Yes, I am putting this recipe on my blog. Why not? My rescue dog Marley is a huge part of my life, and honestly, one of the best things to ever happen to me. So, my little sous chef, veggie scrap eater, and avid Reina-protector deserves his own recipe that will live on the internet forever. And frankly, everything in the world is a hot mess right now and my dog has brought so much joy to my life during quarantine. Just look at his cute face.

I first got Marley four years ago, as a rescue from a previous coworker who wasn’t able to keep him anymore. And that coworker rescued Marley from a puppy mill. The poor thing has experienced who knows what, was passed from person to person, and was in dire need of a forever home. When I developed allergies in my late twenties, I figured my now-missed childhood days of owning dogs were long gone, and here came this little nugget of hypoallergenic yorkiepoo cuteness. It was fate.

Since I don’t know when Marley’s exact birthday is and that he was roughly two-years-old when I rescued him, I just celebrate his gotcha-day and make a huge fuss about it. Dogs deserve huge fusses considering how much unconditional love they give us. I finally perfected this pupcake recipe that I adapted from a few Pinterest fails and he went absolutely crazy over it (the last few batches were wonky when I was trying out grain-free options).

This makes one large cupcake since it bakes in a ramekin, so you can easily split the batter into two muffin tins or just save leftovers for your pup if they’re on the smaller side like Marley is. Let’s get baking!

Marley’s Pupcake

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: one dog

3 tbsp natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, seeds removed and finely diced 

1 tbsp fresh blueberries 

Coconut oil, for greasing ramekin 

Pupcake Frosting

2 tsp plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a small microwave-safe bowl, thin out the natural peanut butter in the microwave for 15 seconds. Then, stir in the beaten egg. Add the diced granny smith apple and fresh blueberries.

Using a paper towel, grease the oven-safe ramekin (or muffin tin) with a little bit of coconut oil and pour the batter into it creating an even layer for the cupcake. If you like, add two or three more blueberries to the top for an extra pop of color.

Bake for 25 minutes. Let the cake cool enough to handle and using an offset spatula or butter knife, go around the edges to release the cake and let it cool on a baking rack until it’s room temperature and cool enough for your dog to enjoy safely.

I tried a little bit of it before giving it to Marley and it tasted like a peanut buttery fruit omelette? Not sure how else to describe it! Weird but I can see how it works for dogs. Haha!

For the frosting, mix together the plain greek yogurt and peanut butter to decorate your pupcake. Top with another blueberry or your dog’s favorite treat.

Serve to your sweet, deserving dog and watch them go absolutely crazy!