Healthy Birthday Cake
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The best healthy birthday cake that’s made with a combo of oat and almond flour and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It’s fluffy, moist, gluten-free and a great healthier option for a birthday party or any celebration!
In honor of Liv’s second birthday, I wanted to share a healthy birthday cake recipe! I shared a smash cake recipe last year but I wanted to share a cake recipe that kids (and adults!) of all ages could enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is almost as easy as making cake from a box… almost!
- It’s made with just 10 simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
- It’s a great base recipe that can be customized with mix-ins and frostings.
- This cake is gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free but still absolutely delicious!
Birthday Cake Made Healthier
In most traditional birthday cake recipes you’ll see white flour, white sugar and butter or vegetable oil, but in true EBF fashion I decided to make an upgraded birthday cake that’s gluten-free, dairy-free and free of refined sugars thanks to a few substitutions.
- almond and oat flour – to make this cake gluten-free I swapped white flour for almond and oat flour. The combo of the two results in super fluffy, light cake!
- maple syrup – I swapped white, refined sugar for my favorite natural sweetener, maple syrup.
- coconut oil – instead of using vegetable oil or butter we’re using coconut oil, which adds healthy fats and isn’t as processed as some of the alternatives.
Here’s What You Need
- eggs – make sure your eggs are at room temperature before baking this cake. I won’t get into the science behind it but it’s key for a fluffy cake! Also, if your eggs are cold the coconut oil will harden up when combined. I haven’t tested this recipe with a vegan substitute like flax eggs, so I’m not sure how the cake will turn out. If you decide to try a vegan version let me know in the comments below!
- pure maple syrup – the natural sweetener in this cake. I haven’t tried other sweeteners, but I bet any liquid sweetener would work as a substitute.
- dairy-free milk – any dairy-free milk works but I used unsweetened almond milk (make your own almond milk or use store-bought).
- coconut oil – make sure your coconut oil is in the liquid state. You can heat on the stovetop or microwave for a few seconds until melted if necessary. Feel free to sub with any oil of choice or melted butter.
- vanilla extract and almond extract – delicious flavor enhancers that round out this cake and adds that true birthday cake flavor.
- blanched almond flour – I recommend using blanched almond flour because the skins have been removed so you’re left with a fine-texture, light colored flour that works perfectly for cake.
- oat flour – you can make your own oat flour by grinding rolled oats in a food processor or you can buy oat flour from the store.
- baking soda – to help the cake rise.
- salt – to bring the flavors of the cake together.
- rainbow sprinkles – I used supernatural rainbow sprinkles. They’re free of artificial dyes and are gluten-free and vegan.
tip! I added sprinkles to this cake but chocolate chips would be delicious as well!
How to Make Healthy Birthday Cake
In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – the eggs, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil, vanilla extract and almond extract. Make sure the mixture is fully combined and smooth throughout before moving on to the next step.
In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients – almond flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula until just combined and smooth. Try not to over-mix or your cake will be too dense. Gently stir the sprinkles into the batter.
Spray your cake pans with cooking spray or coat with coconut oil and then pour the cake batter into the baking dishes. Bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. You’ll know the cakes are done when you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then carefully remove each cake and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, frost, top with more sprinkles and enjoy!
Using Different Size Cake Pans or a Cupcake Tin
- 8 inch pans: This batter will make enough to fill two 8 inch cake pans. If using two 8 inch pans, bake for 20 minutes until golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- 4-inch pans: If you want to make a mini cake using three 4-inch cake pans, you’ll bake for 20-25 minutes and you will have batter leftover! I used this recipe for my daughter’s birthday cake and was able to make three 4-inch layers for the cake and 5 cupcakes with the leftover batter.
- Cupcakes: You’ll want to bake these for 15-20 minutes in paper liners. The recipe makes about 17 cupcakes.
- Square pan: I haven’t tested it, but I bet you could also make this cake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch square pan. I’m not sure about the bake time, but I’m guessing 20-30 minutes.
