This smash cake is a little four-inch chocolate birthday cake perfect for a first birthday celebration. It’s an easy-to-make Smash Cake that your little one is going to love.
For my first grandson’s first birthday, my daughter wanted him to have his own little smash cake. I wanted him to have a homemade cake from grandma, so we bought a 4″ round cake pan. The perfect size for a smash cake.
I combined the Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake recipe with a two cupcake recipe to make just enough batter for one little 4 inch chocolate cake.
The cake domes as it bakes, if you want, you can leave the rounded top. Or, use a serrated knife to trim the top flat.
You can decorate the cake as simply as you’d like. I’ve used sprinkles and easy-to-make white chocolate curls on smash cakes.
My grandson had never had cake before, but he couldn’t wait to get his little hands on his little birthday cake. My daughter had to put a little piece of cake in his mouth before he realized it was something to eat.
It was so fun to see his eyes light up with that first taste of cake.
I frosted the chocolate smash cake with a simple cream cheese frosting. You could use chocolate frosting or chocolate ganache if you prefer.
Two years later, I also made a smash cake for my second grandson’s first birthday. They have such fun sprinkles available online now, so it’s easy to make a simple cake look fun and festive.
Last year we were excited to welcome our first granddaughter to the family and of course for her first birthday, I had to make something adorable. I bought a sweet little unicorn candle to top the cake and some fun unicorn sprinkles to decorate the cake.
The smash cake was a hit with my granddaughter and all the people at the party.
My daughter throws a big party with family and friends for her babies’ first birthdays, so we needed special cakes for the adults too. I baked two chocolate cheesecake cakes. It’s a triple layer cake with a cheesecake layer in the middle. (I’ll update that post with new pictures of the adults’ unicorn cake soon.)
If you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate your little one’s first birthday, this easy-to-make smash cake is perfect.
Smash Cake for a First Birthday
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 4" x 2" round cake pan with baking spray.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk together water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a cup. Add to dry ingredients and whisk just until combined.
- Bake 18 - 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. (I frosted the cake with cream cheese icing.)
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Lynn
Hi thank you for all these amazing recipes! I’ve got a question: is it possible to leave out the vinegar?
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Lynn! No I wouldn’t leave out the vinegar. It’s an acid that helps the baking soda work it’s magic. You can’t taste it. Is there a reason you want to leave it out?
Kristin
I have another question if you don’t mind (I’m a novice). If I bake two of these little cakes at the same time, do I need to adjust baking times?
Barbara Schieving
No – it shouldn’t take any more time.
Kristin
Hi! I know you wrote this post some time ago, but I am hoping you still receive notice of comments. Could I omit the cocoa powder from the recipe to make a vanilla cake? If so, should I add something else (like a tablespoon of another dry ingredient) as a substitute? This cake is adorable and I’d like to try it for my little one’s first birthday. Thank you in advance!
Barbara Schieving
Hi Kristin – yes that should work well. I would add an extra tablespoon of flour and double the vanilla. Happy Birthday to your little one!
Kristin
Wow! Thanks for your fast response. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Queenie
Thank you thank you thank you for posting this!! 🙂 When my son turned 1 two years ago, I had to wing it and it turned out AWFUL! (Good thing all he did was smash it and eat some of the whipped cream off of it). I have volunteered to help a friend this year with her little girl’s first birthday cake, and would love to make her a smash cake as well!
Ann
Hello! Love the cake. Would you mind if I asked where you found the candle?
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Ann! My daughter bought the candle at Zurchers. http://www.zurchers.com/birthday-party-supplies/1st-first-birthday-themes.html
Ann
Thanks so much!
Sue
What a perfect introduction to cake! 🙂
Cooking on a Dime
You have such an adorable grandson! All 1 year olds definitely need their smash cake.
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking
Your grandson is so cute! His smile sure is contagious and the cake is perfect for him!
Kathia
Barbara, the little cake is so cute. How nice to get granma to make a cake for the birthday boy. I wish I had my mom here to share that wonderful experience of a first birthday party.
My little Emma is turning 1 next week, we are also having a little party and of course I am making a smash cake for her. She had never had cake before, so I am also waiting to see what she does when she sees her cake.
Ala
What a fun party–congrats on your grandson’s first birthday, and that first taste of cake!
Annalise
Absolutely LOVE this. What a cute little chocolate cake! And it sure looks like the birthday boy enjoyed it too. 🙂 I admit, I am so looking forward to John’s first birthday, you betcha he’ll be getting a little cake all for himself!
Barbara
Thanks everyone for the sweet comments. He is definitely a joy!
Sandy @Southwestgirl
It sounds like such a fun day! You’ve captured everything so well with your pictures. And I don’t have to tell you how jealous I am of that cute little grandbaby. 🙂
teresa
aw, this make me miss the baby days! what an adorable idea, they’re own little cake!
Becky
Happy Birthday Evan!!!
Nicole
Wow Happy Birthday to your grand daughter she looks so cute just like the cake you made .It is adorable it reminds of my sons first birthday cake.I made sons cake for his party and felt good.I also love to bake too.
CJ at Food Stories
OMG … How special for everyone involved! I love that he got to try cake for the first time on his first birthday 🙂
Deborah
So adorable!! I did a smash cake for Abbi’s birthday, but never did for Easton and still feel badly. This one is too cute!
Sally Chambers
What a cute little boy!! And a fun day!! Great idea!
Susan
What a darling little cake for your grandson, Barbara, and what a perfect place for a one-year-old to eat his first cake – outdoors 🙂