Dog Birthday Cake

Celebrate your furry friend’s birthday in style with this homemade dog birthday cake. Made with 7-ingredients, this easy peanut butter and carrot cake is the perfect treat for your pup’s special day!

Last week was Duke’s 8th birthday! We couldn’t let the occasion pass without giving him a proper cake and celebration.

I used some of the same ingredients that went into the homemade dog treats I made previously, then throw in some shredded carrots and a few other things, and the cake was ready to go! It can be baked in a round pan or a loaf pan; I did it in a loaf pan and then carved it into a bone and used peanut butter for a little “icing”.

What is a Dog Birthday Cake?

Exactly what it sounds like, a dog birthday cake is a cake you make for your dog. You can make this treat for their birthday, to celebrate the day you adopted them, for their half-birthday day, or just because you feel like spoiling your furry friend.

Now, you might be wondering why you would want to make your own dog birthday cake instead of picking up a cake or cupcake for your dog from the store? Store-bought cakes (unless you go to a pet store that specializes in dog cakes) are typically made for humans and don’t take into consideration the many different foods that are harmful to dogs.

Safety First

Some ingredients to avoid when making a dog birthday cake include but are not limited to:

• Chocolate
• Raisins
• Nutmeg
• Macadamia nuts
• Avocado

For a more extensive list, check out the ASPCA’s recommendations here. If you are concerned about an ingredient you should always check with a vet before giving it to your dog.

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

• Whole Wheat Flour: Gives structure to the cake and has more nutrients than all-purpose flour.
• Peanut Butter or Almond Butter: Natural. Be sure you check the label and use a peanut butter that is made strictly with peanuts (or an almond butter made just with almonds).
• Vegetable Oil: Used in place of butter to keep the batter moist and makes the cake easy to eat.
• Honey: Sweetens the cake without adding too much sugar.
• Carrots: Adding shredded carrots adds moisture to the cake as well as vitamins and fiber for your dog!

Step-By-Step Directions

• Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch cake pan or an 8×4-inch loaf pan and set aside.
• Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour and baking soda.
• Add the wet ingredients: Next add the peanut butter, vegetable oil, honey, carrots, and egg.
• Mix the batter together: Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until throughly combined.
• Bake: Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool and frost: Allow to cool, then spread additional peanut on top to frost.

Full Cake vs Pupcakes

Looking to convert this cake into pupcakes (cupcakes) for your pup? Grease a muffin tin and fill the cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. It should yield about 9-12 cupcakes.

You can also try making this cake in a Dog Bone Cake Pan so you don’t have to attempt cutting shaping it on your own. You can also try baking it in this Paw Print Cake Pan for another fun dog-themed cake.

Frosting the Cake

One of the best things about making a dog birthday cake (or really any cake for that matter) is getting to decorate the cake! Here are a few different ways to frost and decorate your cake for your furry friend.

• Peanut Butter Frosting: Spread peanut butter along the top and sides of the cake to “frost” it’s a guaranteed way to make your dog’s day!
• Cream Cheese or Yogurt Frosting: Mix 1 package of low-fat cream cheese or yogurt with 1 tablespoon of honey and frost the cake.

Decorating Ideas

Once you have a frosting picked out for the dog cake you can get creative with how you want to decorate the cake. Think about your dog and what they like when you preparing to make, shape, or decorate their cake.

Here are some fun ways to decorate your doggie birthday cake:

• Dog Bone: Using a dog bone pan or cut a dog bone out of a loaf pan mold, frost with peanut butter frosting and serve.
• Paw Print: Use a paw print-shaped pan or draw a paw print on a round cake pan with either frosting.
• Tennis Ball: Color the cream cheese or yogurt frosting a bright yellow and frost a round cake. Then, draw lines to make the cake look like a tennis ball.
• Frisbee: Color the cream cheese frosting your dog’s favorite color (or the color you think is their favorite) and frost a round cake. Then pipe concentric circles around the outside edge of the cake to make it look like the edge of a frisbee.

Storing Suggestions

Want to make this cake in advance? Absolutely! Here is how to make and store this birthday cake for the freshest possible flavor.

• Unfrosted: Store the unfrosted cake wrapped in plastic wrap on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Peanut butter frosting: Cakes frosted with peanut butter frosting can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
• Cream cheese or yogurt frosting: If you used the cream cheese or yogurt frosting, pop the cake into the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.

Dog Birthday Cake FAQs

More Treats for Your Furry Friend

• Frozen Peanut Butter Yogurt Dog Treats
• Doggie Pupcakes with Yogurt Peanut Butter Frosting
• Beef Cheddar Dog Biscuits
• Coconut Honey Doggie Cake
• Mint Buckwheat Dog Biscuits

I originally made this cake for Einstein’s 3rd birthday and had to keep those pictures here for old time’s sake ❤️️

Celebrate your fur baby’s birthday with a homemade birthday cake just for them! Made with dog-safe ingredients, this easy dog birthday cake is the perfect treat for your furry friend!

If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️