If you want something a little different for your baby’s first birthday, try one of our beautiful and healthy birthday cake alternatives. Here are 11 decadent, delightful options that will wow your guests, young and old. And, of course, you can still buy or make a mini smash cake or cupcake for photos if you like.
Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bites
These frozen chocolate banana bites are the perfect balance of fruit and chocolate. Easy enough to make the day of the party, they pair the decadent richness of dark chocolate with the sophistication of sea salt. For a sweeter version, skip the salt and use milk chocolate. Head to The Lemon Bowl for the recipe.
Frozen Yogurt Strawberry Bites
Strawberry and chocolate are a match made in dessert heaven, and this healthy birthday cake alternative is a delicious option all year, but especially in the summer when strawberries are in season. Get the recipe from Andy’s East Coast Kitchen.
Chocolate Pudding Cups
Let your little chocoholic indulge—and perhaps engage in a little finger painting—with this deliciously virtuous pudding. This healthy birthday cake alternative comes with options to make it free of soy, sugar, egg, gluten, nuts, and dairy! But trust us, it's still packed full of delicious chocolatey flavor. Get the recipe at Chocolate Covered Katie.
Healthy Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
This twist on banana bread turns it into a cupcake and smothers it with cream cheese frosting! The surprise? There’s no butter, eggs, refined flour, or sugar, and it clocks in at only 120 calories! Amy's Healthy Baking has the recipe and directions for a gluten-free option.
Honeyed Fruit & Yogurt Mini Parfaits
Parfaits are a beautiful alternative to cake, especially at a brunch celebration. And they’re even cuter in small parfait cups. This version from Yay Baby! uses Greek yogurt and fragrant orange zest in the mixture. Dress it up with a sprinkling of shredded coconut, chocolate shavings, nuts, or cinnamon. Expecting guests under age 1? Swap the honey for maple syrup or jam.
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Chewy granola cookies are both delicious and convenient for a party since there's minimal plating and cleanup. Leave out bags or boxes and guests can take home leftovers as party favors. While the granola used in this batch is a homemade cherry-almond variety, you could use store-bought granola to eliminate a few steps. Low on butter and high on fiber, these cookies are sweet and satisfying. Go to Accidental Happy Baker for the recipe.
Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Waffles
Another fun healthy birthday cake alternative is these sweet potato waffles use just a touch of maple syrup since they get all their rich sweetness from—you guessed it—the sweet potato. With very little added oil, this recipe is a nutritional powerhouse. At your party, set up a waffle bar with fun toppings like berries, bananas, dark chocolate chips, yogurt, stewed apples, nuts, and toasted coconut. Flavor the Moments has the recipe.
Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Vanilla-Honey Yogurt Dip
These fruit skewers are as delicious as they are pretty to look at. Use whatever fruit you enjoy and, ideally, is in season. The vanilla-honey yogurt dip adds extra sweetness and decadence. Guests under age one should skip the dip due to the honey in it, and parents should keep the skewers out of kids' reach and remove the fruit from the skewer before serving little ones. Get more details at The Comfort Kitchen.
Healthy Fruit Pizza
While most fruit pizza recipes rely on a sugar cookie crust, this one from Holley Grainger uses a whole-wheat oatmeal cookie crust. The crust is topped with a cream cheese-yogurt spread and a rainbow of brightly colored fruit. Layering the fruit in concentric circles makes for a gorgeous presentation that will delight guests and the birthday babe.
Banana Coconut Chia Pudding
Chia seed pudding is a perfect healthy birthday cake alternative because you can create any number of flavor combos. It’s a cinch to make and is filled with fiber and protein. We love that Clean and Delicious offers four different versions from which to choose.
Capture all the cutest (and messiest!) first-birthday moments—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app. The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.
