Last week I celebrated my puppy’s first birthday! Jack turned one, and I wanted to make him and his canine pals a special treat. After researching the options, I selected a Peanut Butter & Apple “pup” cake recipe. The ingredients were simple, inexpensive, and dog friendly. While it sounded bland to me, each dog who tried one loved it! These dog themed cupcakes were such a big hit, I wanted to pass the recipe along!

When I first began my research for a fun birthday treat for Jack, I was concerned about using flour. Thanks to our recent bout of food and environmental allergies, I knew Jack wouldn’t be able to have a treat that included white flour. After some research, I discovered many alternatives. The most fitting option for Jack’s diet was using whole wheat flour. It’s always best to consider any special dietary needs your dog has when making homemade treats.

For Jack’s birthday, I ordered dog themed cupcake liners. I also stopped by our local pet store and picked up some fun decorated doggie birthday treats for Jack and his friends. Some of Jack’s human friends stopped by and brought him new toys and a special shirt for the occasion. Jack had a great birthday, and I was able to add this cool recipe to the list of must-haves for all dog-related celebrations!

Apple & Peanut Butter PUP-Cakes

Recipe makes 12 pupcakes

Adapted from Sugar & Soul Co

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 6 ounces plain yogurt
• ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ⅓ cup creamy unsalted and unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 cup grated apple, peeled and cored
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
3. In a large bowl or mixer, beat together the flour, baking powder, eggs, yogurt and applesauce. Mix until combined.
4. Beat in peanut butter, honey and grated apple.
5. Add ¼ cup of batter to each cupcake liner. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
6. Once pupcakes have cooled, beat heavy cream until light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes
7. Pipe whipped cream onto the cooled pupcakes. Serve shortly after frosting, or store in the refrigerator or freezer.

*For small dogs, use mini cupcake pan. Use 1 tbsp of batter per liner and bake for approximately 10 minutes.