Carmenta's Birthday Cake!

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If you treat your pup like a prince or a princess, why not make them a cake inspired by royalty!

We've got a cake recipe that's just for canines, named after the king of rock and roll -- Elvis's Peanut Butter, Banana & Bacon Cake. My own princess puppy, Carmenta, recently celebrated her first birthday, and we marked the occasion with this cake. She would have happily eaten it in its entirety if we'd let her!


The recipe comes from In the Dog Kitchen: Great Snack Recipes for Your Dog, by Julie Van Rosendaal. It's incredibly easy to make. All you need are a few common (and dog-friendly) ingredients, a cake pan, and a mixing bowl and wooden spoon or spatula! I borrowed a paw print cake pan from Whitehall Public Library, and the thick cake batter filled the pan perfectly.


Ingredients:
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
  • 1 (8 oz) tub spreadable cream cheese, at room temperature (optional; I used whipped cream cheese)
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8- or 9-inch round or square cake pan.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, peanut butter, oil, eggs, and honey, stirring until smooth (don't worry about getting all the lumps of banana out). 
  3. Add the flour and bacon and stir just until combined.
  4. Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
  5. If you like, frost with cream cheese, thinned with milk or water to achieve a spreadable consistency. Store in a sealed container in the fridge, or freeze.
After my puppy enjoyed a slice for her birthday, I cut the rest of the cake into small squares and wrapped them individually in wax paper. Then I put all of the squares into a freezer bag before freezing.

Other recipes in In the Dog Kitchen include Ginger Hearts, Applesauce Oat Strips, Beefy Bones, Peanut Butter & Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookies, Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Outs, Cinnamon Bun Bites, Dog Scout Mint Cookies, Puppy Pancakes, Cinnamon Rice Woofles, and Carrot Pupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

In the Dog Kitchen is available upon request from Whitehall Public Library by calling 412-882-6622, or in the online catalog!  #carmentathebichon