This liver cake recipe is very simple to make, cheap, the perfect cake for dogs, and the most popular dog food recipe on my website. Dogs love it. All supermarkets sell liver so it’s easy to find but if you can’t get liver you can use other ingredients for your dog cake mix, like minced beef, kidney, heart, chicken livers or even tuna! Once cooked put what you won’t be using in the next couple of days in the freezer until needed. Defrosts in just minutes once out of the freezer. You can top with cream cheese if you want to add frosting. Alternatively, instead of using a cake tin try using a cupcake tray. Check out my pupcake recipe for details. Or for a different cake recipe try my carrot cake recipe for dogs.
Liver cake is deal as a treat, a dog birthday cake, selling at fairs etc.
We’ll be using a 9″ cake tin. You can buy online here.
INGREDIENTS
- 500g ( 1lb) of liver
- 2 Eggs
- 200g (7oz) Wholemeal flour
- 1 crushed garlic clove or 1 small teaspoon of lazy garlic – optional. But isn’t garlic bad for dogs?
- A splash of milk
METHOD
1. Add the liver, the eggs, the garlic and a splash of milk to a jug.
2. And blend it. It should look a bit like a smoothie once done.
3. Transfer the mix to a large bowl and add 200g (7oz) of flour.
4. Mix ingredients until it’s a thick sticky goo. You can add a bit more flour if it’s not thick enough. But it should be fine.
5. Grease a cake tin with a little butter.
6. Empty your mix into cake tin, making sure it’s level.
7. Put cake tin into the middle of a preheated oven at 160ºC (320ºF/Gas Mark 3) and cook for about 45 mins.
8. Right, it should now be cooked. Yummy!
9. It’s easier to cut while it’s still warm.
10. Cut into squares and fridge. Freeze what you won’t use in a few days.
11. If your dog is like mine, she will have watched you the entire time.
I have been celebrating my dogs birthdays with this cake and use some mashed potato etc for frosting..and oh my do they love it!!!!! Thank you for such an easy and wonderful recipe.
Can you make this liver cake with oats instead of flour?
I have no idea, probably. I’m sure the dogs will eat it.
Can my pup who is 11 weeks have the liver cake now? Thanks
maybe just a little. liver is quite rich for young dogs
Hi,
Can I substiture garlic powder instead? Thank you
The powder is a concentrated and a bit salty, I’d use the real thing or just leave it out altogether.
Hi,I baked this with real garlic,my dog loves it.I am going to make for the second time,
Can I use oat flour instead of wholemeal? X
ok cool, you can use any flour you want, but some flours require more water than others. I guess you’ll have to go buy how the dough feels prior to baking.
Hi ya, how long will these freeze for plewse
Since they are for dogs, pretty much forever.
What temp should oven be please, ?
160ºC (320ºF) Gas Mark 3
Do you know how long this would last if kept in fridge not the freezer?
Thank you!
Well, cause it’s for a dog, maybe a week at most, defo a few days anyway. If it looks or begins to smell then you know it’s past it’s best. I’ve never had to keep it in fridge for long, it gets eaten pretty fast.
Hello. If you freeze meats/ organs to make them easier to cut thinly do you then need to defrost before putting them in the dehydrator?
Many thanks.
the think strips will be semi defrosted by the time they are put on dehydrator so no.
I made my dog a couple of batches of liver cakes following your recipe.I used chicken & lambs liver (separately) & they went down a storm,she LOVES them.I now use the words “wanna get some CAKES?” to get my dog to come home without fuss!Thank You So Much!!!
Thanks Sally. I’ve done the same at Christmas putting them in glass jars, the dogs really like them. Thanks for letting me know.
I’ve got all the local wanting treats everytime I see them now.I made the 10 minute Tuna treats,the dogs all loved them frozen and defosted.I’m waiting on some silicone. Jelly moulds to make some ’emoji jelly babies’..I can’t wait to get them made!!Thanks so much for all your recipes,I’m going to attempt them all eventually..
