First birthdays are so fun and bittersweet to celebrate, and this Healthy Apple Cake is one of my very favorite birthday cakes for kids. It’s SO easy to make, can be made ahead, and has a tangy yogurt frosting. Plus, it’s great for other celebrations, too!

Healthy Apple Cake

When it came time to make a birthday cake for my third kiddo, I wanted something easy so I could enjoy the day with him and also yummy of course. This Healthy Apple Cake fits both of those goals—you can make the cake the day before if you want and it simply stirs together in a bowl.

It’s sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce, so it’s less sweet than traditional cakes but still super moist and flavorful. It also has fresh apple for extra flavor and a delicious cream cheese frosting.

You can make it a full day ahead of time and it’s delicious to serve to a crowd of all ages or to use as a smash cake for baby.

Healthy Smash Cake

This baby cake can work as a smash cake for a baby’s first birthday—which is where you essentially give the cake to baby by placing the whole thing right in front of them and letting them smash and eat it however they like! Or it can be a cake to share with the rest of the family.

I made sure it tastes delicious to adults too, so you can serve it either way.

Ingredients You Need

The ingredients in this cake are very straight forward pantry staples, so you should be able to find everything in a regular grocery store.

• Eggs: Eggs help the batter to be light and tender, and hold together nicely.
• Melted butter or coconut oil (slightly cooled): Use either one according to your preference. They work very similarly in this recipe.
• Unsweetened applesauce: Applesauce, either homemade or from the store, provides sweetness and moisture in this apple cake.
• Maple syrup: A little maple syrup adds flavor and sweetness. You can also use honey for kids over age 1 if you prefer.
• Pure vanilla extract
• Fresh apple: Use any apple you like for this recipe such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Pink Lady.
• Whole-wheat flour: I use whole wheat flour here for the nutty flavor and since it holds up nicely with the moisture from the applesauce and fresh apple.
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder and baking soda: A combination of these help ensure that the cake bakes through and rises nicely.

TIP: To make this cake dairy-free, use coconut oil instead of butter. To make it gluten-free, use cup for cup gluten-free flour blend. To make it vegan, omit the egg and increase the applesauce. See the NOTES at the bottom of the recipe for the full details.

How to Prepare Cake Pans for Baking

I prefer to grease cake pans with nonstick spray, then line with a round of parchment paper to ensure that the baked cakes come out of the pans easily. Be sure to grease the sides of the pans, too.

To make the parchment rounds, place the pan on top of parchment paper. Trace with a marker, then cut out inside of the lines. That should then fit inside of your pan easily.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To make this cake, you’ll need to follow a super simple process of just stirring the ingredients together and prepping the pans. Here’s a look of what to expect and scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.

1. Finely dice your apple. Place the dry ingredients into a bowl. The wet into another bowl.
2. Gently stir all ingredients together.
3. Prepare your pans with nonstick spray and rounds of parchment paper. Divide the batter between the two pans.
4. Bake, then let cool for a few minutes, and transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

TIP: This recipe is baked in two 6-inch pans so it’s a nicely sized cake for a baby or toddler, but it still feeds about 8.

Easy Greek Yogurt Frosting

This frosting requires only three ingredients and is very easy to make. You do need to make it ahead of time so it has time to thicken, so plan to get it ready the night before you plan to serve the cake.

1. Gather your ingredients.
2. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Line with cheesecloth or two layers of paper towels.
3. Place the yogurt on top of the paper towels in the strainer.
4. Store overnight in the fridge. Liquid will come out of the yogurt making it thicker.
5. Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla.
6. Frost the cake!

TIP: If you want to frost the sides of the cake, you’ll want to double the frosting recipe.

How to Store

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can also make the cake a day ahead of time if that’s helpful for your schedule. Let the cakes cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost before serving if possible.

Best Tips for Success

• Dice the apple finely to about the same size. You don’t have to peel it.
• Use coconut oil instead of butter to make this cake dairy-free. You’ll also want to use nondairy Greek yogurt.
• Double the frosting recipe if you want to frost the sides of the cake too.
• Add natural sprinkles or natural food coloring as desired.
• Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I’d love to hear what you think of this cake if you try it, so please comment below to share!

To make the cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Trace the pans onto parchment paper and cut out. Place parchment into the cake pans, trimming as needed to fit. Coat again with nonstick spray.

• Stir together the eggs, butter, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla, and diced apple. Gently fold in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

• Divide batter between the two pans. (I put 1 cup into each, then divide the rest evenly by eye.) Spread the batter evenly in the pan with a spatula.

• Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden brown around the edges, firm to the touch, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out evenly. Let cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then invert to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the frosting:

• Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Line strainer with cheesecloth or two layers of paper towels. Place the yogurt on top of the paper towels on top of the cheesecloth or paper towels in the strainer. Cover and store overnight in the fridge. Liquid will come out of the yogurt making it thicker. (About ¼ cup of liquid was in the bottom of the bowl each time I made it; discard this.)

• Add the yogurt (spoon it off of the strainer) to a bowl with maple syrup and vanilla extract. Stir well with a wooden spoon or beat with a hand held electric mixer.

To assemble the cake:

• Place one cake on a platter or cake plate. Top with ½ cup of the frosting and spread evenly.

• Add the second cake on top, pressing down gently. Spread the remaining frosting on top.

• Dice the apple finely to about the same size. You don’t have to peel it.
• Dairy-Free: Use coconut oil instead of butter to make this cake dairy-free. You’ll also want to use nondairy Greek yogurt.
• Egg-Free: Omit the egg. Increase the applesauce to ¾ cup and bake for 32-34 minutes. Let cool fully in the pans.
• You can make the cake a day ahead. Let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost just before serving if possible.
• Double the frosting recipe if you want to frost the sides of the cake too.
• Add natural sprinkles or natural food coloring as desired.
• Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Calories: 291kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 253mg, Potassium: 225mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 436IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 105mg, Iron: 1mg

This post was first published February 2019.