Celebrate your best friend with this single serving dog cupcake made with four canine-friendly ingredients. These ‘pupcakes’ are easy to make, grain-free and will make your pooch’s day!

Cakes for Dogs or Dogs for Cake?
You see that lovely, silly greyhound licking his lips and leering at his cupcake in the background?
He’s stolen two whole cakes before. Not cupcakes. CAKES.
After the second incident I made my way to the store to buy a cake stand with a lid to prevent any future thievery from him. He’s just so tall – he’s got pretty easy access to most food on tables and counters.
To be fair to Paddy he’s typically well behaved and his begging is quite polite. As soon as he hears a ‘no’ he backs off. A true gentleman. Unfortunately no one was here to tell him ‘no’ so fair play, I suppose.
Nowadays, the only cakes our silly, long boy gets to eat are his own.
Homemade Dog Cupcakes
This recipe makes either one jumbo size cupcake, or two regular sized ones. It’s aimed for dog tastes, but it’s certainly edible if you want to share one with your hound.
Altogether this recipe is made up of only four, dog-friendly ingredients:
- peanut butter
- diced apple
- egg
- baking powder
To make, simply mix everything together in a small bowl, then fill a couple of muffin cups, bake and that’s it! Easy, straightforward and basically fool-proof.
FAQ’s & Recipe Tips
What kind of peanut butter?
- Ideally look for a natural or sugar-free peanut butter. Just make sure that your sugar-free peanut butter doesn’t include artificial sweeteners like xylitol. Artificial sweeteners are often potentially deadly to dogs.
- Crunchy peanut butter will work just the same.
banana or pumpkin instead of apple?
- Yes! Instead of apple you can use 1 small banana (or half a medium/large banana). Just mash it up and mix it in.
- Use 1/4 cup mashed/pureed pumpkin in place of apple.
freeze these for later?
- Yes! Just make sure you cool them completely first. Wrap the cupcakes individually in plastic wrap then foil, then store in a zip-lock bag for up to three months.
- To thaw: you can let them thaw in the fridge overnight or in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds.
Do I need to peel the apple?
- Don’t worry about peeling.
- You can grate the apple instead of chopping if you prefer.
- Make sure to remove all the apple seeds. They contain a small amount of cyanide. It’s not likely to cause your dog much harm, but it’s still better to avoid any potential risk.
Whether or not you choose to make these for your pup make sure to give them some extra pets for me! They deserve it.
If you have any more questions please let me know in the comments below!
Single Serving Dog Friendly Cupcake
A dog friendly, single serving cupcake to celebrate the special hounds in your life! Grain free and no added sugar.
Ingredients
- 1/2 small or medium apple, diced into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter + more if desired for frosting
- 1 whole egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
- bacon bits for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.
- In a small bowl mix together all of your ingredients until combined.
- Line or lightly grease two holes in a cupcake tin or a small ramekin. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcake to cool completely. You can leave it as is, or frost with peanut butter and sprinkle with bacon bits.
Notes
Notes of Safety of Ingredients for Dogs
- Make sure to use xylitol free peanut butter/ peanut butter without artificial sweeteners as they can be poisonous for dogs!
- Make sure to remove all the apple seeds. They contain a small amount of cyanide. It's not likely to cause your dog much harm, but it's still better to avoid any potential risk.
- Baking powder and baking soda can be toxic to dog but typically only in large amounts. According to the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists: " Toxicosis may be seen with ingestion of 10-20 g/kg of body weight. This equates to approximately 2-4 teaspoons per kg of body weight." That's roughly 1 teaspoon per pound of body weight. This recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon altogether which should be safe. If you don't want to take the risk, feel free to leave out the baking powder.
Sharlean D Loomans says
I’m so excited to be making my first DOGGIE cupcake… I have selected this respite!
I was wondering if I could use applesauce instead of the apple. It’s what I have in the house right now. And I’m excited to get started. I missed WOOD’S Birthday yesterday!
That’s our seven year old Husky. That has, for the most part, brought out entire family nothing but joy!
I have to be honest that the first year was spent… running to the vets. To get whatever she decided to eat that day. OUT OF HER BELLY!
Boy was she naughty. And I guess I was too. Because no matter how hard I kept things out of her way. She would just go. ONTO THE NEXT.
Since that first year… geez.. we somehow got throgh all that. To be blessed with the most well behaved Hudky on the planet.
Anyway. Help me feed this furry little girl. Can I use unsweetened applesauce. Or I’ll take a run to the store.
I don’t have an apple in the house. But I have PUMKIN PUREES??
WHAT!?
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Sharlean, I hope this reply isn’t too late! I’m in the UK so your comment came in past my bedtime 😅 Applesauce works too – 2 tablespoons should do the trick!
Totally relate on having a food oriented dog too, by the way! Paddy once ate an entire cake that I had left on a cooling rack. I came back, 15 minutes later to find nothing but a few crumbs left behind. I honestly thought my husband had moved it at first! Thankfully it was a low sugar/healthy-ish cake without anything too bad for dogs so he was fine, but I learned not to leave him unattended and he’s a bit less cheeky now.
Happy birthday to Woods!
Mary Stauber says
Absolutely five star. All three of my pups love them. I have used banana or peanut butter and they still love them. They say THANK YOU! 💜
Sarah Nevins says
Awww – so happy they all enjoyed it! Give them some extra ear scratches for me 🙂 Thanks for coming back to leave a review!
Lily says
Hi! I was thinking about making these for my dog Monty who is turning 8 soon! I was just wondering about that if you were to leave out the baking powder, would it affect the way the pupcake came out??
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Lily! The baking powder helps create volume in the cupcake while baking, but the egg helps do this as well. It might not come out quite as puffed up, but I don’t think Monty will mind the difference 🙂
Happy birthday to Monty too by the way – give him some extra love from me 🙂