Healthy Birthday Cake Variations
As I mentioned, this cake is a great base recipe that can be customized with different mix-ins and frostings! I used rainbow sprinkles as a mix-in and for topping and frosted the cake with my healthier cream cheese frosting, but the options are endless. Here are some ideas:
- switch up the frosting – for a real deal frosting my vanilla buttercream frosting, strawberry buttercream frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting would all be delicious. For a lighter option, try my healthy chocolate frosting or peanut butter Greek yogurt frosting. If going the store-bought route, my favorite healthier store-bought frosting is Simple Mills vanilla frosting.
- swap the sprinkles – instead of sprinkles chocolate chips would be a delicious mix-in and topping! I bet mixing in fresh or frozen blueberries for a fruit-themed cake would also be delicious.
Can You Make This Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes! This cake can be made 1-3 days in advance. To make ahead of time, let the cake layers cool completely and store them in the fridge, covered until you’re ready to assemble and serve. Alternatively, you can frost and decorate the cake and store it covered in the fridge until ready to serve!
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I haven’t tried freezing this cake, but I would imagine it would freeze just fine either frosted or unfrosted. If you’re making this cake ahead of time for a special occasion and want to store it in the freezer, I would store the individual layers separately in an airtight container or bag (I love my Stasher bags). The day before you’re ready to serve, let the layers thaw in the fridge then assemble and decorate as desired!
More Cake Recipes to Try
- Vegan Coffee Cake
- Healthy Vanilla Cake
- Almond Flour Cupcakes
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Healthy Chocolate Cake
The Most Popular Dessert Recipes
- Birthday Cake Cookies
- 5-Ingredient Vegan Graham Cracker Blondies
- Healthy Monster Cookies
- Pavlova
- Healthier Magic Cookie Bars
Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Birthday Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup dairy-free milk, I used unsweetened almond milk
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour, packed
- 1 cup oat flour, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping
Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray three 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray or coconut oil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil, vanilla extract and almond extract until fully combined and smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add your almond flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt and mix well. Set aside.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula until just combined and smooth. Stir sprinkles into the batter.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove cake from pans and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cake is at room temperature frost it with your favorite frosting and top with additional sprinkles if you prefer.
- Cut cake and serve.
- Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for about 5 days.
Video
Notes
- 8 inch pans: This batter will make enough to fill two 8-inch cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- 4-inch pans: If you want to make a mini cake using three 4-inch cake pans, you’ll bake for 20-25 minutes and you will have batter leftover! I used this recipe for my daughter’s birthday cake and was able to fill the three 4-inch pans and make 5 cupcakes with the leftover batter.
- Cupcakes: You’ll want to bake these for 15-20 minutes in paper liners. The recipe makes 17 cupcakes.
- Square pan: I haven’t tested it, but I bet you could also make this cake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch square pan. I’m not sure about the bake time, but I’m guessing 20-30 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Good
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jamari!
The almond extract was all I could taste??!! I checked the recipe 3 times to check that I didn’t mess it up! consistency was good so wonder if it would taste better without the almond extract..
So sorry that happened, Mel! Almond extract can be pretty strong, so if you’re sensitive to it, you can definitely leave it out or reduce the amount next time. I’m glad the texture turned out well, and I appreciate you giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback.
I made this cake for my birthday yesterday and everyone loved it! I only used 1 tsp of almond extract, dye-free sprinkles, and made the cream cheese frosting using Neufchâtel cheese and non-fat Greek yogurt and then chilled it to set prior to frosting. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
So glad you loved this cake, Kate! Thanks for making the recipe and for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me!
This cake was fantastic!! I made it for my daughter’s second birthday and everyone loved it!!! Huge hit. Going to make it again
So glad this turned out for your daughter’s birthday, Kelly! That makes me so happy to hear everyone loved it. Thanks for making the recipe and for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me!
