Technically this was baby’s second cake. The first was definitely very cake-like, but when tested with little fingers, well, suffice to say there were more crumbs on the floor than in the baby. Something squidgier was called for!
As we explore new tastes and textures, I wanted to bake something simple that included ingredients Baby A had already tried, as well as being gluten free for me. I couldn’t find many UK recipes online that fit the bill, so I made my own. Using mashed banana to bind instead of egg is my new favourite thing – it means you can lick the spoon!
Baby A’s First Cake (Squidgy Banana, Apple & Carrot Cake)
Makes 8-10 little slices
Free from gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, soya and refined sugar
Ingredients
- 125g gluten free plain flour (I used a blend of rice, oat and corn flours)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1 small apple, grated
- 100g apple and pear purée (I had some in the freezer, but you can easily buy this in pouches)
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil or olive oil
- 2 small bananas, mashed
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°c, oil and line a loaf tin.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, grated carrot and apple
- In another bowl, mix together the apple purée, mashed banana and oil.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry to make a sticky batter, and spread evenly into the tin.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer poked in the middle comes out clean, then remove and leave to cool completely before slicing, and giving some to baby.
The cake will keep for a day or two, but I prefer to slice and freeze it for emergency elevenses!
Useful resources for free-from and baby-friendly baking:
- Allergy Adventures Simple Substitution Sheet – easy to follow guide for how to bake without wheat, dairy or eggs.
- Pig in The Kitchen – loads of recipes with gluten, egg and dairy-free variants
- Intolerant Gourmet – slightly more grown-up recipes with gorgeous photography, suitable for multiple allergies
- Free From Fairy – Vicki’s growing collection of free-from, child-friendly recipes
- Healthy First Birthday Cake Recipes (N.B. not specifically free-from)
The Coeliactivist 