their first taste of frosting and cake. It’s a fun tradition. However, I am following the American Heart Associations guideline that children should not consume added sugar until the age of two. 100% no judgement or shame if that’s not your jam. This is simply convenient for me, and if it doesn’t seem to be working in the future, I’ll reassess. The question is, how to make a delicious cake for a one year old that doesn’t contain any sugar?

This cake has a base of oatmeal, with pumpkin, egg, and applesauce adding moisture. It is hearty and flavorful, with a light whipped coconut and cinnamon frosting. The birthday girl just swiped frosting with her finger and licked it off for about twenty minutes. There was very little smashing involved. The cake she ate, she did seem to enjoy. The frosting was just more exciting.

Because my daughter’s birthday is in the fall, and I’ve been on a pumpkin cooking spree lately, I decided to make her smash cake pumpkin spice flavored. The lack of sugar made me want to pump up the flavor a little bit with my homemade pumpkin spice blend and canned pumpkin.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Smash Cake

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons gluten free flour (I used oat) for flouring pans

neutral oil for greasing pans

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla, divided

1/4 cup oat milk

1 Tablespoon ground flax seed

1 1/2 cup oatmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 can coconut milk, refrigerated overnight so that the cream and milk separate

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Oil pans with any neutral oil and flour pans (I used oat flour-made by processing oatmeal in the food processor before the cake batter goes in).
3. Blend eggs, milk, vanilla, and applesauce in food processor.
4. Add flax, oats, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and blend.
5. Pour into three 4 inch pans (batter will be thick) and bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.
6. While cake is baking, scoop out the coconut cream. Blend with the leftover 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Keep in refrigerator until cake has cooled and is ready to be frosted.
7. Once cake is cool, frost cake and serve immediately.