Furbaby birthday in the house! We’re pivoting from our regularly scheduled arts & crafts time and devoting that time to…my dog.
Today my gentle giant, Thor, turns two, and I have decided to celebrate his birthday with reckless abandon.
I’m not really a “my dog is my kid” person (she said with her fingers crossed behind her back…), but this little corker deserves a FULL day of getting his party on.
So far, he has spent the morning with his friends rolling in the mud, enjoyed an all-windows-down car ride, scarfed an oatmeal and apple breakfast fit for a king, and is currently sunning on the deck. Not too shabby!
Thor had a pretty tough puppyhood medically, and because there are some lingering issues and dietary restrictions, I don’t typically stray far from his regular food – all the more reason to do something extra special today.
So, I combined a few recipes I found online, made some substitutions, added a couple of his favorite things, and came up with this.
Not only does he looovvvvve them, but the sweet potato and rice flour are also great puppy stomach soothers. Heads up: if you don’t want to puree the sweet potato, you can use organic pumpkin instead.
For kids excited to celebrate a pet’s birthday, commemorate the special day by making DIY pet journals – with a simple fold-and-fill printable that comes with lots of writing, drawing, and photo prompts, plus a fun set of stickers!
Sweet Potato Pupcake Recipe with Peanut Butter & Bacon Frosting
Makes: 6 Pupcakes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour (or whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons organic canola oil (can sub olive oil or sunflower oil)
- 1/3 cup organic applesauce
- 1/2 cup pureed sweet potato (can sub pumpkin)
- 1 organic, pastured egg
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 2 tablespoons organic honey
- 3 tablespoons organic plain Greek yogurt
- 1½ tablespoons natural or Xylitol-free peanut butter
- 3-4 pieces of bacon, crumbled
How to Make Allergy-Friendly Pupcakes for Dogs – DIY Instructions:
Preheat the oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Stir the flour, baking powder, canola oil, applesauce, sweet potato egg, carrots, and honey together in a mixing bowl until well combined.
Fill lined cupcake (er, pupcake) pan.
Spoon mixture into cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
Bake the pupcakes.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes – you can stick the bacon on another cookie sheet and throw it in to brown up as well!
Make the dog-friendly icing.
While the pupcakes cool, in a bowl, mix the yogurt and peanut butter until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Use a small spatula or butter knife to smooth a thin layer of the peanut butter frosting over each cupcake.
Note: Don’t forget to make sure your peanut butter is Xylitol-free!
Optional: Add bacon!
Top with bacon crumbles (and probably a biscuit…I mean, it’s a special occasion).
Humans take note: this icing is TO DIE FOR. Goodbye, powdered sugar – hello, peanut butter and Greek yogurt!
Seriously, this icing + dark chocolate anything…I’m going to leave that thought right there for you. Do what you will with it.
The pupcakes should hold up for 4-5 days if stored in an airtight container in a cool, shaded, dry spot. Peanut butter frosting should be stored separately, covered, and refrigerated. Frost immediately before serving.
Consensus…? THOR APPROVED.
Eight Ways Your Kids Can Help Make These Dog Pupcakes
Easy little treats like these are a great way to get your kids involved in the kitchen! Here are a few ways to let your kids help put these fun homemade dog cupcakes:
- Measure Ingredients: Kids can help measure out the ingredients, such as the brown rice flour, baking powder, canola oil, applesauce, sweet potato, egg, carrots, honey, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and bacon.
- Mix the Ingredients: Under supervision, kids can stir the flour, baking powder, canola oil, applesauce, sweet potato, egg, carrots, and honey together in a mixing bowl until well combined.
- Fill the Cupcake Liners: Kids can help spoon the mixture into cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake the Cupcakes: With adult supervision, kids can help put the pupcakes in the oven and set the timer.
- Make the Icing: While the cupcakes cool, kids can mix the yogurt and peanut butter in a bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Apply the Icing: Kids can use a small spatula or butter knife to smooth a thin layer of the peanut butter frosting over each cupcake.
- Add the Toppings: Kids can top the cupcakes with bacon crumbles.
- Serve the Dog Cupcakes: Kids can help come up with a fun way to serve the Pupcakes.
Remember, all these activities should be carried out under adult supervision to ensure safety!
For more ideas to help children of all ages learn basic kitchen skills, visit our collection of hands-on kitchen activities for kids.
For more kids & pet resources, make a pet journal with us, or visit our ideas for grieving a pet with kids.
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I love seeing all the ways people make these ideas their own! If you're sharing the results of one of our projects, mention or tag me with @barleyandbirch, or share it in the comments of one of our Pinterest project pins.
