How to make a birthday cake healthy?
I’d like to make my daughter her first birthday cake, instead of buying one. I would ideally like to make one that is of a healthier variety, as we dont’ really eat alot of white sugar and flour, and while it can be sweet and somewhat of a treat, I’d like to keep it so it won’t give her a total belly ache. I was thinking like a carrot cake?? I just don’t know. Any suggestions?
March 16th, 2011 at 10:30 am
I think a carrot cake is the perfect idea. My sister makes one using whole wheat pastry flour instead of white flour. This is much healthier and I think it actually tastes better than the more traditional recipe. Make sure you get pastry flour, however, not just whole wheat flour, as the latter will make the cake far too heavy!
March 16th, 2011 at 10:43 am
carrot cake as a birthday cake? That’s a new one on me. have you tried anything organic or making a regular cake and using less sugar, and instead of icing…cause it’s way too thick and sugary, use a whipped cream icing. It’s delicious and not as heavy and thick as the sugar based icing.
March 16th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Hi Happy 1st birthday baby!! 🙂 🙂
I would suggest your mama to make you an organic healthy birthday cake using organic ingredients. Organic flour, molasses or honey, selenium eggs… Mother’s love and care are always to be appreciated 🙂 God bless you.
Suggestion Recipe Organic Carrot Cake
Serves 12
11/2 cups organic sugar
4 organic eggs
1 cup organic canola or safflower oil
21/2 cups organic unbleached flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups grated organic carrots
1 cup organic applesauce
1 cup chopped organic walnuts or pecans
Organic Frosting
3 packages (8 oz each) organic cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick organic butter, 1/2 cup, softened
1 package (16 oz) organic confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chopped organic pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare two 9″ round cake pans by lightly brushing with melted butter or oil and dusting all sides with flour. Shake out excess flour and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs together until fluffy. Stir in the oil. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir the sifted ingredients into the egg mixture. Fold in the carrots, applesauce and nuts. Pour into prepared pans and bake 35-40 minutes, until done in the center. Invert on a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, cream together first 4 ingredients and blend until smooth. Frost in between layers. Assemble cake and frost sides and top. Decorate sides with chopped pecans, if desired
Nutrition Info
Per Serving (278g-wt.): 830 calories (610 from fat), 67g total fat, 21g saturated fat, 5g dietary fiber, 13g protein, 92g carbohydrate, 145mg cholesterol, 530mg sodium
Interesting website where you can see what recipe you would like to chose http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/dessert/cake_carrot2.html
March 16th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
I also agree that a carrot cake is a great idea! I like carrot cake, and I think it has a bad rep, but its really yummy. Add in some bits of dried fruits, too, like rasins.
Or get a plain angel food cake, and top it with some fresh whipped cream (whip it yourself, and add in some vanilla extract), and top it with fresh peaches or berries.
You could always skip the cake entirely, and do something a little out of the ordinary. Start a new tradition. Maybe make a jello fruit dessert, or make pancakes or waffles, and top it with fresh preserves or fruit salsa.
Oh, and you could make a cake out of muffin-type mix! Like banana nut or blueberry. Just bake it in a cake mold, and top it with fresh fruit.
I hope this helps you out with some ideas.
Congrats, I wish well for your child.
March 16th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Carrot cakes aren’t especially healthy. A friend of mine did this for her son’s 3rd birthday: She made some wholewheat pancakes and topped them with blueberry sauce she made herself from fresh blueberries and sugar. She finished the whole thing off with a small dollop of whipped cream. He was thrilled with the treat and while it had some sugar from the blueberry sauce, it was much healthier than a normal frosted cake.
March 16th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Check out this website.
http://www.grizzlybird.net/2007/01/babys-1st-birthday-cake-recipes.html
They have a nice recipe for carrot cake with applesauce in it.
Good Stuff. 🙂
March 16th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
If she’s turning one, carrot cake isn’t good because of the raisins usually in them… And you’ll have a problem with Eggs, since she should not be eating egg whites prior to this.
I would suggest something completely different: Jello!! Only not:
Eli’s Gelatine:
1c Juice
1c Yogurt
1 pkg (.75oz) Gelatine
Put juice in pan, sprinkle gelatine on top, then heat on low, stiring occassionally until gelatine dissolves. Let cool~15 minutes, gradually add to yogurt. Put in a pan or dish, chill for ~2 hours.
For Eli’s Gelatine Surprise:
Make a double recipe of Eli’s Gelatine, place in a clear glass baking pan (8×12 or 9×13) and chill for 1-2 hours.
Then place slice fruit on top, and then:
Heat 1 c juice w/1 pkg of Gelatine, stirring until dissolved. Add 3 cups cold juice. Pour on top of Eli’s Gelatine and fruit (TIP – to keep Eli’s Gelatine smooth, pour juice over a spoon to slow down the impact). Revrigerate until firm. If desired, top with Whipped Cream.
I make a Hot Milk Sponge Cake using Evaporated Cane Juice – Yes, it’s still basically sugar but it’s much less processed than “Sugar.” I do the same as you- I don’t eat many processed sugars and usually have only whole wheat, but Cakes are Special and that’s why I have white flour and Sugar =) I don’t get belly aches from my cake, neither does my toddler.
Hot Milk Sponge Cake:
1c Milk + 1 TBSP Butter, heat till combined
3 Eggs, beat until fluffy, then graduall add
1c Sugar, beat until light and fluffy (~4 minutes)
Slowly add:
2C Flour until mixed. Then stir in Milk.
Cook ~ 20-30 minutes.
I top this with fresh fruit and serve with icecream. You can make a Whipped Cream Icing, by buying heavy cream and whipping until stiff, I like to add either Almond Essence, or Vanilla, or Lemon Essence and two tbsp of Powdered Sugar to 2 cups of cream, and whip stiff.
Happy First anniversary of becoming a mommy 🙂