Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake
John John turned 3 last month, so of course I had to make him a homemade dog birthday cake! This Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake is full of fresh strawberries from the farmer’s market and topped with John John’s favorite Dog Friendly Whipped Cream for strawberry shortcake vibes!
If you’re looking for more dog treat recipes, check out John John’s last two dog birthday cake recipes that he also loves, our Blueberry Peanut Butter Dog Cake and Strawberry Zucchini Cake for Dogs. And, be sure to check out our course How to Cook Homemade Dog Food (Vet-Approved, Balanced and Simple).
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake
- Ready In: 42 minutes
- Makes: 2 layer 6-inch cake
- Main Ingredients: coconut cream, strawberries, peanut butter, eggs
- Flavor Profile: peanut butter and strawberries
- Dietary Info: dairy free, no seed oils
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: Dog safe birthday cake your pup will love!
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Why You’ll Love This This Recipe
- Dog Birthday Cake: This strawberry shortcake for dogs is a fun dog birthday cake to celebrate your four legged friend!
- Dog Safe: This dog friendly cake is made with dog safe ingredients (that humans can also eat, not saying you’ll like it, but you can eat it!). Another great dog dessert is our Apple Crisp for Dogs, check it out for a more simple recipe without leftovers.
- Dogs Love: This dog birthday cake with peanut butter is full of goodness your pup will go nuts for! We always love to share with all the neighborhood dogs and John John’s friends loved this Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake! It was a huge hit!
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If you're throwing a dog birthday party, then this Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake is the ultimate treat for the guests of the birthday fur baby! And, if you need a matching human cake to go with this recipe, check out my Eggless Strawberry Shortcake, Simple Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes, or Organic Strawberry Shortcake With Homemade Whipped Cream recipes.
You can also make Dog Friendly Sweet Potato Fries that both humans and dogs can share! Combine that with a fruit plate, apples and peanut butter and you have a little appetizer spread that is dog and human safe!
Ingredients
This dog friendly cake is a play on the iconic summer dessert — strawberry shortcake. Your dog will go nuts for this strawberry shortcake for dogs! You just need a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
- Peanut Butter: Make sure you are using organic creamy peanut butter that is also dog safe. I use Costco Organic Peanut Butter, where the only two ingredients are peanuts and salt. A little salt is totally fine for dogs in something like this, but you can also use salt free peanut butter too. Be sure to avoid xylitol as it’s incredibly toxic to dogs. You also want to avoid added sugars, flavors, and seed oils as those are not great for dogs either.
- Coconut Milk: Organic coconut milk is the best dog safe milk out there. Be sure to avoid coconut milks with added flavors, which is why I use Jiva Organics as it’s just coconut! Don’t use almond milk as dog’s cannot digest almonds well. And, regular dairy milk is not great for dogs as most dogs cannot process dairy well. You can use oat milk so long as the only ingredients are oats and water. Using a dog safe milk is important so your pups tummy doesn’t get upset.
- Strawberries: I top this strawberry shortcake for dogs with fresh strawberries. You can also use freeze dried strawberries too! You could also use other dog safe fruits such as bananas, apples, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Easy Substitutions
- If you want a smaller cake, feel free to cut the recipe in half and you’ll have just one single layer cake. But, if you need a smaller dessert to celebrate try our Homemade Blueberry Pup Cup instead.
- You can use oat milk in place of coconut milk so long as it’s dog safe (just oats and water).
- If your dog is gluten free, try using Namaste Perfect Flour Blend in place of flour (substitution in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe).
- Feel free to swap out fruit for other dog safe fruits your pup likes.
How to Make a Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. To make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, eggs, and coconut milk. Whisk until combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder.
- Mix until combined into a batter.
- Transfer the batter evenly to the prepared baking pans and bake for 27 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add just the coconut cream from the can (not the water) and the honey.
- Whisk on low and then gradually increase the speed as the mixture thickens, whisk until stiff peaks form.
- To assemble the cake: Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or plate. Add half the whipped cream frosting.
- Slice strawberries, making sure to remove all stems as those can upset your dog's tummy. Top with sliced strawberries.
- Top with the second cake layer and then the other half of the whipped cream frosting. Then add remaining strawberries.
- It's ready to serve! Store in the fridge until your party!
Recipe FAQ’s
No, do not use almond butter. Don’t give your dog almond butter or almond milk as dog’s cannot digest almonds well, so while this may seem healthier for you it’s not actually better for your dog!
I'm using my Dog Friendly Whipped Cream for frosting here, which is made up of coconut cream and honey. You can also use plain Greek yogurt or plain peanut butter (be sure it's dog safe!).
How to Serve Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake
Serve this to your dog cut into small pieces so they can easily enjoy. You can cut it up and put in their bowl or break off pieces and feed them directly, but do not give them a full pieces of cake as they can choke. If you have leftover cake, serve it as a treat or food topper for picky eaters!
Pair this dog birthday cake with other doggie desserts if you're hosting a dog party! Try our Pumpkin Donuts for Dogs, Bakery Famous Soft Peanut Butter Dog Cookies, or Homemade Carrot Pupcakes (Dog Cupcakes).
How to Store
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also wrap in plastic wrap if needed.
More Dog Treat Recipes
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Strawberry Dog Birthday Cake
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
Batter
- 226 grams peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 255 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting
- 13.5 ounces coconut cream (chilled)
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
Topping
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, eggs, and coconut milk. Whisk until combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder. Whisk until combined into a batter.
- Transfer the batter evenly to the prepared baking pans and bake for 27 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add just the coconut cream from the can (not the water) and the honey.
- Whisk on low and then gradually increase the speed as the mixture thickens, whisk until stiff peaks form.
- To assemble the cake: Place one of the cake layers on a cake stand or plate. Add half the whipped cream frosting.
- Slice the strawberries (making sure to remove the stems completely as those can upset your dog's stomach) and top with half the strawberries.
- Top with the second cake layer and then the other half of the whipped cream frosting. Add remaining strawberries on top.
- Store extra cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use a dog safe peanut butter. I use the Costco Organic Creamy Peanut Butter! Your peanut butter should only have peanuts and salt. Avoid all added sugars, flavors, seed oils, and especially xylitol as that is incredibly toxic for dogs.
- Don't use almond butter, dog's should not have almonds.
- You can use another dog safe fruit in place of strawberries. Other options include: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, bananas, or kiwis.
- Make sure to store leftovers in the fridge.
Nutrition
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John John loves this cake, we hope your dog does too!