This is delicious! I accidentally only added half the amount of coconut oil, and it still turned out perfect. Love it. 🙂
I made another batch (in cupcake form this time) with flaxseed “egg” for my egg-free friends (full amount of coconut oil this time), and I’m here to report that it turned out terrible lol. Extremely mushy and oily, even when baked for twice as long.
So glad you loved the original version, Melinda! Thanks for sharing your experience with the flax egg too, that’s really helpful for others to know. I appreciate you trying the recipe and coming back to leave a review!
I made this cake with my 6 year old niece for my sister’s birthday. It was so delicious! Everyone loved it. My niece was so excited to make it because of the sprinkles and she loved the taste too. We used your healthy cream cheese frosting and added natural dye to make it a beautiful pink with lots of sprinkles on top! My mom said this is her favorite cake she’s ever had! I used natural sprinkles so you couldn’t really see them very well inside of the cake. Next time I may leave them out and just put on top.
So glad you all loved this, Krista! I love that you made it with your niece, and the pink frosting with sprinkles sounds so fun and special. Thanks so much for making the recipe and for coming back to leave such a sweet comment, I really appreciate it.
Hey! Question. I’m going to make a birthday cake for my son who is sugar free. The plan is to make a 3 tier 4” cake. My thought is one layer sweetener free for my toddler and the other two with the syrup. How much should I add to the mix once I pour out the first layer?
I love that idea! since this recipe calls for 3/4 cup maple syrup for 3 layers, I think you’d be safe to add 1/2 cup maple syrup to the second two layers. Let me know how this turns out for you if you try it!
Hi!
If I 2x this recipe, how many 8 inch pans would that be?
Hi Rebekah – Great question! With a 2x batch, you’ll need about four 8-inch pans. If you only have two, you can either bake in batches or divide the batter between them and bake a little longer since the pans will be more full.
I just made this for the first time and am so impressed!!! It’s a perfect texture and taste, not too rich, not too dry or moist. It will be my new staple family birthday cake because it is so inclusive (DF, GF, less unhealthy) and actually tastes great!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
(Repeated my comment as forgot to give Star ratings)
Yay! So glad this cake was a hit! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it!
I made this for my two year olds birthday this weekend and it was amazing! Everyone loved it. Great texture, perfect amount of sweetness. I used a gluten free ermine frosting with it and it was perfect. Thank you! Will definitely be making again.
So glad the cake turned out perfectly for your celebration, Bria! The ermine frosting sounds like a wonderful pairing. Thanks for making the recipe and for coming back to leave a review. It means a lot!
Baked this cake this morning for my babys 1st birthday and it’s exactly what I was hoping it would be!! Thank you for this yummy and healthy recipe. We love it!!!
Yay! So glad this cake turned out just how you hoped for your baby’s 1st birthday, Brooke. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it! 🙂
Hi
Can I use regular milk?
Definitely! Let me know if you end up making this cake and how it turns out for you!
I love it amazing thank you
Love hearing that, Mona! So glad it turned out well. Thanks for coming back to share, I really appreciate it!
I appreciate this. It satisfied my bday cake craving. I reduced the syrup and added protein powder. I swapped sprinkles for raisins. I had no milk on hand and mixed greek yogurt with water. I AM SATISFIED!!!
I’m so glad this worked for your birthday treat, Janice! Love how you made it your own with what you had on hand. Thanks for sharing your swaps and taking the time to leave a review!
Hi could you swap out the oat flour for more almond flour or almond flour and coconut flour combo? Maybe even almond flour and corn flour instead of the oat flour? Thank you
Very informative!
Love the cake, but i think coconut oil is not so healthy. May i replace it? Thank you.
Hey Matilda – Yes, you can swap the coconut oil with olive oil or avocado oil if you prefer.
I used coconut flour instead of oat flour because I can’t have oats. It turned out soo yummy and everyone else thought so too. Definitely a keeper.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Miriam! Love that you used coconut flour—so happy it worked out and that everyone loved it. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me.
I love the idea of this cake! Is it okay to omit the sprinkles/would you recommend using anything else as a substitute if you did omit them?
