First Birthday Cake ideas

[lfwfv]

We are having a very small, family-only celebration for my little man's first birthday. So far, he is eating a completely whole foods vegan diet, plus breastmilk. He has had no sugar or refined fats (he eats avocadoes, flaxseed, chia seed, and has tried sunflower butter but hates it haha).

I am trying to come up with a birthday cake recipe, and am ok with him having some sugar, but i kinda want to avoid the whole vegan margarine thing.

I was thinking about making Happy Herbivore's green goblin muffins (ie. cupcakes) without the sugar (he eats these often and likes them....just oat flour, pineapple, banana, spinach, vanilla), and then frosting them somehow.

The frosting is where i'm at a loss...anybody know a decently-healthy plant-based frosting recipe?

And no, i don't want to make a fruit only cake (out of watermelon etc.), and yes, i do want frosting (for the pictures!!)

I know there are some whole-food, plant-based mamas on here. What do you make your kids for birthdays?

TIA!
lfwfv

[jamietwo]

Wow! One year already! Happy Birthday!

Someone gave me this recipe years ago. We only use it at birthdays. My son got a piece of banana with a candle in it for his first birthday, and he was happy with the novelty of it!

This makes more than I use on the surface of one cake. Depending on how much you need, you could probably cut the recipe in half.

Fudge Frosting

1/3 cup water
1/4 cup arrowroot or cornstarch, etc
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup non-dairy milk

Wisk the water and arrowroot together over low heat. Stir in the maple syrup. Bring to a boil and keep stirring. When the frosting is thick and smooth, reduce heat and continue to cook for another minute or so. Pour into bowl and add remaining ingredients. Stir until smooth. Chill.

ETA: I'm not sure it qualifies as "decently-healthy", but it is decadent.

[Katydid]

This frosting was served both as a frosting for the Adonis Cake and as a pudding at the Engine 2 Chicago immersion. It was very tasty. The recipe for the cake and frosting are in 'My Beef with Meat'

Adonis Frosting By Betty Speer
Chocolate frosting of the gods!
Prep time : 5 minutes
Makes about 2 cups frosting; enough for one Adonis Cake, plus a few taste-tests

One 12 -ounce package silken tofu
¾ cup dairy-free, semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place the silken tofu in a food processor. Add the melted chocolate chips to the food processor and blend. Add the vanilla and blend until chocolatey and creamy. Taste at this stage; if using grain-sweetened chips, you may want to add a bit of pure maple syrup— or not! Trust your own taste.

Esselstyn, Rip (2013-05-14). My Beef with Meat: The Healthiest Argument for Eating a Plant-Strong Diet--Plus 140 New Engine 2 Recipes (p. 261). Grand Central Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Kate

[lfwfv]

Thanks ladies! I forgot to mention i am looking for something non-chocolate though....

Was thinking of maybe creating something like a pineapple version of the frosting you posted Katydid...like blending pineapple with silken tofu? Do you think that might work?

Or what about just blending a chunk of very ripe banana with icing sugar and mixing it until it gets fluffy? maybe with lemon juice to prevent browning?

Might have to experiment...