Can Dogs Eat Carrot Cake?

It’s easy to slip into a habit of sharing food with your favorite furry friend, but not all human food is dog-friendly. Some “people food” could actually hurt your canine companion, so it’s a good idea to know what’s safe to share. 

For example, is carrot cake safe for dogs? In short, yes, carrot cake is safe for dogs to eat. While the chances are good that they will love every morsel, you might want to know a little more about how carrot cake could affect your pup before forking over too much.

What You Need to Know About Feeding Your Dog Carrot Cake

Unless your furry friend has known health issues or food sensitivities, carrot cake is a generally safe treat that can have some benefits for your pup. Keep in mind that if your canine companion indulges in an entire, full-sized carrot cake, you should expect some messy consequences.

Benefits of Carrots for Canines

First, the primary ingredient in carrot cake is carrots, and those glorious orange veggies are loaded with goodness. Plus, even puppies can eat carrots, making carrot cake a delicious treat for dogs of all ages!

• Carrots have loads of antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of some cancers in canines.
• Vitamin A boosts the immune system, supports eye health, and helps the skin and fur.
• Carrots are low-fat, low-calorie vegetables with loads of fiber, meaning they support a healthy digestive system and could help dogs with gas issues.

While baking carrots into a cake can slightly diminish some health benefits, your canine companion gets a decent boost in a scrumptious treat. It’s always nice when you can sneak something healthy into your furry friend’s diet!

Possible Drawbacks of Carrot Cake for Dogs

Like most treats, there can be consequences for overdoing it and not just an upset stomach from overindulging. There are some things to consider before treating your pup to carrot cake.

• Cakes use a lot of sugar, and carrot cake is no exception. Excessive sugar intake can cause many problems for your pup, including weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 
• Do you know what’s in the cake? Sometimes people use extra ingredients that can be toxic to dogs, like raisins and macadamia nuts.
• Sugar-free cakes sound like a good plan, but that often means the baker substitutes an alternative, like xylitol, to sweeten the cake. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and can kill them.

Don’t forget that some dogs might be allergic to basic ingredients in carrot cake, while others might have conditions, like hypothyroidism, that make these types of treats a bad idea. You might want to consider an alternative carrot-based treat. 

A Dog-Friendly Carrot Cake Recipe 

If you don’t want to give up on carrot cake as a way to treat your furry companion to something special, why not make your own! For special occasions, you might whip up this super simple carrot cake.

Ingredients

Making the Dog Carrot Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 4-inch round cake pans with parchment paper or cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set the pans aside.

In a large bowl or blender, combine the carrot and egg. Add the remaining ingredients (through water). Gradually add the flour until it’s entirely mixed and resembles a uniform cake batter.

Divide the batter between the previously prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes or until they appear golden brown on top and spring back slightly if touched.

Allow the cakes to cool completely before serving.

Decorating the Cake

While your pup is apt to devour the cake plain, some people want to add a little flare. You can opt to make cream cheese icing to create a layered cake and dress it up a little. Note that dogs shouldn’t have too much cream cheese, so you may want to use the icing sparingly. 

To make the icing, whip about one cup of cream cheese into a fluffy consistency. You can use a food processor or mixer, but it works best if the cream cheese is around room temperature. Gently spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake to avoid overdoing it.

If you want to get extra fancy, use a piping bag and tip to create designs on the top and finish them with fresh carrot slices. 

An Alternative Carrot-Based Dog Treat

If a cake isn’t quite your dog’s thing, but you want them to get the benefits from carrots, you might want to try homemade treats! These scrumptious treats keep for up to three months in the freezer so that you can thaw a couple at a time.

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot (grated)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree or unsweetened applesauce
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup chunky peanut butter 
• ¼ cup water
• 2+ cups of flour (whole wheat is best!)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to taste

Preparing the Carrot Cake Dog Treats

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two cookie sheets. Parchment paper is best for this recipe, but cooking spray or coconut oil can work in a pinch.

Combine the first five ingredients (through water) in a large bowl. Add the cinnamon and two cups of flour. Gradually work in more flour, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough can form a ball. 

Lightly flour a cutting board or space on the counter and roll the dough into a smooth sheet, around ⅜-inch thick. Use the cookie cutters to cut out treats and place them on the prepared cookie sheets. 

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping the treats about halfway through. Let them rest for a few minutes before moving the dog treats from the cookie sheets. Make sure they are completely cool before serving or packing them.

Final Thoughts on Carrot Cake and Dogs

Though carrot cake is relatively healthy for dogs, it’s still a treat that’s best left for special occasions.

Dogs eat all kinds of crazy things, here are some of our favorites submitted by readers

• My dog ate tin foil – are we in trouble?
• My dog ate graham crackers – like a LOT of graham crackers
• My dog ate dental floss
• My dog KEEPS drinking toilet cleaner water
• Can dogs eat Pita bread?