A smash cake is a mini cake made just for your baby. It gets it's name because the birthday child "smashes" their hands in the cake as they eat it. These cakes are usually ordered for first birthdays at home or adorably messy photoshoots. The main difference between a smash cake and a regular cake is the size and ingredients. 

Smash cakes can be any flavour as long as they are small enough for your child to get their hands into them. At Ampersand Bakehouse, we've opted for a cake made with healthier ingredients such as bananas, greek yogurt and maple syrup. It's perfect for celebrating your little one's birthday without adding too much refined sugar. The cake tastes like a cinnamon banana bread, a flavour that both kids and adults love.

At Ampersand Bakehouse, I use a Swiss Meringue Buttercream on all of our cakes and cupcakes. This is a less sweet alternative to traditional American Buttercream. Swiss Meringue Buttercream consists of white sugar, egg whites and butter, giving it a buttery-smooth texture. American Buttercream is made of icing sugar and butter with a more sugar-forward flavour. 

If you are baking the cake yourself, you could use a coconut whipped cream, cream cheese or greek yogurt frosting. Many of these icing options should be added to the cake right before serving so be sure to add that time to your agenda. (Also, remember the chaos that ensues right before getting a child ready for anything, let alone a photo shoot!)

I will caution to stay away from chocolate cake or icing since the point of the cake is for the baby to smash in and cover themselves in dessert. A vanilla icing will look cute while a chocolate icing will look like dirt, or something worse...

Smash cakes can be stored in the refrigerator, but you'll want to take them out the morning of the event so they have time to come to room temperature. Just like butter is hard right out of the fridge, your cake will be too dense right out of the fridge. You'll want to serve it at room temperature so it will be easier for little hands to pull the cake apart for photos.

Test the Location

You’ll also want to practice where they will be eating the cake. If it’s in a high chair, then they're likely already professionals. However, if they will be sitting on the floor for a photo shoot, they might need some practice. Usually when babies are on the floor and put something in their mouths we immediately tell them “no”. Some practice will help them feel comfortable eating in a different environment and be ready for their close up!