They say the quickest way to a dog’s heart is through his stomach. Show your pooch some love with our “You-Make-My-Heart-Beet” pupcakes. We tried out this recipe in our newly renovated test kitchen, and the pupcakes were a huge hit with the office dogs. Disclaimer: your dog’s GI may be upset from food they’re not accustomed to and remember that treats should only be 10% of calories in order to keep a complete and balanced diet.
‘You-Make-My-Heart-Beet’ Pupcakes
Original recipe by Kelli Mlinarik Marko and adapted by the Zuke’s Pack
Prep Time: 10-15 mins
Cooking time: 15-20 mins
Yield: 24 pupcakes
Pupcake Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 3/4 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin (NOT pie pumpkin)
- 1-2 large beets
- 3 eggs
Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon applesauce
- 1 tablespoon beets (leftover from batter)
- Zuke’s Mini Naturals for toppers
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Quarter and steam 1-2 large beets until soft. Chop finely in a food processor or blender.
- Mix oats, cinnamon, and flour. Pulse rolled oats ahead of time in a food processor if you want a finer texture.
- In another bowl, mix the apple sauce, pumpkin, and eggs (slightly beaten).
- Slowly combine and mix the wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add about 1/4-1/2 cup of the beets to add color and consistency to your liking.
- Scoop batter into a greased mini-muffin tin. Pile the pupcakes up high as they will not rise. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until you see the tops just barely starting to brown. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely (you can leave them overnight if you wish).
- To make the frosting, whisk together the cream cheese, apple sauce, and leftover beets for color (start with a little — about a 1/2 teaspoon — as it doesn’t take much to make a bright, pink color). If the frosting is not smooth enough, add one more tablespoon of apple sauce. Spread on pupcakes and decorate with Zuke’s Mini Naturals!
