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!

Originally posted June 11, 2015 – Updated pictures post and recipe August 9, 2020 with new photos and FAQ’s.

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.

Paddy’s usually not so bold when it comes to stealing food. His begging is fairly polite and as soon as we tell him ‘no’ he gives up, but I guess even good boys break every now and then.

Fortunately, both times they were cakes that were made with harmless ingredients for dogs. In case you’re looking for a dog-approved cake for humans, this coconut flour cake has the approval of both humans and dogs in our house.

Nowadays, the only cakes our silly long boy gets to eat are his very own

How to Make: 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
• an 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 & Things to Keep in Mind

What kind of peanut butter? Is crunchy ok?

• 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.

Can I use 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.

Can you 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!

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Don’t forget to tag #asaucykitchen on instagram if you these make these dog cupcakes for your pooch!  I love seeing what you make & I especially love seeing pictures of your pets!  You can also post your pictures to my facebook page!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Single Serving Dog Friendly Cupcake

Yield: 2 cupcakes Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

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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)

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. In a small bowl mix together all of your ingredients until combined.
3. Line or lightly grease two holes in a cupcake tin or a small ramekin. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pans.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. 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.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 2

Serving Size:

g Calories: 159Saturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 112mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 6g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Gluten Free Snacks Cuisine: Dog Food