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Only the best will do for my dogs birthday, which is why we make PUPCAKES for her every year! This Pumpkin Pupcake version was her favorite so far: a pumpkin molasses flavored dog cupcake with peanut butter whipped cream frosting.

These will have your dog begging to have one even while you’re just making them!

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Pumpkin pupcakes on a white cake stand with dog in background


You all love your dog recipes – so I need to be sure and make more. My Dog Cake is the most popular recipe on my blog right now!

For Abby’s third birthday I decided to make Pumpkin Pupcakes with Peanut Butter Whipped Cream Frosting. Seriously though, those are all the things she LOVES.

These dog cupcakes are:

  1. Easy to make – you can make big or small cupcakes – and double or half the recipe
  2. Made of stuff that dogs love: pumpkin, molasses, peanut butter
  3. Great for any doggy birthday or occasion!
Close up shot of pumpkin pupcake with icing and a dog treat on top

What are Pupcakes made of?

There are just a few basic ingredients in these doggy cupcakes:

  • Canned Pumpkin Puree (be sure not to get pumpkin pie filling)
  • Molasses (for sweetness and flavor)
  • Honey (for sweetness)
  • Egg
  • Flour, baking soda, baking powder (the usual cupcake ingredients)

Dogs don’t need lots of extra stuff, so the cupcake is super basic. They also don’t need lots of sweetness to like food, so there isn’t much. Abby loves her treats like her mom, so sugar is just fine with her.

Can humans eat pupcakes? I mean – you totally CAN – they don’t have any gross ingredients – but they won’t taste like a regular cupcake!

Frosting for Pupcakes

These don’t even need any frosting if you don’t want, or you could just top with some peanut butter or mashed banana, but Abby is a whipped cream lover.

(She knows what Starbucks looks like and that she’s getting a Puppuchino whenever we go.)

That’s why I decided to top these with peanut butter whipped cream (simply a tablespoon of peanut butter mixed into heavy whipping cream).

We had some mini milk bones leftover from a stay at a hotel and they were the perfect toppers!

My dog biting into a pumpkin pupcake that is on a cake stand with three other pupcakes

How do you make puppy cupcakes?

No mixer needed for these – just stir all the ingredients and scoop into cupcake pans.

You can use liners if you want but no need – the dogs can’t eat them anyway – so it’s easier just to skip them.

You can make about 6-7 regular sized cupcakes or about 18 mini cupcakes, your choice.

Storing Pupcakes

You can make these ahead and store them in the freezer without the frosting. Or they’ll keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Frost just before serving.

My dog sitting on a chair with pumpkin pupcakes on white cake stand out of focus

What kind of cupcakes can dogs eat?

Basically – you know your dog. You know what they like and what they can and can’t eat. I’m not a vet or a doggy nutritionist so I cannot advise if your dogs can eat these or not, but I know my Abby can. She isn’t allergic to anything and will eat everything! Please also be mindful of how much your dogs eat – Abby is a small dog so she only got about 1/2 cupcake at a time and some whipped cream.

If your pup likes these, be sure and try my other doggy recipes:

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @crazyforcrust on Instagram or hashtag it #crazyforcrust

Close up shot of pumpkin pupcake with icing and a dog treat on top

Pumpkin Pupcakes Recipe

5 from 23 votes
Make your dog Pumpkin Pupcakes! These dog cupcakes are simple and have basic ingredients that dogs love.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Yield 7 cupcakes
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 6 cavities of a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Stir together pumpkin, molasses, honey, and egg. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and flour and stir until fully mixed.
  • Place 1/4 cupful of batter in each muffin cup. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Cool completely before frosting.
  • To make frosting: add heavy whipping cream to a large bowl. Add peanut butter. Beat with a hand or a stand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  • Frost cupcakes as desired. For look in photos: fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1M star tip. Pipe frosting and top with a mini milk bone.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • You can skip the molasses and use all honey or agave, if you wish.
  • You can use plain whipped cream instead of the peanut butter addition.
  • Makes 6-7 large cupcakes or you can make about 18 mini cupcakes.
 
Be sure to only feed your dog things that do not hurt their stomachs so if your dog is allergic to wheat or dairy, then this recipe is not for you. I am not a certified dog nutritionist or vet, so use your common sense when feeding your dog.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5981IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Four pumpkin pupcakes on white cake stand with my dog out of focus in background and recipe title on top of image

Dogs LOVE this easy dog cupcake recipe – Pumpkin Pupcakes! These homemade treats are SO easy to make and can be frozen in batches so you will always have them handy for your best friend!

Last Updated on June 27, 2022



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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17 Comments

  1. My dog loved these for his birthday, and I’m not gonna lie they smelled really good so I tried one.…and they were delicious for humans too 😂 i used all honey in place of molasses and oat flour instead of all purpose. 10/10 will make again for myself and my pups.

  2. These are delicious!! My Beagle loved them. I made them for his 2nd birthday. My daughter’s dogs loved them, too. Very easy to make and everyday ingredients. I like the fact that I know what is in these cupcakes. And they taste great!!!

  3. Shoot!! I am posting again because I forgot to give a star rating so please delete the one without a star rating if possible. I am so glad I found this recipe! I was looking for a recipe for the only ingredients I had on hand, and this fit the bill so thank you!!! It was one of my dog sitting clients’ birthdays and he and his brothers needed a treat! And the dogs all loved it! My batch made 7 and could’ve made 8 LOL. I gave my dog only half a pupcake and she swallowed it whole!! I was like oh no! But she’s fine and apparently loved it 🙂 I topped it with a little Whipped cream and a piece of bacon! And this was so easy. Will keep for future reference and make it into a cake possibly! By the way, I tasted this and it was yummy!!

  4. I am so glad I found this recipe! I was looking for a recipe for the only ingredients I had on hand, and this fit the bill so thank you!!! It was one of my dog sitting clients’ birthdays and he and his brothers needed a treat! And the dogs all loved it! My batch made 7 and could’ve made 8 LOL. I gave my dog only half a pupcake and she swallowed it whole!! I was like oh no! But she’s fine and apparently loved it 🙂 I topped it with a little Whipped cream and a piece of bacon! And this was so easy. Will keep for future reference and make it into a cake possibly!

  5. Since I have a GSD, cupcakes don’t really work. Doubled the basic recipe and turned it into a cake. Made the mix like you would for cupcakes, and my 11-year-old puppy kept trying to “help” me. Put it in a 9×9 cake pan and baked it as if it were cupcakes. Now to keep said puppy away from it until party time! Would love to have been able to post a picture of it.