Banana Maple Smash Cupcakes (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Perfect for baby’s first birthday, Banana Maple Smash Cupcakes are full of goodness, naturally sweetened, dairy-free, gluten-free and so easy to make!
After many reader requests, I’m thrilled to share a smash cake recipe with you all!
Well, it’s really a smash cupcake recipe, but it will definitely work to celebrate a real food first birthday in style.
If you’re not familiar, smash cakes are the fairly recent trend of preparing a small cake or cupcake for a baby’s first birthday, and then letting the baby eat (smash) the cake with his or her hands.
For many, a smash cake is a baby’s first taste of sugar, and watching their reactions is completely priceless.
I’ve received so many requests from readers over the past several years for a simple, real food smash cake recipe, and I’ve been testing multiple variations in response.
The recent first birthday of my best friend’s son prompted me to finally perfect the recipe, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to share it.
I chose cupcakes over cake because, frankly, they are easier to make than a layer cake. If you have your heart set on a cake, though, feel free to bake the batter in a cake pan, allow to cool, and then frost with Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Coconut Cream or any frosting you like.
These cupcakes are so lightly sweet they easily double as muffins, especially if you skip the frosting, and we’ve been enjoying them this way for the past several months.
If you’re celebrating a first birthday soon I hope these will be a hit with the birthday boy or girl. There’s nothing quite like making it through that first year, and it’s definitely something to celebrate.
Now, let’s make some Banana Maple Smash Cupcakes!
RECIPE & KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | Use Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Coconut Cream as a dairy-free, naturally-sweetened frosting for the cupcakes, or use any type of frosting you like.
2 | Skip the frosting and serve as muffins.
3 | Add sprinkles! I used dye-free rainbow sprinkles.
THIS RECIPE IS . . .
Naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Dye-Free and Vegetarian

Banana Maple Smash Cupcakes (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup very ripe mashed banana
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups oat flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Coconut Cream, for frosting
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, eggs, banana, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Add the oat flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until well incorporated.
- Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan with silicone liners. Spoon 3-4 heaping tablespoons of batter into each cup.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.
- Frost with chilled Vanilla Bean Sea Salt Coconut Cream.
Adorable display!
Thanks, Stacy! 🙂
What if you can’t use oats? Do you suggest anything else?
Hi Amy, I haven’t tested this recipe with other flours, but you might try whole wheat flour as an alternative. If you try it, let us know how it works!
How long would you estimate to bake if I made in a six inch layer cake?
Also, do you think whole wheat or all purpose flour would work instead of oat?
Thanks!
Hi Hana, I haven’t tested it, but I’d guess about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. I haven’t tried it with all purpose flour, but that typically subs pretty well for oat flour so might be worth a shot. If you give it a try let us know how it comes out!
Super easy to make with ingredients I already had in the house. I added some cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg next time I will likely add chocolate chips ( the muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness but who doesn’t love chocolate chips). I really appreciate all the gluten free/dairy free recipes. Beware of the advertisements covering some parts of the recipe ( I had to go back and add coconut oil).
So glad you enjoyed this one, and thanks for leaving a review!