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This healthy birthday cake recipe is naturally gluten-free and fruit-sweetened, making it perfect for a child’s first birthday party, or any occasion where you want to serve a healthier (but still delicious!) cake.
It’s actually shocking how good it tastes, considering it doesn’t use refined flour, sugar, or oil. Even the frosting is fruit-sweetened!
This recipe is inspired by my Paleo Banana Snack Cake, which is sweetened with only bananas. However, I wanted this birthday cake to taste a little sweeter than that, so that my pickier family members would enjoy it too. I hope you’ll love it just as much as we do!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“I made this cake for my dad’s birthday and it was so delicious, we all really enjoyed it! It tastes so much like a real cake, if not better 🙂
This one’s definitely a keeper!” -Nikki
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Medjool dates. Choose soft and squishy dates that are easy to split apart with your fingers to remove the pits inside. I buy mine in the produce section of the grocery store. (Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods always have good ones!)
- Almond butter. Use raw almond butter or homemade almond butter that has a mild flavor for the best results. Readers have also reported success using peanut butter.
- Eggs. Since this cake is made without flour, the eggs provide the structure. Don’t use flax eggs and expect the same result.
- Vanilla extract. This adds a classic flavor, but feel free to experiment with other options if you like.
- Baking soda. This helps the cake rise as it bakes, but you can use double the amount of baking powder if you prefer. (So, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder could be swapped.)
- Salt. A pinch of salt helps enhance the sweet flavor, so don’t skip this step!
If you plan on making frosting at the same time, check out my date-sweetened frosting.
How to Make a Healthy Cake
Step 1:
Add the eggs, dates, and water to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. (If using a food processor, you may want to just start with the dates and 1/4 cup of water first, then add in the eggs once the dates have broken down a bit more, to cut down on splashing.)
Add the remaining ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend again to create a smooth batter for the cake.
Alternatively, you can pour the blended date mixture into a large bowl and then stir in the almond butter, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. This is a good idea if you think your blender can’t handle blending a very thick batter.
Step 2:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and use cooking spray or coconut oil to lightly grease two 8-inch pans or three 6-inch pans, depending on how many layers you’d like to make.
You can add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom of each pan, if you’d like to guarantee they will remove easily later. (The oil will hold the parchment paper in place.)
Divide the batter evenly among the pans, then bake until lightly golden on top, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 3:
Let the cake layers cool completely in the pan, and make the frosting while you wait. (See frosting ideas below!)
When the cake layers are cool, you can spread the frosting on each layer and add any extra decorations you like, such as sprinkles or fresh berries.
Serving & Storage Tips
Serve this cake at room temperature for the best flavor and texture. When ready to store, keep it tightly covered in the fridge.
It should keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Safety Tip
If you plan to serve this cake at a first birthday party, please keep in mind that you should introduce all the ingredients to the child beforehand to rule out any potential allergies. (We introduced the most common allergens, such as peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs, to our children before 11 or 12 months of age.)
Healthy Frosting Ideas
- Fruit-Sweetened Chocolate Frosting. This frosting is made with no refined sugar and comes together quickly in a blender.
- 2-Ingredient Vegan Ganache. This recipe is made with dark chocolate and coconut milk for the easiest frosting ever. Make this before making the cake, so it has time to chill in the fridge while the cake bakes. Note: I made a double-batch of this recipe for the cake photos here. I wanted to have plenty of frosting for all three layers, but I had about a half cup of frosting leftover after finishing this cake, so making a full double batch might not be necessary.
- Coconut whipped cream. Another easy option, this whipped cream is dairy-free and naturally sweet. It’s what I use for a first birthday cake, to keep it low in sugar.
- Cream Cheese Frosting. This frosting is actually made with white sweet potatoes, but it reminds me of a cream cheese frosting!
- Purple sweet potato frosting. If you can find purple sweet potatoes at your local grocery store, they make a beautiful frosting without the need for food coloring. Add in some almond extract for an amazing flavor!
- Greek yogurt. For a low-sugar dessert, this is another option, which you can top with fresh berries.
However you decorate it, I hope you’ll enjoy this healthy birthday cake the next time you need a gluten-free and fruit-sweetened cake in your life.
More Healthy Cake Recipes
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cake. This cake is made with almond flour and sweetened with maple syrup; if you want an alternative cake. I’ve also tested it as cupcakes for you!
- Coconut Flour Cupcakes. If you want a dessert without tree nuts, this is another delicious treat.
- Almond Flour Cake. A vanilla version of my popular chocolate cake!
- Flourless Chocolate Cake. Made without flour, this chocolate cake is ultra-rich and not too difficult to prepare.
- Vegan Chocolate Tart. This is perfect for those who need an impressive dessert, without using eggs or dairy.
- Oat Flour Flag Cake. This nut-free cake is naturally gluten-free and turns out impressively fluffy.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Medjool dates , pitted (8 ounces)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Topping
- 1 batch healthy chocolate frosting (or any other variety you like)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease two 8-inch round pans, or three 6-inch pans, with coconut oil or spray oil. (I like to line them with parchment paper, too, to guarantee easy removal later.)
- In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, dates, and water and blend until smooth. (If using the food processor, I like to start with only the water because it can splash so much. Add in the eggs once the dates have broken down a bit, to avoid splashing.)
- Add in the almond butter, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and blend again until a smooth batter is formed. Alternatively, you can pour the blended date mixture into a large bowl, then stir in the other ingredients, so your blender won't have to blend anything too thick.
- Divide the batter among the two or three prepared pans, and smooth the top with a spatula. (They won't be very full, but will rise as they bake.) Bake until lightly golden on top, about 25 minutes to 30 minutes.
- Cool completely before removing the cake from the pan, then frost with your favorite frosting and serve. This cake can be served and stored at room temperature for at least 2 days, but for best shelf life I recommend storing it in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a week.
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Notes
Nutrition
If you try this healthy birthday cake recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it!
How many people does it serve?
I get about 12 slices from this cake. Hope you enjoy it!
I love this recipe and I have done it mainy many times!!!
Question: Can it work with Hazelnut butter too?
Sure, I don’t see why not! That sounds delicious. 🙂
Loved this cake. Really felt like a chocolate cake. Not eaten sugar for 3 months and this felt very indulgent, thank you. Can I freeze a few slices for future enjoyment? Or does this not freeze well?
Glad you enjoyed the cake, Natalie! I think you can freeze it just like a regular cake, as long as it’s very tightly covered.