Cake for puppies

I arrived on the morning of the dog's birthday without any plan for a cake. I quickly went through stores, found nothing suitable, and online delivery wasn't an option. I looked at what I had at home and adapted a simple recipe with dog-safe ingredients. It turned out to be a small, dense cake that people can eat too.

Quick Info

Total time: 35-40 minutes (15 preparation, 15-20 baking, the rest decorating/cooling)
Servings: 6-8 (depends on slice size)
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Base:
1 cup flour (tea cup, approx. 200 g)
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter (or 1 heaping teaspoon ground nuts)
1/4 cup oil (approx. 60 ml)
1 cup finely grated carrots
1/3 cup honey (or less, to taste)
1 pinch baking soda

Frosting:
100 g mascarpone cheese
50 g ricotta cheese
20 g butter (soft)
half a tube of food coloring for decoration (Dr. Oetker)

Decoration:
dog treats (small pieces, no chocolate or sugar)
a little food coloring (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a small baking tray (approx. 15x10 cm or any small shape) with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda.
3. Add the egg, oil, peanut butter (or ground nuts), grated carrots, and honey. Mix until you get a thick, homogeneous mixture.
4. Pour the mixture into the tray and level it out.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the base is slightly golden and passes the toothpick test.
6. Remove the base from the tray and let it cool completely.
7. For the frosting: mix the cheeses with the soft butter, then add a little food coloring for appearance.
8. Cut the cooled base with a knife, following a paper template (for example, a bone shape or any other preferred shape).
9. Spread the cheese frosting over the base using a small spatula or wide-bladed knife.
10. Decorate with treats or other dog-safe ornaments. You can use dots of food coloring for appearance, but don't overdo it.

Why I make this recipe often

It's quick, with simple ingredients, and safe for dogs. It's also good for people, containing nothing problematic. You can easily adjust quantities or flavors after testing it once. It's not temperature-sensitive and can be stored without issues.

Tips and Variations

Tips

Use a small tray for a cake size suitable for a dog.
Check the base with a toothpick after 15 minutes; if it sticks, leave it a few more minutes.
If the base is too thick for the desired shape, cut it horizontally and stack it.
The frosting should be spread on the completely cooled base; otherwise, it will melt.

Substitutions

Peanut butter can be replaced with ground nuts or seed paste (do not add whole seeds).
Ricotta can be swapped with fresh cow cheese (not salty cheese).
Honey can be omitted or reduced by half for dogs sensitive to sweetness.
If you don't have mascarpone, you can use just ricotta and more butter.

Variations

You can add a bit of grated apple or pumpkin instead of carrot if you want to vary the flavor.
Instead of a thick base, you can bake two thin bases and fill them with frosting.
Shapes can be adjusted according to the animal (heart, bone, circle, etc).

Serving Ideas

Cut the cake into small slices. Give the first slice to the birthday dog, the rest can be offered to other dogs or guests.
If making for multiple dogs, decorate each portion with different treats.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use a different type of flour?
Yes, whole wheat flour or oat flour works too, but the texture will be a bit denser.

2. Is honey safe for dogs?
In small amounts, yes. Don't add too much, especially for sensitive dogs or those with weight issues.

3. Can I make the base with other vegetables?
Yes, grated apple or pumpkin works well, but do not add onion, garlic, or raisins.

4. Can I make the cake a day in advance?
Yes, the base and frosting keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.

5. Can I freeze the base?
The plain base can be frozen, but the frosting does not freeze well.

Nutritional Values

Estimated for one serving (1/8 of the cake): approximately 170 kcal, 6g protein, 10g fat, 15g carbohydrates.
Nutritional value varies depending on the ingredients used and the amount of frosting.

Storage and Reheating

The cake keeps in the fridge covered for up to 2 days. The plain base can stay at room temperature for 1 day or be frozen (without frosting) for 2-3 weeks. Reheating is not necessary; it can be served cold or at room temperature. The frosting does not withstand freezing and may separate if kept too long in the fridge. If there's any leftover, slice and keep the pieces cool.

To prepare the base, mix the flour with baking soda, then incorporate all the other ingredients together. Very simple! :) I poured the mixture into a small tray (about 15 cm long and 10 cm wide) lined with baking paper and baked it in the oven for about 15 minutes at high heat. For the cream, I blended the cheeses with the butter and half of the colored pencil. Nothing simpler :) I made a paper stencil in the shape of a bone, which helped me cut the cooled base nicely. Then I covered it with the cheese cream and decorated it with great emotions! :)) I even sang Happy Birthday! because it couldn't be otherwise! The decorated piece with treats was hers, and the rest was shared with friends, dogs, and us. I forgot to mention, the little cake is also edible for us. :)

 Ingredients: For the base: one cup (for tea) of flour, one egg, 1/4 cup (for coffee) of peanut butter (I replaced the peanut butter with a teaspoon of ground walnuts), 1/4 cup of oil, one cup of grated carrots using a small grater, 1/3 cup of honey, a pinch of baking soda. Cream: 100 g of mascarpone cheese, 50 g of ricotta cheese, 20 g of butter, half a tube of colored pencils from Dr. Oetker. Decoration: any kind of treats for dogs, colored pencils from Dr. Oetker.

 Tags:  cake cake base cheese cream