Dog Birthday Cake

Wow!  That was a long and unexpected break from blogging.  My girls are going back to school in just over a week and it really hit me how fast summer has been flying by.  So, I've put projects on the back burner and have been trying to spend some fun times with my family before school starts again.

Speaking of fun times, Kayla wanted to make a cake for the dogs.  If you know anything about me, you know that I'm almost as obsessed with my dogs as I am with my kids.  So, I quickly agreed that it sounded like a fun idea!

I helped her find a recipe that didn't sound too disgusting online.  Many of the recipes involved cooking canned dog food.  Can you imagine how awful your house would smell after that?!?!?  We used this one found on e-how that looked almost as appetizing to the humans as it did to the dogs.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup rice flour - we used regular flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• Large mixing bowls
• 1/2 cup organic peanut butter
• Shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 9-inch round pie tin - we used a cute bone-shaped tin
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Toothpick or uncooked spaghetti
• 1 cup non-fat cream cheese - we used plain Greek yogurt

 1.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Mix together 1 cup flour and 2 tsp. baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
3.  Pour 1/2 cup organic peanut butter, 1/2 cup shredded carrots and 1/2 cup honey in a separate bowl.
4.  Mix the peanut butter, carrots and honey together well and add 1 egg, 1/4 cup canola oil and 2 tsp. vanilla extract.
5.  Pour the peanut butter and honey mixture into the large bowl that contains the flour and baking soda.
6.  Mix together all of the ingredients until they are well blended.
7.  Cover the inside of a 9-inch round pie tin with a coating of non-sticking cooking oil and pour the mixture inside.
8.  Set the cake onto the center oven rack and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top of the cake has slightly browned. Place a toothpick or an uncooked piece of spaghetti into the center of the cake. Pull it out and if there is batter on the toothpick of spaghetti, the cake is not done.
9.  Allow the cake to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, combine 1 cup non-fat cream cheese (or plain Greek yogurt) and 1/2 cup shredded carrots.
10.  Cover the completely cooled cake with a layer of the cream cheese and carrot frosting.
11.  Remove the cake from the pie tin and serve it to your four-legged guest of honor.

We made the cake to celebrate the anniversary of Tyler's adoption.  Tyler was adopted from Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue two years ago.  He was a stray dog from a shelter in Joplin, Missouri were he was about to be put to sleep.  He is a beautiful purebred Golden Retriever and it amazes me that nobody would want him.  He remains my best "save" to date.  If you want to read more about his story, go here. 

If you are considering getting a dog, I would suggest checking out dog rescue groups.   Almost every breed has its own group.   I was surprised at the huge number of great dogs out there looking for homes.

Ty graciously shared his cake with his "little" sister Emma, the goldendoodle.  Needless to say, the dogs LOVED the cake.