Recipe

Simple Dog Cake Recipe

A tender, dog-friendly cake made with pantry staples like pumpkin, peanut butter, and oats. Easy to bake, easy to slice, and very easy to watch your pup fall in love with.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

Jump to Recipe

If your dog hears the word cake and suddenly becomes the most obedient creature on earth, this one is for you. This simple dog cake is the kind of bake that feels special without being fussy: tender crumb, lightly sweet from pumpkin and banana, and sturdy enough to slice into neat little celebratory wedges.

It is also built for real life. No weird ingredients, no complicated decorating, and no stress if your frosting looks a little chaotic. Your dog is not judging your piping skills. Your dog is judging whether you will share.

Quick note: This is a treat, not a complete meal. Keep portions sensible, especially for small dogs, and always check with your vet if your pup has allergies or medical restrictions.

Why It Works

Tender, sliceable texture: Blitzed oats (oat flour) plus pumpkin and banana create a soft crumb that cuts cleanly once cooled.
Accessible ingredients: Oats, eggs, pumpkin, and peanut butter are easy to find and easy to pronounce.
Dog-safe sweetness: No added sugar needed. The banana does the friendly work.
Frosting that behaves: A quick peanut butter and yogurt frosting spreads smoothly and sets up in the fridge.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Fridge: Store frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If unfrosted, it can go about 5 days.

Freezer: Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Best texture tip: If your fridge runs dry, add a tiny smear of peanut butter right before serving to bring back that “freshly made” vibe.

Food safety: Because the frosting uses yogurt, keep it chilled and do not leave frosted cake sitting out for long.

Common Questions

Is this dog cake safe for all dogs?

It is made with dog-friendly ingredients, but not every dog is the same. If your dog has pancreatitis history, needs a low-fat diet, or has allergies (especially to peanut butter, eggs, or dairy), check with your vet before serving.

What peanut butter is safe for dogs?

Use a peanut butter that lists peanuts (and maybe salt) as the ingredients. Avoid anything containing xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Also skip chocolate-flavored spreads.

Do I have to grind the oats?

If you want a more classic cake-like slice with a tender crumb, yes, it helps a lot. Blitz the rolled oats into a coarse flour before mixing. If you leave the oats whole, you will still get a delicious treat, but the texture will be closer to baked oatmeal than a bakery-style cake.

Can I make it without eggs?

Yes. Swap each egg for 1 “flax egg” (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, rest 5 minutes). The cake will be slightly more delicate but still sliceable once cooled.

Can humans eat this?

Totally. It is basically a lightly sweet pumpkin oat snack cake. It just will not taste like dessert-cake because we are not using sugar, butter, or vanilla.

My cake seems dense or gummy. What happened?

Most often it is from oats not being ground (whole oats bake up heartier), batter that was very thick, or the cake being slightly underbaked in the center. Next time, blitz the oats into oat flour for a lighter crumb, add a splash of water or dog-safe broth if needed, and bake until the center is set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

8-inch round cake pan (or 8x8-inch square pan)
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk or sturdy spoon
Rubber spatula
Cooling rack
Blender or food processor (recommended, for a cake-like crumb)
Small bowl for frosting

I made my first dog birthday cake thinking I would be all calm and Pinterest about it. I was not. The frosting was lopsided, the edges were a little too crisp, and my dog still stared at it like I had handcrafted the Mona Lisa. That is the energy I want for you here. This cake is simple, forgiving, and honestly kind of fun in a slightly chaotic kitchen way. If it comes out perfectly round, great. If it comes out a little rustic, your dog will still throw a whole celebration in their head.

Simple Dog Cake Recipe

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 12 small slices

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (or quick oats), blitzed into oat flour for a cake-like crumb
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (plain pumpkin, not pie filling)
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
2 tablespoons water or low-sodium dog-safe broth (only if batter feels very thick) Note: If using broth, make sure it contains no onion or garlic.

Simple peanut butter frosting (optional)

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
1 to 2 teaspoons honey (optional, for larger dogs only, omit for puppies)

Optional topping ideas: a few dog-safe treats, a light sprinkle of finely chopped apple, or a tiny pinch of crushed oats.

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan (or line the bottom with parchment for easy release).
Make oat flour. Add the oats to a blender or food processor and blitz until they look like a coarse flour. (If you skip this, expect a heartier, baked-oatmeal style texture.)
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the oat flour, baking powder, and cinnamon (if using).
Mix the wet ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs. Add pumpkin, mashed banana, applesauce, and peanut butter. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
Combine gently. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined. The batter should be thick but spreadable. If it feels like cement, add 1 tablespoon water or dog-safe low-sodium broth at a time until it loosens slightly. (Broth must contain no onion or garlic.)
Bake. Spread batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 22 to 28 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Cool completely. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool fully. Do not frost while warm or the frosting will melt and slide off like it is trying to escape.
Make the frosting (optional). Stir yogurt and peanut butter until smooth. Add honey only if you want a little sweetness and your dog can have it.
Frost and serve. Spread frosting over the cooled cake. Chill 15 to 20 minutes to help it set, then slice into small pieces. Serve one piece and accept the praise.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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