Birthdays are a big deal in our house, even for our dogs. I usually celebrate our pups' birthdays with ‘pupcakes', so each dog can have their own little treat. This year I decided to try out some doggy birthday cakes, and I'm sharing how to make a puppy cake with my 4 favorite recipes.
From National Hug Your Pet Day to Mayday for Mutts, you can find dozens of reasons to celebrate your pup throughout the year. What better way to show your dog how much you care than by serving him a unique treat that will make his mouth water?
These four recipes are all a little different. Some are made with meat, while others include superfood ingredients like honey and coconut oil. No matter what your dog's preferences are, I can teach how to make a puppy cake that tempt your pooch's palate!
How To Make A Puppy Cake
my 4 favorite recipes
1. Dog Friendly Cake with Beef
If beef isn't your pup's favorite flavor, no worries! You could use ground chicken, turkey, venison or any other protein source that your dog enjoys. If carrots and peas aren't appealing to your pooch, try using green beans, broccoli or pumpkin instead. There are many dog-friendly substitutions that you could use to make this cake recipe suitable for your dog.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup peas
Frosting
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup water
- peas & shredded carrots for decoration
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
Mix the beef, egg, oats, carrots and peas in a bowl. Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil. Once thoroughly combined, place the beef mixture into the loaf pan. Bake the cake in the 350˚ oven for 35 minutes.
While the cake is baking, mix water into the peanut butter until you get the desired consistency that you want for the frosting. Once the cake has cooled, frost it and use some peas and shredded carrots to decorate it.
MORE: 7 Dog Birthday Ideas
2. Healthy Dog Cake with Peanut Butter
This healthy doggy cake is made with peanut butter, one of my dogs' favorite ingredients. I usually use whole wheat flour in this recipe, but you could use soy flour, coconut flour or any other type of flour that works for your dog's digestive sensitivities.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup of flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup apple sauce
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Mix the flour and baking soda together in a small bowl, and set them aside. Mix all of the other ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
Pour the batter into a well greased 8″ cake pan. Bake in 350˚F oven for 20-25 minutes. While the cake is baking, you can prepare frosting if you would like to top the cake.
To make healthy frosting for dogs, I mix 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1/4 cup of peanut butter. You can frost the cake once it has cooled. I also like to add small dog treats or some sliced fruits/vegetables for decoration.
ALSO: 6 Nutritional Guidelines for Safe Homemade Dog Food Cooking
3. Sweet Potato and Carrot Dog Cake
When learning how to make a puppy cake, you need to find a recipe that uses nutritious, healthy and safe ingredients. When you're shopping for the necessary ingredients, be sure to use organic, natural ingredients when possible. I like this option because it includes superfoods like carrots and sweet potato.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 1 cup soy flour
- 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp. raw honey
- 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp. baking powder
Frosting
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup sweet potato puree
- shredded carrots
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the honey, coconut oil and sweet potato puree. Add the flour, baking powder and water. Mix thoroughly, and then stir in the carrots.
Pour the batter into a well greased cake pan. Bake for 25 minutes. While the cake is baking, you can prepare the frosting.
Mix the plain yogurt and sweet potato puree together. Use the mixture to frost the cake once it has cooled. Add the shredded carrots as decoration to the top of the cake.
4. Peanut Butter and Honey Dog Cake
Honey us a great natural way to sweeten your homemade dog treats. It also have many benefits for dogs including helping with environmental allergies. This recipe also uses whole wheat flour, but you can substitute a different type of flour if your dog has food sensitivities.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350°.
Grease a square (8″ x 8″) cake pan. You could also use a small silicone baking pan, like the one I use in my video guide above.
Combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, honey and vanilla. Stir in the carrots and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in the baking soda and flour. Bake the cake in your 350° oven for about 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking, you can make some dog-safe frosting if you'd like to. Warm 4 ounces of cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds to soften it. Add 3 tablespoons of canned pumpkin and mix together completely.
When the cake comes out of the oven, allow it to cool completely. Now, you can frost it. Serve your dog a small piece each day. Remember, this homemade healthy dog birthday cake recipe will add extra calories to your pup's diet, so don't feed him too much at once. You can reduce the portion size of his meals or increase his daily exercise to burn the extra calories.
READ NEXT: 13 Dog Nutrition Tips That Are Actually Science Based
