Dog owners love to spoil their dogs. Some owners buy their dogs a new lead, a new collar or even a funky harness.
However, I (and I’m sure many other dog owners across the globe) love going that extra mile by cooking them up a storm!
This ‘superfood woofin’ dog cupcake recipe makes a delicious and tasty treat for your dog that will also give them a great boost of goodness to keep them happy and healthy!
The truth is that no matter how hard we try and treat our precious pooches like a pet, they soon become part of the family.
To me, my dog, Barney, is pretty much my child! In my eyes, my lovely, 6 year old boy is sweet, innocent and wouldn’t hurt a fly – although he does occasionally eat them as a cheeky snack… I’m sure they contain plenty of protein, right?
Sometimes, I don’t even need an event, such as Barney’s birthday, in order to make him a tasty treat. Often, he can just look at me the right way and I’ll think, “Oh go on then, I’ll make you something” – those big brown eyes just have a way of getting into my heart!
Coming from a veterinary background, I am super cautious of what I feed to my dog. There are a loads of foods such as chocolate, raisins and garlic that can all cause a considerable amount of damage to our dogs organs if ingested.
If you are ever worried about something that your dog has eaten, always give your veterinary practice a call and check. It’s always better to be safe!
Now, I do understand that it would be a lot more convenient to go out and buy a doggy cupcake. There are plenty across the market that you can purchase, but just make sure to check the ingredients to ensure that they are safe to be consumed by dogs.
However, I am a firm believer in the phrase “fresh is best” and what could be fresher than making cupcakes for dogs from scratch, and this banana woofin dog cupcake recipe certainly passed the taste test for Barney!
Perhaps it’s also my veterinary nurse brain that tries to find every opportunity to get some goodness into my dog. A tasty treat that is delicious and also packed full of goodness can only be a good thing.
I just wish human snacks applied this theory to their new recipes – then I wouldn’t feel so guilty for eating a large amount of chocolate!
The dog woofins dog cupcake recipe seemed like a great way to make Barney something as a bit of a celebration, whilst also incorporating a couple of superfoods for dogs into the mix.
Superfoods are a collection of different food items that are brimming with nutritional goodness that our canine companions can benefit from.
Woofins can be given to your dog for any occasion. Planning on hosting a doggy birthday party? This dog cupcake recipe will go down an absolute treat.
However, if you don’t have an extravagant pooch party planned, these woofins will last 5 – 7 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer – just make sure to defrost them thoroughly before offering them to your dog.
Whilst these cupcakes for dogs are packed full of goodness that your dog will be sure to devour, it’s probably not the best idea to offer them a whole load of woofins in one go. Even though they are brimming with superfood properties, some foods may not suit our dogs.
If you notice that your dog has any vomiting or diarrhea after they have eaten a woofin, it’s probably best to avoid giving them any more in the future.
In addition to this, if you are offering new foods to your dog that they haven’t eaten before, make sure to monitor them for any signs of an allergic reaction.
If you are worried about your dog after they have eaten a woofin, then call your veterinary practice for more advice. Show them this recipe so they can understand what ingredients your dog has eaten.
Superfood woofins should only be used as an addition to your dog’s normal diet, as this should already contain all of the goodness that they require.
Remember no more than 10% of your dog’s daily food intake comes from treats and supplementary foods.
Suggested reading: How many treats can my dog have per day?
Superfood Dog Cupcake Recipe
I always try to select at least 2 or 3 superfoods to add into doggy recipes. Superfoods can benefit different aspects of our dog’s health. The superfoods used in this particular recipe include:
- Olive Oil
A small amount of olive oil is great for our dog’s health. It contains high levels of vitamins and minerals, as well as promoting a healthy gut.
- Carrot
Carrots are nothing but beneficial for our dogs. They help to promote good eyesight, keep their teeth fresh and clean and also boosts their immune system.
- Banana
Bananas are a great treat to give to your dog. They are high in vitamins and minerals but also low in calories. They do have a high sugar concentration though, so feed in moderation.
- Honey
Honey should be given to your dog in moderation. However, it is packed with beneficial properties that help to protect the cells in their body from damage and can even help to prevent different types of cancers! That’s pretty super.
- Chia Seeds
These little seeds can help to support our dogs joints as well as supporting their immune system.
Cupcakes for dogs here we go! Let's Bake!
Following a method for cooking can sometimes be daunting and long winded. However, let’s remember that we’re cooking for our dogs here, so you don’t need the best cooking technique in order to impress them!
Barney will eat literally anything, regardless of how it looks. So, if you don’t get the perfect fluffy texture for these doggy cupcake woofins, then don’t sweat it. Your dog will eat them regardless!
Before starting to prepare your woofins, remember to preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and grease your muffin tin with a small amount of olive oil.
Superfood Doggy Woofins
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Muffin Tin
- Fork or Potato Masher
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- A Canine Sous Chef!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Banana
- 2 tbsp Honey (local, raw)
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
Optional Garnish
- 2 tbsp Peanut Butter (xylitol free)
- 1 tsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Splash of water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 180°C/350°F (160°C fan oven)
- Peel your banana and place it into a bowl. Using a fork or a potato masher, squash the banana into a pulp. Grate the carrot on the most course side of the grater and mix into the banana pulp.
- Add the olive oil and honey to the banana and carrot mixture.
- Add the flour and baking powder to the mixture and stir until well combined.
- Take a small amount of the batter and fill each muffin round to around ¾’s full.
- Place the muffin tin on the middle rack of the oven for 10 - 15 minutes. Place a knife into the center of the woofin. If there is raw mixture on the knife, cook for 5 more minutes. When the knife comes out clean, the woofins are ready.
- Allow the woofins to cool for 5 minutes out of the oven before then removing them from the muffin tin. The woofins should be allowed to cool completely.Once fully cooled, these can then be offered to your dog to gobble up and enjoy. If you are celebrating their birthday, then singing is mandatory! Feeling extra fancy and want to garnish your woofins? Let’s carry on!
- Add the peanut butter to a bowl and add a small amount of water until it is softer in texture. If you’re wanting to go the whole hog, you can use a whisk to make the consistency similar to icing.
- If you’re really wanting to push the superfood boat out, sprinkle over some chia seeds for an extra boost of goodness!
Notes
