27 Adorable Ideas for Cakes for Baby's First Birthday

We are sharing our favorite first birthday cake ideas today. Your little one’s first birthday is a big day that deserves a special cake. These fun and festive 1st birthday cake recipes are easy enough you can bake them at home or be inspired to order something special at your local bakery. We wish your kiddo a happy first birthday!

Image shows a compilation of cakes for first birthday cake ideas from different sources. — Make your baby’s first birthday cake special!

Best 1st Birthday Cake Ideas

Start your first birthday celebration for your baby boy or baby girl with a delicious homemade cake! Here are so many mouth-watering first birthday cake recipes that your little one will love for sure. Whether you want to make a healthy cake, a cake with fresh fruit and whole grains, a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, or a vanilla traditional cake with whipped cream on top, we got them all.

Related: How to plan a 1st birthday party, 50+ Ways for Babies to Play – Activities for Babies, and Baby Tried Bacon For The First Time Ever On Christmas [Video]

If this is your first time baking a cake — do not worry. Many of these recipes are simple that even beginners can bake them from scratch, and your older kids can even help a little bit too. Why not make baking birthday cakes a fun tradition with the whole family?

1. Grizzly chocolate bear cake

Image shows a chocolate cake in the shape of a grizzly bear. Idea from Taste — No one can resist a delicious chocolate cake!

This Grizzly Chocolate Bear Cake is super simple to make and will be a hit at your kid’s party. Plus, who doesn’t love moist chocolate cake? From Taste.

2. Number Cake

Image shows a cake shaped like the number 1 with white, blue, green and pink frosting. Idea from Taste — Making this cake is so much fun.

Get your vanilla extract, favorite cake flour, and whole milk to make a delicious cake shaped like the number 1 – perfect for your baby’s first cake. From Taste.

3. King of the jungle cake

Image shows a lion birthday cake. Idea from Taste — Rawr!

Little boys and girls alike will love having a “king of the jungle” cake! Be sure to have a round cake pan at hand! From Taste.

4. Healthy First Birthday Cake

Image shows a toddler eating cake with a candle shaped like a 1. Idea from Healthy little foodies — This is the best healthy smash cake.

Little ones can enjoy it as soon as they start eating solid food, as it has no added sugar (sweetness comes from the ripe bananas), uses coconut flour and coconut oil, and delicious dates! From Healthy Little Foodies.

5. Smash Cake Recipes for Baby’s First Birthday

Image shows three smash cakes for kids. Idea from Solid Starts. — Smash cakes are so cute!

These recipes are perfect for those with dairy and egg allergies, plant-based families, and those who want to cut down on added sugar. They are made with delicious fruit juice and fruit puree! From Solid Starts.

6. 1st Birthday Cake

Image shows a pink cake with a giraffe and elephant toy, and the word "One" on it. Idea from Sally's Baking Addiction — We just love this baby girl 1st birthday cake!

Celebrate your little princess’ birthday with a zebra cake (chocolate and vanilla cake batter layered into cake pans that resemble zebra stripes). The strawberry frosting is the most delicious thing ever. From Sally’s Baking Addiction.

7. First Birthday Smash Cake

Image shows a smash cake with "one" candle. Idea from Super Healthy Kids — Here’s another fun smash cake recipe.

You won’t find any added sugars or oils in this cake, either. It’s the perfect recipe to help you keep fun traditions while avoiding ingredients you’re not ready for your baby to have yet. From Super Healthy Kids.

8. First Birthday Smash Cake with Yogurt Frosting

Image shows a smash cake topped with fruits. Idea from Yummy Toddler Food — Doesn’t this cake look so yummy?

This vanilla oat smash cake with plain greek yogurt frosting is an easy and super special first birthday cake. It’s moist, flavorful, and so yummy. From Yummy Toddler Food.

9. Healthy Smash Cake For Baby’s First Birthday

Image shows a healthy smash cake topped with frosting and berries. Idea from Inquiring Chef — A simple five-ingredient cake for your baby!

A light and fluffy healthy smash cake with no butter, no oil, and no sugar. Most importantly, this cake just requires five ingredients. Hooray! From Inquiring Chef.

10. Healthy Delicious Birthday Cakes For Your One Year Old’s 1st Birthday Party

Image shows a decorated cake for a baby. Idea from Lemons for days — Everyone will love this tasty yet healthy cake.

Here are many healthy birthday cakes for your kiddo’s special day – blueberry banana cake or raw banana ice cream cake, you choose! From Lemons For Days.

11. How To Make The Best Healthy Smash Cake For Baby’s First Birthday

Image shows a cake that says Birtiday Happy with sprinkles on top. Idea from Oh everything handmade — Isn’t this cake the cutest?

Here’s a healthy smash cake recipe that uses organic ingredients and no added sugar or preservatives. And it’s so delicious too! From Oh, Everything Handmade.

12. Healthier Smash Cake Recipe {Hannah’s Purple Polka Dot 1st Birthday Party}

Image shows a healthy smash cake. Idea from Kristines Kitchen Blog — Mmmm, a tasty blueberry smash cake.

This easy whole wheat banana cake is sure to be a hit with your birthday girl or boy! Say goodbye to butter or refined sugars, too. From Kristine’s Kitchen.