Yes, totally! You can skip the sprinkles without substituting them. You could also swap them with another mix-in like chocolate chips. Let me know if you end up making this cake and how it turns out for you. 🙂
My baby has an egg allergy, his first birthday is in 2 days! I really want to make this cake for him on his special day, do you think I should use an egg replacer or a banana for this recipe?
Hi Cameron – I haven’t tried an egg replacement for this recipe, but I’d maybe try flax eggs? The cake might not rise as much, but I bet it would still work. Let me know if you try it and how the recipe turns out! And happy birthday to your baby!! 🙂
Hi! Have you tried using whipped cream as filling with fresh berries?
Hi Cindy – Do you mean as frosting or as filling in the middle of the cake?
Do you almond flour subs? We have a nut allergy in our. family. I didn’t see in your blog post anything about flour subs.
Hi Aubrey, great question! Almond flour is key to this recipe’s texture, so swapping it can be tricky. You could try all-purpose or a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend, but the texture and moisture might change, and liquid ratios may need adjusting. I haven’t tested this myself, but let me know if you do. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi! Can I use 2% milk instead of dairy free?
Definitely! If you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free you can certainly use regular milk.
I used almond flour instead of coconut flour and the batter consistency was more like cookie dough so I made cookies instead. Did the coconut flour soak up too much liquid?
Hi Macey – Yes, you cannot use coconut flour as a 1:1 sub for any other flour because it will soak up much more liquid and the recipe will need to be adjusted. I give flour substitutions in the blog post above if needed.
hi.. can I substitute the almond flour with all purpose flour or whole wheat flour?
Hi Semina! I haven’t tested it so I’m not 100% sure how the cake would turn out but we do have this healthy vanilla cake you could try that’s made with whole wheat flour and can be made with all-purpose flour as well. ! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Loved the cake. was just wondering if the frosting was included in the nutrition information for 1 slice or it was just the cake specifically?
I am so glad you are enjoying this cake, James. The nutritional information is for 1 slice without the frosting.
My daughter and I love this cake recipe so much, and I feel better knowing the ingredients are relatively healthy! I’ve only had this in the cake form, but would like to make cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday. How far in advance can they be made and any recommendations on storage for optimal freshness? Thank you!
Hi MVK! I can’t wait to hear how this recipe turns out as cupcakes for you, I am so glad you are both loving this recipe. This recipe can be made 1-3 days in advance. To make ahead of time, let the cake layers (or in your case cupcakes) cool completely and store them in the fridge, covered until you’re ready to assemble and serve. Alternatively, you can frost and decorate and store it covered in the fridge until ready to serve! Enjoy!
Any chance you know the measurement in grams for the almond and oat flour? I only have a kitchen scale and no measuring cups.
Thank you!
Hi Carolina – So sorry, but I haven’t made this recipe measuring out the ingredients on a kitchen scale. I would recommend using a kitchen converter, I really like this one!
Sure, here is the translation of the text into English:
“Excellent recipe! I don’t know how many times I’ve tried it, but we like it the most with Greek yogurt and peanut butter. I always change what I put inside or between the layers.
Can you tell me how much I would need for a 10 inch cake? I was thinking of maybe making a double batch and three layers.
I’m making it for a children’s birthday, I will have another 10 inch cake and this one, and there will be 18 adults and 10 children.
Hi Marija! Thank you so much, I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it always turns out great for you. I honestly haven’t tested this recipe in 10 inch cake pans. I agree, you might need to double the recipe to have enough batter. Let me know if you give this a try with the 10in cake pans and how it turns out for you!
Hi Brittany! When making a three-layer cake, should I use 4″ or 6″ pans? It was recommended differently in a couple different places in the recipe. Any insights are appreciated, thanks!
Hi Jackie! For a three layered cake, you’ll want to use three 4-inch cake pans and you’ll bake for 20-25 minutes. You will have leftover batter that you could make into cupcakes if you wanted. Hope that helps and you enjoy this cake!