Thanks Sally
Thank you so much for these recipes! I’ve just had a ‘baking for Emil’ day and have made liver cake, sardine oatcakes and dried chicken strips. He has thoroughly enjoyed helping me! Tomorrow we’re going to make bone broth jelly babies. Many thanks for sharing!
my understanding is that liver is very rich. i boil liver 15 mins. in water. cool a little. throw it in the food processor and after it’s done, add the same amount of pumpkin( this offsets the richness). make little patties ( quarter size?). oil a cookie sheet , or use parchment paper. cook on low oven(300?) for one hr. flip over for another hr. i keep some in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. i think i got the recipe from the Whole Dog Journal. haven’t met a dog yet that doesn’t like them.
Hey Jamie, I make liver cake too and I add a tin of sardines to it for omegas and extra stinky flavour. Try it!
Thanks Anni, I will!
What do u mean by a bone day? I have a 2 year old french bulldog and have tried all sorts of food. The best by far I’d my home cooked meals however I’m very worried about not getting the balance of nutrients right. Can u give me any advise. Also how do I feed her bones. What bones as there are bones and bones. Going to make the beef broth and fish cakes today. I’ve tried raw food twice and she is not interested.
Thank you for this simple and great recipe. I used it to make a birthday cake for my ten year old staffie and she absolutely loved it!!
Thanks Melissa
What age can we give the cake to puppies please. X
Hello Great had another recipe like this but they said that doggies Love Garlic & the more You put in the more they love it.. Also a Doggies Walker, Board one dog in My Home.. Love the Peanut Butter, Banana & Oatmeal Recipe My Doggies Love these Very Much
Love the recipe! I’m wondering what is a safe amount to give per day to a 25kg dog? I read things which suggest you shouldn’t give too much liver so what amount is safe. Many thanks
Thank you for these recipes – I’m off to make liver cakes and teething bics for her – If only she knew what I’m up to! :o)
Garlic! Really ? Onions & Garlic are known to be bad for dogs! ! You loose credibility !!
You’re not the first Stephenie to comment that. You won’t be the last. This link is my usual reply. http://www.petguide.com/health/dog/the-shocking-truth-about-dogs-and-garlic/
But why not do what I did and ask the opinion of a reputable vet (I asked two) and a canine dietitian on how they view garlic for dogs?
Garlic is a fantastic addition to a dogs diet.
Garlic is also known to repeal fleas!Dog handlers routinely add garlic powder to their bait when showing and I finished quite a few terriers to their championships with baked liver and garlic treats!
How long does it keep in the freezer when making this full recipe?
if you freeze it once its cooled then it will last forever in freezer since it’s for dogs.
Hi Husky has grain allergie would you recommend wheat free flour or something else
I used ground oatmeal for the flour.
Hi, I use plain gluten free flour as my dog has sensitive skin and stomach and it works fine.
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m not an experienced cook and trying this for the first time just now I’ve found that the cake is rising rather more than you’d expect – certainly considerably more than your picture shows above. What could I do to prevent this?
I feel like I may have blended it slightly too much (looking at your pictures) and also my baking tray could be a touch smaller than yours, meaning it’s not so spread out. Could any of that contribute to my problem?
Many thanks,
Antony
It’s fine and I don’t see it as a problem. Yeah blending it longer may make it finer, self raising flour will make it rise more and make it more cake like. I used wholemeal flour (plain I think). But it really doesn’t matter if it rises much or not. The dogs love it regardless. How did it turn out? Did you do o a taste test with the dog?
Try wholemeal spelt flower
Thanks for the response and apologies for my extremely belated reply.
It actually didn’t turn out too bad, it settled down once I’d removed it and it’d cooled. I really don’t think my dog was bothered judging from his enthusiasm for them.
I’m doing some more this evening and will try it with the wholemeal flour as I have some in the cupboard.
Thanks again,
Antony
Hi
If you freeze it on a tray in small pieces and then transfer to a plastic container, you can take out as much as you need at any time. Great recipe – turns out well with good consistency.
Do you just defrost it then it’s fine for them to eat, it doesn’t need reheated and cooled again ? Sorry never made this before only ever gave shop bought which aren’t that good ?
Yeah, just take a piece out, maybe give it 5-10 mins then give it to them.
Made one which uses the microwave am going to try your version what temperature do you have the oven.
Can this be given to my frenchie who is raw fed, but refuses to eat raw liver?
