Canines & Cupcakes

In our house it's safe to say we celebrate all holidays, accomplishments, and birthdays (both human and canine alike.)  Today is our beloved pup Charlie's 8th birthday, and if your math is as stellar as mine you know that means he is 56 in dog years.  56 going on 18 that is.  Our dog has more energy than he knows what to do with, like the equivalent to me on 7 Redbulls kind of energy.  And even though I'd like him to take it down a notch or two, or three, it's who he is, tried and true.  I knew that from day one.

Today we are celebrating with cupcakes, and by "we" I mean Charlie.  After all these are doggie cupcakes and although they are made with ingredients that you would normally find in any one of my recipes, the lack of sugar and icing doesn't really appeal to me.  Good news for Charlie, more for him.

Happy Birthday Old Friend.  Love you!

Peanut Butter & Banana "Pupcakes"

Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup molasses, blackstrap
1/4 cup peanut butter
4 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray mini muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with paper liners.
In a stand mixer bowl, add the canola oil, applesauce and molasses.  On low speed , thoroughly combine.  Add in peanut butter, and mix until combined.  Add in eggs one at a time, mixing in between each one.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir.
Fold in the mashed bananas, making sure they are well incorporated.
Using a tablespoon, transfer batter to prepared mini muffin tin.  Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing muffins from tin to cool completely.

Yields: 48 mini cupcakes
Store muffins in refrigerator for 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

recipe courtesy: dogtreatkitchen.com