Is smash cake safe for babies?

Yes, especially when made as a naked smash cake with clean, baby-friendly ingredients. Avoid refined sugars, nuts, and artificial dyes. Use ripe bananas, almond flour, Greek yogurt, and soft textures that are easy for babies to mash and eat. Always supervise your baby during the smash.

How long does a cake smash last?

Most cake smash sessions last around 10 to 15 minutes . Babies usually dive in fast or sometimes not at all! A chilled naked smash cake helps hold up longer during photo sessions. Plan for 30 minutes total, including setup and cleanup time.

Are smash cakes 2 or 3 layers?

The most common naked smash cake designs feature 2 or 3 layers . Two layers work well for simpler smashes, while three layers create more height and better photos. Since there’s less frosting, layering shows off that iconic “naked” look.

What is the best cake for cake smash?

A naked smash cake made with natural ingredients like oat flour, almond flour, and banana is ideal. It’s soft, easy to digest, and looks beautiful in photos. Skip artificial frostings—opt for yogurt-based or banana-cream cheese mixes instead.

What makes a good smash cake?

A good naked smash cake should be: Moist and soft enough for tiny hands Made with clean, baby-safe ingredients Easy to frost and stack Small (4–6 inches), with 2–3 layers Lightly decorated with safe toppings like fresh fruit

Should you do cake smash before or after birthday?

You can do a naked smash cake session before the birthday to get professional photos for invites or slideshows. Many parents also do a second cake on the actual birthday for a live experience. It’s common to do both!

Who invented cake smash?

While no one person is credited, the cake smash trend became popular in the early 2000s. It was amplified by photographers and parents on Pinterest and Instagram. The naked smash cake is a modern twist that grew out of this trend with a healthier and more stylish approach.

What size is a smash cake?

A typical naked smash cake is 4 to 6 inches in diameter , perfect for a single baby. It’s tall enough to stack, small enough for little hands, and just the right size to capture in photos without overwhelming your child.

Naked Smash Cake – The Ultimate Guide for Adorable First Birthdays

Description

This super moist and easy to eat healthy naked smash cake is made with whole foods, sneaky veggies and naturally sweetened with banana!

Ingredients

Scale

Wet

2 eggs
1 medium ripe banana
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
2 tbsp melted coconut oil (can also use avocado oil)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Dry

1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup grated carrot

For the banana sweetened yogurt cream cheese frosting

1 cup strained plain greek yogurt
1/2 ripe medium banana
1/2 cup plain cream cheese

Toppings

Natural food dye sprinkles and/or fresh berries

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

To make the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly butter three 4-inch springform mini cake pans.
In a large bowl (or stand mixer), mash the banana and whisk in the eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate small bowl, add in all the dry ingredients (except for the grated carrot) and stir to combine.
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet a little bit at a time, just until there is no raw flour visible and stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl. Make sure not to over mix, and then fold in the grated carrot.
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans.
Transfer the filled cake pans to a large baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer the baked mini cakes to a cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes, or until cool enough to touch. Remove the cake from the spring forms and place it directly on a rack to cool completely before frosting.
Once cooled you can add frosting as desired (see directions below). I added mine to the middle layers and on top with sprinkles for a complete naked cake look. You can cover it completely or style it as a semi-naked cake with scraped sides to expose some cake beneath the frosting.
The finished cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

To make the frosting

In a medium bowl, mash the banana and add in the strained yogurt and cream cheese.
Using a hand immersion blender, blend the mixture until whipped and smooth with no visible banana chunks.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days if preparing ahead of time before baking the cake. You can frost your cake with just strained yogurt if you prefer, but the banana and cream cheese adds a more creamy and naturally sweetened desirable flavour that’s not as sour.

Notes

Caloric value is higher than most think due to coconut milk, almond flour, and cream cheese.
No added sugars, but natural sugars from banana and carrot.
Good fat sources: coconut oil, almond flour, and dairy.
Rich in protein: from eggs, Greek yogurt, and cream cheese.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30
Category: Dessert
Method: N/A
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 698–720 kcal
Sugar: 16 g
Sodium: 310 mg
Fat: 51 g
Saturated Fat: 26 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14–18 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 44 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 23 g
Cholesterol: 210 mg