Hello! This recipe looks great I am looking forward to making it for my son’s birthday. We cannot do oat flour though – do you suggest using all almond flour, or coconut flour in its place? I haven’t baked much with these flours I want to make sure it still rises and isn’t too dense. Thank you for any suggestions!
Hi Kat! I haven’t tested this recipe with any other flours, you could try subbing the oat flour with regular AP flour, but again, I haven’t tested it so I am not sure how it would turn out. Let me know if you give it a try!
Hello Brittany. Thank you for this recipe. I have just made it for my granddaughters 2nd birthday. Although I have followed your recipe to the letter, I have not achieved a rise in the cake. I used 2x 8” pans and they have risen to less than an inch each. Is that right?
I am going to make another one again to try and just do it using one pan of 8”.
I’d still like to know if I have done something wrong.
Would I be able to substitute oat four with self raising flour?
The cake should definitely rise. Have you checked to make sure your baking soda is not old or expired. Sometimes that can be the culprit.
Hello! I am making a mini cake with this recipe. We are driving two hours with it to an indoor waterpark. How would you suggest I keep the cake temp controlled?
Hi Lely – If you have a cake storage container or airtight container, it should be fine to stay out at room temp. Hope everyone loves this cake!
This cake is delicious and moist. Thank you! Have you ever added chocolate powder to make it a chocolate cake? My granddaughter wants a chocolate cake for her birthday
Hi Mary – I haven’t added chocolate, but this is a great idea. I need to work on a healthy chocolate birthday cake!
Hey was just wondering how many people does this cake serve?
it’ll serve 10!
This looks amazing can’t wait to make it! However seems small for the amount of people I need to feed haha. I have like 25 guests and 2 x 12 inch cake tins. How can I adjust the recipe to get enough for everyone please? Thanks!
Hi Maria – You might want to consider tripling the recipe and possibly making 2 separate cakes. I have a list of different ways to make this cake in the blog post above, including cupcakes. You could make one cake + double the recipe for cupcakes so you have both. Let me know what you decide and how this cake turned out for you!
Can u sub the maple syrup for honey
Hi Ao! I haven’t tried using honey in place of maple syrup for this recipe, but I think it should work. Just keep in mind that honey is a little thicker and sweeter, so it might slightly change the texture and flavor. If you give it a go, let me know how it turns out—I’d love to hear!
Sorry I mean 10 inch
This is my third time making it and it never disappoints!! It’s so easy and delicious. It’s perfect for when you are trying to eat healthier but you want something sweet and delicious. 10/10!
Aw yay! I am so glad you’re loving this cake, Florencia. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I truly appreciate it!
Is there another sweetener that could be used instead of maple syrup? Do you think coconut sugar would work?
Hi Courtney – You could swap the maple syrup for any other liquid sweetener. Let me know how this turns out for you, enjoy!
This recipe is delicious! I had to double the recipe for two 9 inch cake pans and I tripled the cream cheese frosting worried it wasn’t enough but it was way more than enough so probably would just stick with 2x. Everyone thought the cake was great and surprised it had no refined sugars. Thank you for making a cake for those who are trying to be healthy but also want to celebrate. This is a healthier alternative! I enjoyed this! Also for the extra abundance of frosting we just dipped strawberries in it as a snack and it was yummy! 🙂
WOO! This is excellent, Grace. I am so excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you. The strawberries dipped in frosting is such a great idea. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
Does this cake rise well in 8 inch pans? I’ve made almond flour cakes with arrowroot in the past and they’ve looked shorter and denser.
They have for me and others. I would recommend sticking to the recipe and it should turn out great. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you! I’m excited to try oat flour with almond to see how it rises differently
Amazing recipe. I made with your regular vanilla frosting recipe and everyone loved it! I love cake, but sugar has been keeping me up. Can’t wait to make it again.
