The first birthday is a huge milestone. Some choose to do a small intimate celebration, while others want to have a large birthday bash. Either way, it can be easily done plant-based. This post will first discuss our desserts chosen for a large mostly adult party followed by our son’s 1st birthday, where we celebrated with just the 4 of us.

For our daughter’s 1st birthday (pre-pandemic) we had a family and friends party to celebrate the big day. We chose flamingos as our party theme. I think once the theme was selected it all fell into place. My first tip- settle on a theme. There can be so many to chose from. Scrolling through Pinterest feeds, I quickly became overwhelmed. But the pink flamingo felt right. Our little one gravitated to pink even at a young age, and still does today! We also knew the party would be outside and we wanted it to feel easy and colorful. That is how we came up with “Flamingo Fiesta”. I used Zazzle to create custom invitations. There are several platforms for creating custom invitations. Zazzle.com just happens to be one I am most familiar with and enjoy the freedom it provides. After the invites were complete, next came the smash cake!

Obviously birthday cakes are a regular feature of a birthday party, but what do you do for a one-year-old? My husband and I had been following a plant-based baby-led weaning for our daughter. She had never had refined sugars, artificial food dyes, and was strictly vegan. I came across some pretty fun cake alternatives- birthday smoothie, birthday (healthy) muffins, and birthday fruit plate. I appreciated the idea of the healthy alternatives, but also really wanted the fun of a smash cake. So I chose a vegan recipe that kept refined sugars to a minimum and no artificial dyes. Thankfully, her grandmother offered to make the smash cake. She was kind enough to work with a recipe I provided and did an amazing job. Keep scrolling for the recipe.

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So the big questions- Did she smash it? Did she eat it? Well, she put her hand in it, had a few bites, and tried to feed us. It was adorable. There is something so special about a little one offering to share. Warms my heart. It was a beautiful smash cake and a beautiful moment!

Next came the adult cake. I decided to go with a local vegan bakery. We were traveling out of town for this party and I did not want the added stress of baking and decorating a vegan cake in someone elses kitchen. Fortunately, I found an Atlanta, GA based bakery, Dulce Vegan Bakery & Cafe and ordered a custom cake. One of our family members lived in the area close to the bakery and was able to stop by for a taste test- Vanilla was her favorite, so that’s what I ordered! One of our family members was kind enough to pick it up on their way and it arrived in perfect condition! It was amazing!!

Next, the final dessert- cupcakes. I am not sure I could have a party and not have a chocolate dessert option. I had just discovered a delicious vegan chocolate cupcake and had modified it for a little kick. I named it a Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcake. Click this link to find the recipe. So delicious! Luckily, her other grandmother offered to make these cupcakes the morning of the party! So we ended up with a lovely and tasty dessert table. It was covered in pink flamingos and filled with plant based ingredients.

But what if you are having a small family celebration? Keep scrolling for our son’s 1st birthday.

If you are planning a 1st Birthday Party during a pandemic (like we did for our son) you’ll likely be keeping it intimate with family only. We had a wonderful time celebrating our son’s 1st birthday despite our original plans being cancelled due to COVID-19. Mickey Mouse was a favorite at the time, so we went all out decorating. Even his birthday outfit matched the theme. Be sure to scroll down to see his adorable onesie. We elected to do an even healthier smash cake than our daughter’s. I use this recipe to make muffins, mini cakes, or fun shaped cupcakes all the time. The kids consider it to be a special treat, and I know they are still getting a nutrient packed snack from it.

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Banana Applesauce Smash Cake Recipe:

Double or triple for full sized dozen muffins or 9″ cake.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mash 2-3 large ripe bananas, mix with 1/4 c. applesauce, 1 1/2 T avocado oil, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Large bowl combine 1/3 c. whole wheat flour, 1/3 c. oat flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and mix.

Pour into oiled or silicone cake (or muffin pan).

Cook for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

For the frosting I used the same Veggie Balance Vanilla Buttercream.

Our son loved the smash cake and would have probably eaten the entire thing if we had let him. In fear of an upset stomach, we portioned it out a bit. He had a great time digging into it and devouring it!

For the rest of us, I used a silicone miniature Mickey Mouse cupcake pan, which I had found on Poshmark. Used the same recipes for the smash cake and frosting. We all enjoyed the cakes and celebration!

Raising Vegan Tip– Look for decorations at a local Thrift Store, Local Buy Nothing Group, or on second-hand online markets- such as Poshmark. Also, when done with decorations, pass on the love by donating via Buy Nothing Group or to local Thrift Stores. Extend the life of the decorations!

Check back for the next post- 1st Birthday: Lunch Menu

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