First Birthday Smash Cake (with Yogurt Frosting)

- Place 1½ cups whole milk yogurt in a sieve or fine-mesh strainer lined with a paper towel with a bowl underneath. Let sit for 30 minutes or up to overnight, covered in the fridge. (This helps ensure that the frosting is nice and thick.)

- Transfer the yogurt to a bowl and stir in 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Refrigerate until ready to use.

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

- Trace one 5-inch cake pans onto parchment paper and cut out three times to make the rounds. Trim slightly to fit inside the bottom of each pan.

- Grease three 5-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and place a round of parchment inside of each. Grease again.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

- Divide the batter evenly between prepared cake pans, using about 1⅓ cups batter in each pan.

- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 22-26 minutes. Remove from oven and place pans onto a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then carefully invert to cool fully. Discard parchment paper rounds.

- To assemble, place one cake on your serving plate. Top with about ⅓-½ cup of frosting, spreading it in an even layer just past the edges. Add the second, repeat with frosting, and then repeat with the third cake . Use an offset spatula or knife to scrape off the frosting overhang for a "naked" cake look, or use additional frosting to coat the entire cake.

- Top with berries and serve...as in, let the birthday kiddo dig in!