A dog cake recipe to celebrate Dozer’s birthday!! A layer cake frosted with fluffy “buttercream” ….. but it’s made with wholesome pooch friendly ingredients!
Aren’t you just dying to know how I made that frosting?? 😜
Dog cake for Dozer’s birthday!
“That frosting tastes a bit odd,” grumbled the husband of Dozer’s boarder. Can you just imagine the pleasure she got out of telling him he’d just eaten a DOG cake??😂
“Serves him right for helping himself to anything that looks tasty” she smirked when she told me. I was laughing so hard at the vision, I actually snorted.
Who can blame him?? The whole point of creating this cake was to make it look like a real birthday cake piled high with fluffy buttercream frosting – but with dog friendly ingredients.
So it tastes nothing like what it looks like – it’s a total spin out!!
OK OK I know you’re busting to know how I made the cake look so “real” so I won’t keep you in suspense any longer! Here’s the rundown:
- Healthy dog sponge cake – it’s like a very healthy carrot cake, very low fat, sugar free
- Fluffy whipped potato “frosting” – looks just like buttercream, but it’s pooch friendly! While we humans wouldn’t put potato frosting on a cake, our pooches won’t complain!😂
🐾 Healthy dog sponge cake🐾
This is a healthy dog friendly version of carrot cake. It’s a moist sponge that’s very simple to make – dump and mix job – and all the ingredients are either good for dogs, or fine for dogs to eat in moderation. I’ve provided some nutrition commentary on each ingredient in the recipe below.
(PS I hope you didn’t miss that I said this is a moist sponge. Just because it’s a dog cake, doesn’t mean we should let our standards slip! 😂)
🐾 Dog friendly fluffy frosting 🐾
Made with fluffy whipped mashed potato! OK, so it’s not something you’d put on a cake for humans – but this is for dogs remember!
I wanted a frosting that was dog friendly that looked just like vanilla buttercream so I could use it for sandwiching layers, frosting and piping. Most dog cake frosting recipes I found use yogurt and peanut butter which is too soft and also, too much of either of those ingredients is not good for dogs.
Solution: whipped mashed potato!! 🤣 I got the idea from Meatloaf Cupcakes that I shared years ago where I piped on mashed potato swirls.
I use yogurt to give it a creamy soft “buttercream frosting” consistency because yogurt has probiotics in it which is good for dogs. But water works just as well!
Look how well it works as frosting for the cake! It’s looks almost impossibly similar to real buttercream frosting!
🎉Dozer’s birthday party!🎉
A cake this good (and big 😳) is made to be shared. And what better way to share it than at an impromptu birthday party down at the beach??
It was, as one might expect, total chaos, and my vision of an adorable photo of all the dogs wearing party hats sitting patiently behind the cake just didn’t happen. (That was total wishful thinking on my part 😂)
Hats were swiped off within seconds of putting them on – hence why you only see photos of 1 dog at a time wearing a hat 😂, the swarm of wet, sandy golden retrievers around the cake was such a hazard at one point I actually had to pick the cake up and run away!
As for the birthday boy, the cheeky bugger tried to get stuck into the cake before it was even served!!
But suffice to say, it was his idea of a perfect birthday. Beach, all his best mates, a big fat cake. What more can a dog ask for??
Actually, the only thing different between this day and every other day in Dozer’s life was the presence of cake. 😂
Happy birthday Dozer! 🎊🎉 Another year older, though not wiser. But I wouldn’t change a thing about you – I love you just the way you are! ~ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Shooting with Dozer IN the video was somewhat of a challenge…… if he had his way, he’d have eaten the batter raw!! 😂
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Dog cake recipe - with dog friendly fluffy frosting!
Ingredients
Dog birthday cake:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (120g) peanut butter (spread or pure)
- 1/4 cup (65ml) oil (canola, vegetable)
- 2/3 cup (165ml) milk (or water)
- 1/3 cup (100g) honey or maple syrup (or apple sauce or skip it)
- 2 1/2 cups shredded carrot (2 large)
- 2 cups (300g) whole wheat / wholemeal flour (or white flour)
- 2.5 tsp baking soda
Dog Friendly Fluffy Frosting (Whipped Potato Yogurt):
- 600 - 700g / 1.2 - 1.4lb potatoes , peeled, cut into chunks
- 3/4 - 1 cup yogurt (plain unsweetened) or water
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (160C fan).
- Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm/8" cake pans.
- Whisk together eggs, peanut butter, oil, honey and milk (little peanut butter lumps ok).
- Stir in carrots. Then add flour and baking soda, stir until just combined (over mixing = hard cake = sad birthday pooch).
- Divide batter between the cake pans, spread and smooth surface.
- Bake 25 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool on racks. Frost per below.
Doggie Fluffy Frosting:
- Boil, steam or microwave potato until very soft.
- Whip potato and yoghurt with an electric beater until fluffy and smooth as possible (won't go 100% smooth) - about 1 1/2 minutes on medium speed (speed 5).
- Use water as needed to loosen frosting to soft spreadable consistency (like human buttercream frosting!). Use while warm (it "sets" when it cools).
Frost:
- Spread 1/4 frosting on one cake.
- Top with other cake. Frost tops and sides with remaining frosting, reserving some to pipe decorations if desired (3/4 cup frosting).
Recipe Notes:
- Eggs - good source of protein for dogs
- Peanut butter - "treat" element, dogs are mad for peanut butter! Gives the cake an irresistible peanut butter smell, 2.5 tsp per slice
- Oil - very small amount used, about 1/2 tsp per slice
- Milk - if you're concerned about your dog consuming dairy, sub with water. Works out at 1.5 tsp per serve, and also remember it's cooked!
