BECAUSE DOGS AND cats deserve celebrations, too, these six businesses make ready-to-go and/or custom cakes. Some are fantastical, others fit into party themes, but all are delicious to the pets who eat them.
Bow Wow Beauty Shoppe
SAN DIEGO, CA
Leel Michelle has been so successful with her dog bakery items that she now offers them wholesale as well as through her shop. She worked with a veterinarian to create the entire collection, which includes ready-to-go round and bone-shaped cakes that contain only human-grade ingredients and are fresh-frozen.
PRICE: $30-$50, plus add-ons. | TIPS: Let pet parents know cakes are not meant for human consumption. Michelle added a disclaimer to her order form after complaints from humans who did not like the way the cakes tasted.
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The Seattle Barkery
SEATTLE, WA
This treat truck and shop estimates it will sell more than 2,500 custom dog cakes in 2020. Among the offerings are the adorable Unicorn Cake and the fetching Ball Cake. All cakes start with the same recipe — grain-free flour, banana, peanut butter, coconut oil, baking soda, plus a choice of peanut butter glaze or cream cheese frosting — and are served on a flying disc platter.
PRICE: $38-$45, plus add-ons. | TIPS: Dawn Ford says, “Freshness and customization options go a long way. We make all of our cakes day of order, which can be overwhelming, but is always appreciated. Allowing custom options also gives the customer the freedom to make the cake special for their dog.”
Dog Krazy
5 STORES IN VIRGINIA
Pet parents can specify which protein they want for their cat cake, with this one for Leo featuring a tuna interior as well as Vital Essentials freeze-dried minnows as edible decoration. Other custom creations have included a cake topped with “fettuccine” for birthday boy Alfredo. Ready-to-go cakes also are available, with two of the stores currently baking for all five.
PRICE: $19.99-$39.99. | TIPS: Nancy Guinn says, “Know how to prevent mold and make sure custom orders are pre-paid before taking the time to personalize.”
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Southern Barker
LEXINGTON & LOUISVILLE, KY
All cakes at these stores are custom-made using Puppy Cake mixes, allowing for a variety of flavors: peanut butter, carob, pumpkin, banana and red velvet. From there, pet parents can choose from five popular designs or request a special theme. Finney’s humans threw him a University of Kentucky party complete with this UK cake, toys and a collar.
PRICE: $34.99, plus add-ons. | TIPS: Sarah Stewart says, “Be creative and listen to your customers. Most of our designs are ideas our customers asked us to do.”
Paws on Main
COLUMBIANA, OH
In addition to birthday, gotcha day and new puppy cakes, this store offers a gender reveal dog option, an increasingly popular choice at pet bakeries. The pup bit into this cake — or the pet parent cut into it — to find blue bottles with yogurt chips inside, signaling that a human baby brother was on the way. Puppy Cake mix and Pastries 4 Pets icing make up the ready-to-go and custom cakes.
PRICE: $5.99-$32.99 | TIPS: Dani Edgerton says, “Every time someone sends you a photo with their dog and your cake, share it on social media, put it in an album or on a rotating board. People still feel a little funny buying their dog a birthday cake in our smaller Midwest town, so any social proof helps them to make the decision.”
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Happy Dog Barkery
DOWNERS GROVE, IL
Beth Staley has been making pet celebration cakes — for dogs, cats, horses, Guinea pigs and many other species — for her store and others since 2004. She offers grain-free pumpkin, liver and peanut butter flavors. Oliver got this special cake for Easter.
PRICE: $15-$28 | TIPS: Staley says, “There are a lot of ‘stock’ cakes out there, but try to find a niche in customizing. Focus on the quality of recipe and decorating style.”
Sweet Paws Bakery
GAINESVILLE, FL
Dog parents can choose from 16 designs — from the classic bone to squirrels with acorns to an alligator — or request a custom cake to match a party theme. Percy Bear and Bailey had a crawfish boil, while Zoey enjoyed a sea turtle-themed luau. Cakes are made with unsweetened carob, banana and honey.
PRICE: $19.99-$29.99 | TIP: Colleen O’Fallon Toledo says, “Have fun with it,” and adds that “it will take practice to get used to working with different icings and ingredients.”