Whether your shaggy bundle of undying love made another trip around the sun — or just did a remarkable poop — they certainly earned a homemade doggy cake. But can dogs have cake?
Sure, if you adhere to a dog-friendly cake recipe. Tie on your apron, and follow along.
First, there are some ingredients to watch out for. What can dogs not eat? Here are a few major no-nos:
If you’re concerned about another ingredient, a quick Google search can answer any questions you may have about foods dogs can’t eat.
For today’s lesson (and experiment), I’ll be following the American Kennel Club’s dog cake recipe, then adding my own embellishments at the end, and Tucker, my lovable companion, will taste test my final creation. Paws crossed he likes it.
The Dog Cake Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour (whole-wheat is a healthier choice than white flour, because it has more nutrients)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (while large amounts of straight baking powder can be harmful to dogs, small amounts in a baked cake mixture should be fine. However, you can always leave out the baking powder if you want to be extra careful; you’ll just achieve less of a rise on your cake)
- 1 cup unsalted, natural peanut butter (without Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that’s extremely toxic to dogs)
- 1 cup skim milk (while milk is generally safe for dogs, if your dog is lactose intolerant, you can substitute this with water)
The Dog Cake Baking Process
Step #1: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, stir the flour and baking powder together, then set them aside.
Step #2: In a separate bowl, whisk the peanut butter and milk together, then mix in the flour mixture until you get a dough — I recommend using your hands to really get in there. Remember, you’re looking for a relatively dry dough, since you want a solid crust for your pooch to monch.
Step #3: Grease a baking sheet, cupcake pan or cake tin — I’m using coconut oil, which is at the very least safe for dogs, and possibly even beneficial. Then, mold your dough into whatever shape you want. I’m going with pup-cakes, because that’s what Tucker told me he wanted — definitely not because I don’t have a cake pan or anything like that. Finally, bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your dough.
Step #4: This step is optional, but I decorated my pup-cakes with some dog-friendly ingredients: Another dollop of peanut butter and an apple slice. Bananas, blueberries and plain yogurt are other good options.
Step #5: Take a video of your dog monching, and send it to me immediately.
Ian Lecklitner
Ian Lecklitner is a staff writer at MEL Magazine. He mostly writes about everyone's favorite things: Sex, drugs and food.