YUM! Sounds delicious, glad you’re loving this recipe, Antoinette. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
Hi! I’ve made this several times and it’s become a staple in our household..even without a birthday! I usually make cupcakes and put them
In my daughters lunch throughout the week. Occasionally we have them for breakfast too! Haha
I was wondering if you thought these would freeze ok? It would be nice to pop one of them out of the freezer and take a break from my weekly bake sessions haha
Woo! This makes me so happy to hear, Amber. I also glad this cake is a hit. Yes, you can freeze the cake layers in freezer bags for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let the cake thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then let the cake come to room temperature, before frosting and serving. You can also do this with cupcakes! Thanks for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it.
This looks like a great recipe! I have a couple questions though:
1. Does this cake rise well? Most almond flour cakes I have made are denser and appear shorter than a traditional cake.
2. Does this have a distinctive flavor such as vanilla?
3. Can I replace the coconut oil with butter and the almond milk with kefir?
Thank you!
Hey Olivia, This cake does rise well and it’s more fluffy/soft vs. dense since it’s a combo or oat and almond flour! And yes, it has a distinctive birthday cake flavor from the vanilla and almond extract. You can replace the coconut oil with butter. I’m not 100% sure about the almond milk being replaced with the kefir as I haven’t tried it, but it should work just fine. Let me know if you end up making this cake and what you think of it!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses! I’m making this cake later this week for a birthday and my LAST question is if I am using butter, is it better to cream it or melt it like the coconut oil? Thank you
I would use melted butter!
Hi! Planning to make this tomorrow. Is it ok to use cow milk instead of the dairy free? Thanks!
Hi Clara – I haven’t tested this recipe with regular but, it would work fine. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Thanks for your response. I have it in now! I had to try twice to have my ingredients come up to room temp and the coconut oil still chunked up, so hopefully it turns out ok.
How did the cows milk work?
So gorgeous .This healthy cake with the combination of oat flour and almond is so good. its really very tasty.
Yay! I am excited to hear that you are loving this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!
This is so good! I made it for my son’s 3rd birthday and used the EBF peanut butter greek yogurt frosting recipe. I subbed almond butter so it would pair well with the almond milk and almond meal in the cake. It’s moist, rich, and so good! Everyone had seconds. I love that there’s a boost of protein and fiber with this cake combo too.
WOO! I am SO excited to hear that this recipe was such a hit, Sarah. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
I made this using organic all purpose white flour in the place of the almond flour and it turned out amazing! The cream cheese icing was also a big hit. I made them into cupcakes and they took exactly 15 minutes to bake. I also topped them with some fresh blueberries and strawberries.Will definitely make this again.
Ah YAY! I am so excited to hear that this recipe is a hit, Linda. Thank you so much for coming back to share your review & star rating, I appreciate it.
Hello! I just made this as a double layer cake sandwiched with your cream cheese frosting. We whizzed up the oat flour ourselves with gluten free oats and otherwise threw a handful or so of roughly chopped pistachios into the batter. It was divine!! We topped your cream cheese frosting with extra roughly chopped pistachio and chopped fresh strawberries. I only have the tiniest bit of the cake left. It was polished off by the whole party- 6 adults and 2 children. Thank you for a super recipe. We will use it again and again.
Yay! I am so happy that you and your guests enjoyed this recipe. The pistachios & strawberries sound like a delicious addition, that you for sharing! I appreciate you coming back and leaving your review + star rating, it means so much.
I really wanted to like this cake. I did not use the rainbow sprinkles, perhaps as a result the cake was not sweet enough to me it tasted like a bowl of oatmeal. The consistency also looked like a whole grain batter and not a cake batter. I frosted it with the cheesecake frosting recipe which had to be doctored up and I put organic raspberry jam in between the layers. I’ll see at the birthday what guests have to say about it tomorrow. It definitely tastes healthy but that’s about it.
Hi DJ – did you change anything else in this recipe?
Tried this for my first daughters 3rd birthday last month and it was a hit with everyone! Doubled it to make a taller cake.
