Dog adoption cupcakes are a fun way to celebrate the arrival of a new pup or commemorate the special day that your sweet pooch became part of your family. These cupcakes are also a fantastic fundraiser idea for an adoption day party at your local rescue group.
Now, we’ve made this dog adoption cupcakes recipe without any chocolate, so they are technically “safe” for dogs (meaning none of the ingredients are toxic to the average dog without any allergies). Keep in mind though that they have sugar in them, so they’re not exactly something you should be feeding Fido daily.
Also, I recommend keeping a few aside without any icing on them for your pooch. He’ll love it just as much without the extra sugar. You and your family can enjoy the full version!
Related: Incredibly Adorable Dog Adoption Day Party Ideas
Dog Adoption Cupcakes Recipe
Cupcake Recipe
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Cupcake Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter (room temp)
- 2 egg whites (room temp)
- 2 eggs (room temp)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cupcake Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Set up your cupcake pan with liners
- Using a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer or Kitchen-aide on medium to high for 30 seconds.
- Now add sugar, and vanilla extract to the butter and beat until combined.
- Add egg whites, and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Alternate, the flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed until everything is well mixed together.
- Add several drops of green gel food coloring stirring to mix the color throughout the frosting.
- Fill the cupcake pan liners 3/4 with cake batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Related: Easy Homemade Hypoallergenic Dog Treats
Frosting Recipe
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 C soft unsalted butter
4 + C powder sugar
4 TBSP heavy whipping cream
Frosting Directions:
- Cream the butter and powder sugar until it looks light and creamy.
- If it doesn’t cream add several drops of the heavy whipping cream until it creams.
- Test to see if the frosting can form and hold a stiff peak by taking a spoonful of frosting and turning the spoon upside down. If the frosting stays on the spoon it is ready if not then….
- Add more powder sugar 1/2 C at a time…. mix well.
- Test to make sure that the frosting can make and hold a stiff peak.
- Scoop the frosting into the pastry bag with a large tip on it.
- Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip.
- Frost from the cupcake edges inward to the center of the cupcake.
Royal Icing
Icing Ingredients:
- 2 egg whites
- 1 C powder sugar
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- Black gel food coloring
Icing Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl mixing on medium speed for 4 minutes. (except your food coloring)
- If icing is not stiff enough add 1/4 C powder sugar.
- Spoon the icing into a bowl. Add several drops of black gel food coloring to the icing, Stirring well.
Dog Toppers
- Locate a picture of two dogs on Google. Print their picture in black. Tape this picture with small numerous images of the dogs on it to a cookie sheet.
- Tape wax paper (covering the copies of the dogs) to the cookie sheet.
- Using a small pastry bag fill with the black royal icing and a #2 tip. Start by outlining each dog first. Fill in each dog with the black icing.
- Allow to dry for 5-10 hours.
- Ensure that each dog is dry, gently touch one of them with your finger if it allows you to push in on the icing allow it to dry more. If the dog is dry then it will have a hard feeling not allowing you to push in on it.
- Cut the wax paper holding the completed dogs into squares surrounding each dog.
- Once the dogs are dry, carefully peel the wax paper off of the back of each of the dogs.
- Gently place each dog on a frosted cupcake.
The hardest part is making the dogs, but if you follow those directions, you’ll be just fine! Of course, if worse comes to worse and you really don’t feel like you can pull it off, you can also get some cute dog cupcake toppers on Amazon! Hey, no judgement here!
