A Smash Cake?

Today I saw for the first time the noun “smash cake.” When I googled it, I found people using it very comfortably, such as: See the video of Connor with his smash cake.
I then watched the video and saw a baby diving head first into an entire cake, while the party guests laughed.

I wondered why I hadn’t heard of this term, so I was glad to find this definition:
“Smash Cake is the precious tradition of baking your one-year-old birthday child her very own cake that she can do whatever she likes with…mainly it makes for a great photo that will be treasured for years to come. Often people make two cakes on the first birthday occasion…one to share with friends and family that looks beautiful and may match the party theme and a second one with the birthday child’s name on it that is meant to be destroyed by her.”

This idea did not appeal to me. It reminds me of the “tradition” of the bride and groom smashing cake into each other’s face, a tradition that neither my husband or I think is funny and we quickly agreed to nix that tradition from our wedding. But a poor baby doesn’t even have a say in the matter, he’s just made a fool of and then reminded of it when he grows up.

I don’t have a problem with letting a child dive into a piece of cake. Since they haven’t mastered eating skills yet, of course it will make a mess, like everything else they eat. But I can’t see the sense in buying another cake entirely for this purpose. What’s the problem with cutting a slice of cake for baby and then letting him/her do what they want with it? Or what about serving cupcakes so everyone gets an individual dserving they can manage as they please?

This seems to me to be a concept thought up by somebody who wants to bring extra income to bakers and cake retailers. It also seems to be a waste of food and money since no one is going to want to eat the rest of the “smash cake” after the baby has goobered all over it.

I haven’t decided whether we’ll have a one-year birthday party at all. I’m leaning toward putting the effort and expenses into good parties when he’s old enough to recognize and enjoy them. I’m pretty sure we won’t have cake, since we’re trying to keep him off of refined sugars until he’s at least three. But I know for sure that we won’t have two cakes. I’m pretty sure River will manage a happy life without a smash cake.