Pumpkin Pupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Calling all dog people!  I know you proudly throw birthday parties for your pooches. And what better way to celebrate than with this easy peanut butter pumpkin pupcake recipe with a two-ingredient peanut butter frosting?  Cupcakes have gone to the dogs!  I am pretty sure that isn’t a bad thing.

Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!

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Our little baby, Fritz, was turning two and we planned a little picnic but April showers got the better of our plans. We moved the PAWTY indoors. See what I did there?  Love a good puppy pun.  Anyways, Fritz enjoyed sharing his pumpkin pupcakes with his friends.

Recipe Ingredients

•  Gluten-Free Flour- You can use gluten-free flour blend (with xanthan gum) or rice plain rice flour plus 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum. If your dog isn't grain-free then you can substitute regular flour.
• Pumpkin Puree- We used canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree. But is you have fresh but that works too.
• Peanut Butter- You will need peanut butter for both the cake and the frosting. We are working on a peanut-free dog birthday cake recipe but haven't found the right mix yet. In the meantime, do not substitute almond butter. Almond butter may cause intestinal distress in your dog, so I don't think it is worth the risk.
• Egg- Just one egg to hold the cupcakes together.
• Vegetable Oil- Another simple ingredient to hold the cake together and moisten it with a little fat. You could also substitute high-quality coconut oil.
• Greek Yogurt- The yogurt is great for dogs because it has healthy fats and is loaded with probiotics. While you can substitute heavy cream that has been whipped the yogurt holds up better in the fridge. Most dogs can tolerate dairy just fine. If your dog is lactose intolerant you can substitute another mashed banana or pumpkin puree. It will be harder to decorate the cake beyond a typical frosting (i.e. pretty designs).

How to Bake Pupcakes

• Prep the Muffin Tins- We skip the cupcake liners and simply brush the muffin tins with vegetable oil. Don't forget to preheat the oven.
• Make the Batter- While the oven is preheating mix all the pupcake batter ingredients together. You can even use a blender if that makes things easier. Fill the muffin cups half full, or slightly more.
• Bake- Bake the cupcakes until cooked through. Human rules apply, a clean toothpick means they are done.

• Make the Frosting- While the pumpkin pupcakes are baking, mix together the yogurt and peanut butter. I find this is easiest when the peanut butter is at room temperature. Be sure to check the ingredients, both the yogurt and peanut butter need to be all-natural, without any sweetener.
• Decorate- Once the pupcakes have cooled. You can frost them as fancy as you want. Warning, there are so tasty your dog probably won’t take the time to appreciate it.

If your dog liked this recipe definitely check out our healthy people recipes here! Next year try out our tiered doggie birthday cake recipe.

Looking for more dog treat recipes?  Check out these Watermelon and Carrot Pupsicles to help keep your dog cool and hydrated on hot days!

Oh and where did they get those sweet bow ties?  From Adopt61Fur!  Checkout their Etsy shop for great doggie accessories for your pup’s big day!

Show us your puppy pawty pics in the comments!

If you try this recipe, be sure to post a photo on Instagram with #peelwithzeal! Follow Peel with Zeal on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook for the latest posts.

📖 Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pupcakes

Easy homemade pumpkin dog cupcakes for your furry friend. Simple to make and filled with nutritious ingredients and dog safe peanut butter frosting.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dog Treat

Cuisine: Dog Treat

Keyword: cupcakes, Dog Birthday, Dog Treat, dogs, Pupcake

Servings: 10 pup-cakes

Equipment

• Muffin tin

Ingredients

Dog Cupcake Batter

• 1 cup gluten free flour blend or plain brown rice flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup peanut butter use natural, no sugar added
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil plus more for cake pan

Dog Safe Frosting

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup peanut butter

Instructions

Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add baking soda into flour. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.
  
• Brush oil inside cupcake tin. Fill each cupcake half full with batter. Place in oven and bake 25 minutes or until done. Turning halfway through baking. Allow to cool thoroughly before frosting.
  

Dog Safe Frosting

• Mix yogurt and peanut butter until well combined. Frost pupcakes once cooled.
  

Notes

Pumpkin pupcakes will keep in for 4 to 5 days if place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Adjust the serving size according to your dog's weight. For more information dog treat serving sizes please refer to our Dog Birthday Cake post.