13. Sugar-Free Carrot and Date Cake

Image shows a toddler eating a carrot and date cake with blue frosting. Idea from Things for Boys — Even fussy eaters will love this carrot cake.

Let’s make a cake with healthy ingredients, such as carrot and dates. Nice and sweet, yet no sugar added. Idea from Things for Boys.

14. Baby Friendly Cake

Image shows a compilation of baby friendly cakes. Idea from BLW Ideas — Babies can enjoy cake too!

Try this baby-friendly cake, perfect for your little one. It comes with two main recipes, an original one and an allergy-friendly one. From BLW Ideas.

15. Healthier Chocolate Cake

Image shows a healthy chocolate cake for kids. Idea from The first year blog. — Chocolate cakes are simply irresistible.

Healthier Chocolate Cake tastes like a double chocolate chip banana muffin! No sugar, butter or oil but uses bananas, greek yogurt and honey instead! From The First Year Blog.

16. First Birthday Applesauce Cupcakes

Image shows applesauce cupcakes for kids. Idea from Detoxinista — Who said healthy cupcakes couldn’t be tasty?

Follow this recipe to make 12 cupcakes that are sugar-free, grain-free, dairy-free nut-free, and oil-free too. But so healthy, tasty, and great for little kids. From Detoxinista.

17. Vegan Birthday Cake

Image shows a vegan cake for kids with sprinkles and a Happy Birthday sign. Idea from Kitchen of eatin — Kids will love the sprinkles in this recipe.

The chocolate cake is moist, made with clean ingredients, and it really is so good. Perfect with kids with sensitive tummy and skin allergies. Idea from Kitchen Of Eatin (link currently unavailable).

18. Fruit Tower Birthday Cake

Image shows a fruit tower birthday cake. Idea from Weelicious — It can’t get simpler than this cake!

Layered with naturally sweet and juicy fruits like pineapple, honeydew, mango, cantaloupe, strawberries and basically anything else that’s in season, it’s a dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. From Weelicious.

19. Apple Spice Cake with Maple

Image shows a pink birthday cake for toddlers. Idea from Simple Bites — We love pink cakes!

This ombre strawberry layer cake is pretty and tastes fresh and like spring. It doesn’t have added sugar so it’s suitable for little ones. From Simple Bites.

20. How to Make a Low-Sugar, All-Natural Healthy First Birthday Cake

Image shows a natural and healthy cake with a sign that reads "Birthday Happy". Idea from Posh in progress — Decorate this cake with Cheerio’s!

This recipe has everything babies like: applesauce, cream cheese, bananas… Healthy and sweet! From Posh in Progress.

21. Baby’s First Birthday Cake Recipe (Low Sugar)

Image shows a low sugar cake for babies. Idea from The vintage mixer — Simple yet delicious.

Follow the recipe to make a low-sugar carrot cake with a raw cashew cream icing for a baby’s first birthday cake. From The Vintage Mixer.

22. DIY Healthy Smash Cake

Image shows a DIY healthy smash cake with a number one candle. Idea from Hellobee — Want an even healthier recipe?

This cake takes about 50 minutes to make, and will be loved by anyone who tastes it. The best part? It’s super healthy! From Hello Bee.

23. Healthy First Birthday Cake

Image shows a highly decorated first birthday cake for kids. Idea from Natural Sweet Recipes — Get your piping bag to make this beautiful design.

This cake is a fabulous alternative to traditional cakes because it’s a whole foods cake made with natural sweeteners. In fact, you probably already have every ingredient in this cake. Idea from Natural Sweet Recipes.

24. Healthy First Birthday Cake Without Sugar

Image shows a healthy and simple first birthday cake with a number one candle. Idea from MJ and Hungry Man — This cake is the perfect size!

Made without any added sugar, this first birthday cake is super easy to make, healthy, and delicious! It can also be made ahead of time. From MJ & Hungry Man.

25. Healthy Smash Cake Recipe

Image shows a cake with a numbero ne candle on top. Idea from Nutrition in the kitch — Smash cakes can be yummy and pretty at the same time.

Packed with healthy ingredients like applesauce and topped with a delicious homemade frosting, this healthy smash cake is a wonderful dairy-free, gluten-free and low sugar treat. From Nutrition in the Kitch.

26. Healthy Smash Cake

Image shows a cake with a number one candle. Idea from Love in my oven — Perfectly sized cake for your little one!

Your little one will be all smiles with their very own healthy smash cake, naturally sweetened and perfectly sized just for the birthday baby! From Love in my Oven.

27. Healthy Smash Cake

Image shows a cake with a number one candle for toddlers. Idea from Eating bird food — We can’t have enough healthy smash cakes.

This healthy smash cake is made with almond flour and bananas. It’s the perfect option if you’re looking for a no added sugar cake for your little ones first birthday. From Eating Bird Food.

Want more recipes tHAT KIDS WILL ENJOY?

Try these delicious and easy recipes for kids (and the whole family too):

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Here’s a twist on your favorite lasagna recipe: easy Mexican lasagna with tortillas.
Air fryer chicken tenders – yes, they taste as good as they sound.
We’ve got easy summer sides recipes you can do with your little ones.
Wondering how to make boxed cake mix better? Click here!