Dog Birthday Cake

March 29, 2022

Making your dog a birthday cake is the best way to spoil them on their special day! This furry friend-approved cake is filled with healthy ingredients like yogurt, pumpkin, applesauce and carrots! They’ll love every bite!

I love making treats for my dog at home because I know exactly what’s in them! No fillers, no preservatives, just healthy ingredients! You’ll have to try my homemade dog treats too for a tasty, anytime snack for your fur baby!

Taking a slice of dog birthday cake with an icing spatula.

Peanut Butter Dog Birthday Cake With Yogurt Frosting

Our Portuguese Water Dog, Leia, is turning 3, so we decided to celebrate her birthday with a cake filled with all of her favorite ingredients! Pumpkin, applesauce, carrots, and of course – peanut butter! This cake is also smothered with peanut butter yogurt ’frosting.’ My dog couldn’t get enough! I know your pooch will love it too! Whether it’s their birthday or you just want to spoil them a little extra, this cake is the way to go.

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s made with all-natural ingredients. No fillers here! Only the best for your furry friends! Fresh veggies, peanut butter, and yogurt are all great sources of fiber, protein, and calcium. Like any dog treat, however, this cake is best given to your dog in moderation. It’s best shared with other furry friends! Without further ado, let’s get making a dessert your pooch is going to go crazy over!

Ingredients Needed For a Dog Birthday Cake

The ingredients for this cake are super simple! They’re all human-grade and easily digestible by your pets. Garnish your cake with your dog’s favorite treats for the ultimate doggy dessert! Measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

Whole Wheat Flour: I like using whole wheat flour as my cake base for its added fiber. If your dog has a gluten intolerance, you can use gluten-free flour instead.
Baking Soda: Helps your cake rise.
Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture and helps ingredients stick together.
Creamy Peanut Butter: Make sure it’s Xylitol-free! Xylitol is toxic to animals. See more below on why you need to avoid this ingredient.
Plain Applesauce: Make sure your applesauce doesn’t have any added sugars. Apples are a great source of fiber for your pup!
Pumpkin Puree: Not only is pumpkin loaded with fiber, but dogs love it! You can buy this canned or make it at home.
Shredded Carrots: Carrots are a great snack for dogs! I like to shred mine or cut them into very small pieces to avoid any choking.
Milk: Adds moisture to the cake mix.
Egg: Used to bind everything together.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Plain Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium for your pup, just make sure to feed them this in moderation.
Natural Creamy Peanut Butter: Adds flavor to the frosting. Again, make sure this is Xylitol-free!
Dog Treats: (Optional) For garnish on top. Use your pup’s favorite here!

How to Make a Birthday Cake for Your Dog

This doggy dessert is super easy to make! It’s also a fun activity for the kids. My girls are obsessed with our dog so they loved making a special treat for her! Find my full list of kid-friendly recipes here!

Preheat Oven, Prep Pans: To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and spray two 6-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, peanut butter, applesauce, pumpkin puree, carrots, milk, and egg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Bake: Separate the batter into the two prepared pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cakes.
Cool and Frost: Let the cakes cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting and serving to your pup.

Preparing the Frosting

Mix Peanut Butter and Yogurt: In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt and peanut butter until smooth.
Frost and Decorate: Frost the cake immediately or store the frosting in the fridge until ready to use. Decorate with dog treats as desired.

2 photos of serving cake to a black and white dog wearing a party hat.

Tips for Making Treats for Your Dog at Home

Dogs have sensitive stomachs so it’s super important to use the right ingredients! Here are a few tips on making your dog treats healthy, delicious, and nutritious! Once you know what ingredients to avoid, you’ll want to make homemade treats for your dogs all the time!

Xylitol/Birch Sugar: Xylitol is a sweetener that is most commonly found in things like gum, peanut butter, baked goods, and ice cream. It can also be listed as birch sugar. Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs and may cause liver failure, so be sure to check ingredient lists before you give anything new to your pup.
Avoid Nutmeg: If you want to add a little extra flavor to your dog’s birthday cake, cinnamon and ginger are both safe in small amounts. However, avoid nutmeg at all costs. It’s toxic to dogs.
Avoid Added Sugars: Giving your dog too much sugar can lead to diabetes and digestive issues. Look for plain Greek yogurt and applesauce when making your cake.

A whole dog birthday cake topped with dog treats.

How Long Will My Cake Last?

If your dog is anything like mine, the birthday cake will be gone before you get a chance to store it! It’s filled with all the tasty flavors they love.

In the Refrigerator: Wrap with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Closeup shot of a slice of dog birthday cake.

More Kid-Friendly Recipes

Getting my kids to take a break from TV or the iPad is a challenge. Thankfully, they like helping out in the kitchen and these are some of our favorite recipes to make together! Not only is it a fun activity, but you get tasty treats in the end! It’s a win-win!

Desserts

Sprinkle Cookies

Snacks

Homemade Fruit Leather

Desserts

Ice Cream in a Bag

Breakfast

Easy Homemade Air Fryer Pop Tarts (2 ways!)