- Honey - For a touch of sweetness, 3/4 tsp per slice. Can skip if you want.
- Carrot - carrot is good for dogs! I hide a lot of carrot in Dozer's meals. Aso makes the sponge moist. Can sub with zucchini or sweet potato.
- Wholewheat / wholemeal flour - just like with humans, carbs are fine to consume in moderation!
- Baking soda - to make the sponge rise.
- Potato - Same as flour, cooked potato is fine to consume in moderation! It's a better, healthier option than slathering the cake with a peanut butter yogurt frosting which seems to be the default for dog cake recipes. Too much yogurt or peanut butter is not good for our pooches (whether commercial sweetened spread or even pure unsweetened peanut butter, it's very high in fat. Some yogurt is good for dogs but not vast quantities)
- Yogurt - probiotics in yogurt is good for dogs digestive system, just like with humans! If your dog is sensitive to dairy, just use water.
Forgot to tell you I made this for Annabelle, Cooper, Frankie, Rosie and Elmo Jr for their 1st birthday! They loved it! It was demolished 👌🐾 I broke up liver treats on the top – looked like choc sprinkles🤣
Wooot!!!!! Happy Birthday Annabelle!! 🎈
I made this for my Roker’s second birthday party yesterday. I cannot believe how amazing it turned out!!! All the dogs loved it, even the picky ones! It looked so beautiful too!
Happy Birthday Roker! A special tummy scratch from me ❤️
My dog turned 3 and he loves peanut butter so this is a yes,yes recipe.Thx
Wahoo! Give him a belly scratch from me!
Well, my English Cream Retriever turned 5 today and so I baked this cake for him…it was a hit! He truly loved it. It was easy to make and it looks so good! Thank you for the great recipe!
Oh that’s awesome Joan! Happy Birthday to your pup! – N x
Terrific is an easy cake 🍰 and beautiful .. so in the peanut butter it can be the one we eat ? In human or it have to be a specific dog peanut butter ? And the milk ? Also a specific one ?
Hi Helen, I use normal peanut butter and milk. Just make sure your peanut butter doesn’t contain xylitol as it’s not good for dogs – N x
Hi Nagi. It’s my little pug’s 10th birthday soon and we’re going to make this recipe for her. She’s a small dog and her best friend is a cat so she doesn’t have many other doggy friends to share her cake with. My question is could I make a smaller amount of the recipe – maybe half – and bake as cupcake/muffin size cakes? If so how long would the cooking take please?
You remind me of my old Dog. He was so cute and we celebrate his birthday on every 17 June. I never tried this type of Cake. Now i am thinking to bring new dog. Will try it. Thank you dear.
Dozer reminds me so much of Oscar, my golden retriever who also just turned 7 a month ago, loves water and loves food. They’re just the best dogs😍
I love your site, I have made quite a lot of your recipes and yet to make anything I haven’t totally loved. Returning to baked Ziti tonight and will probably accompany with magic brocolli!
Thanks so much Emily, I’m so glad you’re loving the recipes! Give Oscar a big belly rub from me – N x
Happy 7th Birthday Dozer!
Great job N! Dozer’s cake looks great! 😉 🎂🎈🎉🎁
Thanks so much!! ❤️
Hi Nagi! Absolutely love every recipe we have tried of yours and so many of them have become family favourites! I saw this recipe the other day and know our golden retriever Boston would love it for his birthday in a few months. Can I check could I make this a few days early and then freeze?
You sure could. Just make the cake and freeze, then thaw when ready to ice – Happy Birthday Boston!
OMG this is the cutest!
My puppy is turning 7 this week too, I will definitely need to whip this up for him now.
I hope you do Chloe!
I can’t wait to make this for my Haley next year.
Happy Birthday Dozer! All dogs should have such a great life. Belly rubs and kisses.
I totally agree Debbie!!
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for sharing the doggy birthday cake recipe. I have a furry friend who is wheat sensitive. Can I substitute rice flour for the whole wheat / white flour?
Hi Bev, sorry I haven’t tried but would love to know!
Hi Nagi. HPB Dozer.
Dear Nagi, I baked the cake for my Princess, I replaced the water with her chicken stock (a special stock) I make for her, added a steamed shredded chicken breast in in, and with the frosting I did 1/2 chicken stock and have homemade yogurt, well that is all she wants to eat now. Love Johan
Sounds great Johan!!
Any suggestions for stating the cake? I pre-made it and it turned out beautifully but the party is in 2 days… Any tips appreciated!!
**storing
Awwwww…
Great cake Nagi!🎂
Happy birthday Dozer! Lots of love and hugs and kisses!! 🎉😍❤️
Happy Birthday Dozer! It looks like you had a Great day with your Mom and your friends at the beach enjoying surf, sunshine and a Beautiful cake! Best wishes Dozer! xoxo
Aww, happy birthday, Dozer! Looks like you had a great day. Many more happy years to you!
Beautiful, yummy cake! Happy birthday Dozer!!!! xoxo
Sending furry hugs back from Dozer! ❤️
Happy Birthday Dozer🦴
OMG I love this video more than life it’s self !
I can’t wait to make it for Jock Rogers!
Had so much fun making it I want to do more recipe videos with dozer in them! So I’m going to share more doggie treats!
Look forwards to making my baby this cake… and to any dog recipes you come up with…