LOW SUGAR STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM BANANA SMASH CAKE
on Sep 23, 2026
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This smash cake is a lightly sweetened banana cake layered with unsweetened strawberry jam, then beautifully decorated with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. Perfect for a low-sugar first birthday party!
This Low Sugar Strawberries and Cream Banana Smash Cake received a round of applause from my daughter at her 1st birthday celebration!
Strawberries are one of her favorite foods, so I went all in with a strawberry-themed birthday party. The decor, balloons, and presents were all a big hit, but what really took center stage was this smash cake.
This two-tier low-sugar banana smash cake is sweetened with maple syrup and made with ripe bananas, almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut flour. The layers are filled with an unsweetened strawberry chia jam, then covered with with a super simple whipped cream topping.
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I finished it off with a few fresh berries and a sprinkle of freeze dried strawberries.
It’s naturally gluten-free and made with whole food ingredients I felt good about serving my daughter on her special day!
Hope your little one enjoys this low-sugar smash cake as much as my daughter did!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients for Low Sugar Strawberry and Banana Smash Cake
Gluten-free baking truly is an exact science, and I always test a recipe multiple times before sharing it with all of you. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Bananas: A natural sweetener and moisture booster.
- Eggs: Because of the different gluten-free flours, I’d highly recommend sticking with two eggs (and not an egg substitute) for this recipe.
- Maple Syrup: The only natural sweetener for this entire cake recipe is maple syrup.
- Coconut Oil: If you don’t love the taste of coconut, buy refined coconut oil. Otherwise, any type of melted or liquid coconut oil works here.
- Vanilla Extract: High-quality vanilla extract will really make the flavors sing!
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Pin It- Gluten-free Flours: This recipe uses a combination of almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut flour. Almond flour adds moisture and a nutty, rich flavor. Tapioca flour gives the cake structure and improves its overall texture. Coconut flour acts as a sponge to help tighten up the batter. Check out the notes below for additional recommendations.
- Strawberry Jam: If you want to be extra and put in the time, you can make your own strawberry jam with just mashed strawberries and chia seeds. Otherwise, look for an unsweetened jam at the grocery store.
- Heavy Cream: The frosting (aka whipped cream topping) is super simple with just three ingredients: heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a touch of maple syrup for sweetness.
- Strawberries: I used a combo of fresh berries and freeze-dried strawberries for decoration. It’s low-effort and looks amazing!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Strawberries and Cream Smash Cake
Make the Cakes
To start, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 4-inch cake pans and set aside. Chill a small mixing bowl in the freezer.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Stir in the mashed banana.
To the same bowl, add the almond and tapioca flours, baking soda, and salt. Stir to incorporate.
Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake for 27 to 29 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack before removing the cakes from the pan.
Prepare the Frosting
While the cakes are cooling, make the “frosting” (aka whipped cream): Add the heavy cream to the chilled mixing bowl and beat on high with a hand mixer until stiff peaks have formed.
Next, add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, beating on medium-low to incorporate. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference.
Assemble and Serve
To assemble the cake, “frost” the bottom layer with whipped cream. Add a layer of strawberry jam, then stack the next layer on top and frost until covered. Slice, or serve as is to your baby. Enjoy!
Tips and FAQs for Strawberries and Cream Smash Cake
The only appropriate substitute would be regular flour. Gluten-free baking is an exact science, and I’ve only tested this recipe using a blend of almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut flour. A gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute would likely work, but the texture will be slightly different. I don’t recommend using only almond flour and definitely not only coconut flour. An almond flour cake can be quite dense, while coconut flour is very porous and will turn out extremely crumbly and dry. You’ll find a lot of recipes using almond flour, tapioca flour, and coconut flour on my website, so they won’t go to waste!
Applesauce is generally a good replacement for mashed bananas. Of course, the taste will be different but it’ll have a similar texture.
Flax eggs (1 tablespoon flax egg plus 2 1/2 tablespoons of water per egg) typically work for baked goods; however, I have yet to try an egg-free version for this.
Yes, making your own berry chia jam is very simple. Combine 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring and mashing the berries, until the berries have broken down and the mixture has reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 1/2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Let cool completely, stirring once or twice as it sits. The jam will continue to thicken as the chia seeds hydrate.
Yes! I used three 4-inch cake pans for this recipe. You could use a bigger 8-inch or 9-inch pan, but the cake will be much thinner and flatter, so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Absolutely! After the cakes cool and come out of their pans, you can wrap them and store them at room temperature or in the refrigerator (my preference) for two days. The day you want to serve, make the whipped cream topping and assemble.
More Fun Strawberry Desserts
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Almond Cake
- Dairy-Free No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Frosting and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Low Sugar Strawberries and Cream Banana Smash Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Unsweetened strawberry jam (or make your own strawberry chia jam – see note)
Garnish
- Fresh strawberries and/or freeze-dried strawberries
Whipped Cream Frosting
- ½ pint heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Maple syrup to sweeten
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 4-inch cake pans and set aside. Chill a small mixing bowl in the freezer.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and whisk to combine. Stir in the mashed banana.
- To the same bowl, add the almond and tapioca flours, baking soda, and salt. Stir to incorporate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake for 27 to 29 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack before removing the cakes from the pan.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the “frosting” (aka whipped cream): Add the heavy cream to the chilled mixing bowl and beat on high with a hand mixer until stiff peaks have formed.
- Next, add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, beating on medium-low to incorporate. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference.
- To assemble the cake, “frost” the bottom layer with whipped cream. Add a layer of strawberry jam, then stack the next layer on top and frost until covered. Slice, or serve as is to your baby. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
