Organic Smash cake with Strawberry + Beet Icing
When I began planning Harper’s first birthday, one thing I knew for sure is that my friend Sarah needed to make her smash cake. Sarah is a fellow crunchy mama, a mom of all trades, she makes amazing cakes, creates the best DIY Projects (that she actually finishes), all the while working on her Masters at the University of South Carolina. Her two littles are my children’s friends and we try and spend as much time with them as we can.
I told her my vision of Harper’s organic cake and she recreated my idea perfectly! I think the adults at Harper’s smash cake photoshoot enjoyed her cake more than she did. With birthday’s approaching, deciding on a cake could not get easier with this recipe. I asked Sarah to share the cake and icing recipes below and she happily agreed.
Applesauce Cake
SHOPPING LIST:
All organic ingredients
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup melted coconut oil
3 eggs
2 cups coconut flour (may also use GF free flour for easy adaptation to gluten free recipe)
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
1- Preheat oven to 325.
2- Combine applesauce, coconut oil, and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture gradually and stir until well combined.
3- Grease cake pan with coconut oil and dust with flour. (This mixture filled two 6-inch round pans for Harper-girl’s birthday smash cake which baked for about 20 minutes each. If using a larger pan 9×13 rectangle or 9 inch round, increase baking time to 40-50 minutes.)
Creamy Cream Cheese Icing (white)
SHOPPING LIST:
All organic ingredients
8 oz cream cheese (I used horizon organic cream cheese spread but a regular block will do)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup water
3/4 cup cane sugar
2-3 vanilla bean pods
DIRECTIONS:
1- Allow cream cheese to sit in a bowl until room temperature. Add melted coconut oil gradually and blend until creamy. (I cannot stress how important it is to have room temperature cream cheese and melted coconut oil. Since coconut oil becomes a solid at cold temperatures, this step allows for a creamy texture with no lumps).
2- In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, and vanilla bean pods, over high heat. Whisk slowly but constantly for 10-15 minutes or until a syrup is formed.
3- Let syrup cool for 5 minutes, remove vanilla beans, then slowly pour over cream cheese mixture. I added until I liked the consistency, probably around 1/4 cup.
4- To color your icing without harmful dyes, get creative with colorful fruits or veggies! I used beets and strawberries for this one. I peeled, cut, and steamed one small beet then added it to a food processor with 3-4 strawberries. Pass through a sieve to get super smooth then add to white icing until desired color is reached.
I am in love with the ombre look on this cake, but would also like to try a white cake with pink polka dots. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination!
PHOTOS – ERIN DIETRICH PHOTOGRAPHY
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