These dog birthday cakes will help celebrate your pet’s special day

It’s time to wish your special dog a happy birthday, so of course you want a birthday cake for the celebration, right? 

There are lots of pet boutiques that offer dog birthday cakes, but they can get awfully expensive, especially if you’re planning on inviting some of your pet’s favorite dog park friends. And you want to save some money to spend on that wonderful new dog toy, a soft dog bed (they make them in memory foam now!), or maybe a colorful new collar and leash. 

I have good news for you!  It’s easy and inexpensive to make your own dog-friendly baked goods at home. And I’ve gathered some of the best puppy-tested recipes for you to pick from. 

Doggie Birthday Cake from Allrecipes

This first recipe combines some of the dog world’s favorite tastes like peanut butter and carrots into a super-easy cake. Use a ring pan for even baking and to make it easier to remove, or make individual “pupcakes” for easier serving. 

Supplies:

6 cup ring mold or cupcake pan for 12 cupcakes
Cooking spray
Large bowl
Whisk or large fork
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

1 egg
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy. Avoid extra crunchy as the nuts may burn
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raw honey 
1 cup finely shredded carrots
1 cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 
Grease the ring mold or cupcake pan
Combine the egg, peanut butter, oil, vanilla and honey in a large bowl; blend well 
Stir in the shredded carrots and mix thoroughly 
Sift together the flour and baking soda and fold into the carrot mixture 
Spoon cake batter into prepared pan(s)
Bake ring mold in preheated oven for 40 minutes or bake cupcakes for 18 minutes 
Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely

Serve as is, or frost with peanut butter frosting, below. 

Optional Peanut Butter Frosting

1 3 oz package cream cheese, softened
3 tbls creamy peanut butter
1 tbls cream or half and half

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Beat with a mixer, until smooth and light. Add additional cream if frosting is too dry. Frost cooled cake or “pupcakes” , then cover and refrigerate until serving. 

Banana Bundt Cake for the Birthday Pup

This cake bakes in an ordinary bundt pan, and looks good enough for the human guests to eat, too.  But looks can be deceiving…this recipe is designed with dog taste buds in mind. Create another birthday cake for your people guests, and let the pups feast on this. 

Supplies:

Two mixing bowls
Wire whisk or hand mixer
Bundt pan
Non-stick baking spray containing flour, or butter and flour to coat pan
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients:

2/3 cup ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup room temperature water
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside
Put the mashed bananas and butter in a second bowl and beat  together until creamy
Beat in water
Beat in the eggs one at a time
Stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture
Stir in pecans
Spray the bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or grease and flour
Spoon batter into the bundt pan, making sure to spread it evenly
Bake for 35 minutes
Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes
Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack

Slice and serve as is, or top with frosting, below

Optional Banana Frosting

1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup butter, softened

Combine all ingredients.  Mix with hand mixer until smooth. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate immediately.  Keep cold until serving. 

And what is cake without ice cream!


Now that you have some ideas for the cake, be sure to remember the ice cream, too. You can buy Frosty Paws, the ice cream designed just for dogs. Or treat your canine guests to frozen treats you make at home in an ice tray. Kong dog toys sells packets of pup-friendly frozen treat flavors, or you can create your own by freezing chicken broth (make sure it is onion-free!) or beef broth (same for that one) in ice cube trays, then popping them out at serving time. 

All that’s left to do now is…

Say Happy Birthday, pup!  And many more to come!