Planning on making it for my other daughters 1st birthday this weekend. I don’t have all purpose flour or almond, just oats and whole wheat. Could I sub whole wheat or try to go for fully oat? Wondering if anyone did either and it it turned out well
Hey Bridget – I’m so glad to hear that it worked out for you! I haven’t tried subbing the flour so I’m not sure how it would turn out. I would probably recommend subbing the whole wheat since using only oat might make it a bit dense. Let me know how it goes!
I made this recipe for my husband’s birthday in May. I used chocolate chips instead of sprinkles, and made cupcakes. I used the chocolate frosting recipe from this website. The cupcakes were so yummy! My husband loved them. I highly recommend this recipe.
So glad you and your husband loved it! Thank you for leaving a comment and review, I so appreciate it.
Hi there! Thanks for the delicious recipes! Can I serve the birthday cake without any frosting? No one enjoys frosting in our family.🙂
Hi, Divya! I don’t see why not! You could serve it with some fruit and whipped cream if you prefer!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I love the idea! I was wondering if I could sub the flour in this cake for just all-purpose flour? I don’t have almond or oat on hand. Thank you!
Hi Meghan! I haven’t tested it so I’m not 100% sure how the cake would turn out but you can certainly try it! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
hi! my little turns one in 2 weeks and want to make a cake but we haven’t tried almonds with him yet, and have given him organic flour in other recipes, what can I use instead of almond flour? can I just use all purpose flour? thank you!
Hey Megan – You could try subbing in the almond flour for all oat flour or all-purpose flour, but I haven’t tested it so I’m not 100% sure how the cake would turn out. I would worry that using all oat flour would result in a dense cake so maybe try half all-purpose? Let me know how it turns out for you and happy early birthday to your little one. 🙂
I stumbled upon this recipe a few days ago and was surprised to see I had most ingredients on hand. To be frank, I had low expectations of this recipe but let me tell you, I am loving this recipe. The cake was moist and flavorful, and even more so the next day. I also prepared the cream cheese and greek yogurt frosting which perfectly complimented this cake. Now I’m planning to adjust it to make it into a carrot cake or a spice cake and use the same frosting. Thanks for the great recipe!
could i omit the maple syrup or use mashed banana or applesauce instead?
Hey Deirdre – I’m not sure, that might change the consistency and texture of the cake. If you’re looking for a low-sugar option, I would use monkfrui maple syrup, which is sugar-free!
I don’t have oat flour— only almond flour, regular flour and some cake flour. Can I substitute one of these options for the oat flour?
I’d maybe go with all almond flour. Let me know how the cake turns out if you try it. 🙂
I made this for my son’s first birthday and it was a hit! I used butter instead of coconut oil because that is what I had and it turned out really well. I’ll definitely make it again!
Ah yay!! Happy to hear this birthday cake was a success, Kim. Thanks so much for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
I did this cake as a muffin version for my birthday last weekend and it was absolutely delicious 🙂
Oh yay! So happy to hear this cake was success and I love that you turned it into muffins. Such a great idea! Thanks for the review, Marina. I really appreciate it!
Can I use Bob’s Red Mills egg replacer instead of eggs? Thanks!
Hey Lucy – I haven’t tried it so not sure how the cake will turn out. Let me know if you decide to try it!
Hi from Ireland, thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! I baked buns today using this recipe as a trial run for a birthday cake on Saturday for my very nearly two year old. They turned out really well. The texture is great and they’re very filling. I converted the recipe to the metric system as I had no measuring cups but even then it worked really well.
I iced it with the linked cream cheese frosting. The combination is perfection. Adult and toddler approved! My go to birthday cake recipe now.
Ah yay! So happy to hear this birthday caked was a success, Maria! Thanks so much for trying it out and coming back to leave a review and star rating. I so appreciate it!
I want to say this cake looks incredible and definitely will try it.. I wanted to ask if I could exclude the almond extract not a favorite of mine or can I substitute?
Thank you,
Rebeca
You can skip it! 🙂