Yeah it can. My dogs wont eat raw liver either but love it cooked. I’d start with just a little bit of liver cake and see how he gets on. Lovely dog btw 🙂
I’ve created a nightmare. He’s never stopped barking or jumping up my kitchen cabinets to get to his treats. Trouble is I can’t afford to give him anymore as he’s had 6 x 1 inch squares! I took a video which is hilarious. Thanks for this recipe. I used whoemeal flour which I bought for another dog recipe and never got around to using. I only made a third of the recipe and I cooked for one hour in a 12 inch square pan and I have about 100 3/4 inch treats. Thank you so much. I think! Can’t stand the barking for more though….
How long will a batch stay fresh for if refrigerated?
I believe the reason you shouldn’t give too much of it to dogs is that it is a good source of vitamin A, which is good in low doses but toxic if you have too much of it.
Brilliant my dogs are in love!, yum yum for liver cake ???
Thanks Maria. Glad your pups like it.
My 4 Rescues fur babies LOVE the Liver Cake, made 3 so far, so successful , bagged up and froze for when we need em, I do add, grated carrot and oats too, make it all at once as have a large bowel and electric blender, brilliant getting it all done in one go, many thanks indeed, …. appreciate recipes as a pensioner it helps with the pennies.
Does it matter what type of liver is used?
no, any type is fine
Hi my cockerpoo will do anything for liver cake! Like a drug for him! Other biscuits are just not the same. Someone told me though that you shouldn’t give them too much of it for health reasons – have you heard of this?
Liver is a natural laxative so maybe that’s what they meant. Not too much at a time or poss a runny botty.
5
How much tuna would you use if you replace tuna instead of liver. …really gonna try this as my pup really took notice of the trainers liver cake and did anything he asked her, but ignored me lol
Can you use rice flour instead?
This recipe is excellent! Made it this morning and it came out perfectly he he!! At dog training class last Saturday they suggested we make homemade liver treats so I googled and hey presto I’ve made these. Whiskey loves them, he was interested in me making them and smelled them cooking and could hardly wait to try them. He had to do a ‘sit stay’ first tho lol. Thanks Jamie for the recipe! Have cut them into weanie pieces for training and a few larger squares for a game we play around the house where I hide treats and he has to find them and have frozen the rest in batches. Definitely a keeper.
Love this recipe, I’ve made it many times and freeze it for training treats.
Be careful if you use an electric mixer. Make sure the stringy/Sinew on the liver is cut up or removed. I’ve twice nearly burnt out the motor on mine. ? It gets trapped on theblades.
Thanks Jamie, my Paddy The Laddy and visiting dogs love it and it’s so cheap too.
Trish x
OMG no sooner had the food processor come out of the cupboard and the fridge yielded it’s bounty of liver, did my two spoilt spaniels come charging in from the garden. Looking at the baking tray with mournful eyes and rumbling tums I felt guilty and let them lick the spatula! Fab recipe and I shall certainly be trying some of the others. Thank you Thank you Thank you!
thanks for the recipe. love the last photo!
Thanks Tim
Did you guys use plain or self raising flour? Tia x
Plain. But I know self raising works too.
I have heard of people putting garlic in. Is it safe for dogs. They told me their dog goes mad for it.
Garlic is fine, yeah. Good for deterring fleas and ticks.
Isn’t garlic, like onions and various plant bulbs, poisionous to dogs? I appreciate it’ll be in small doses in this cake, but if it is isn’t it better to leave it out?
Garlic is fine, in fact it’s quite good for dogs. Google it or speak to your local vet for more info.
what is the weight of this cake?
Met a fellow dog walker who’d used this recipe & I decided to give it a go today. Not keen on the texture of liver but overcame my dislike and persevered. Followed the very clear instructions despite not being the best cook in the world & despite causing havoc in my kitchen everything went to plan. I actually found the aroma rather pleasant & not at all overpowering . The result was perfect & felt incredibly proud that I’d made it. Our two yorkiepoo’s were very impressed with their mum’s masterpiece? & enjoyed a square each broken down into small pieces once cooled down. I’ve frozen 4 bags which will keep them happy for months. Many thanks for great receive.???
I made this as a 10th birthday cake for my 2 dogs and they love it. I used exactly half the recipe and cooked it for 45 mins but then turned the oven off and let it cool in the oven, that way you don’t get the smell drifting in the house as much and it seemed cooked perfectly! There was plenty left which I’ve cubed and put in the freezer, this is also very cheap to make, 500kg of liver only cost me £1.08 and the rest of the ingredients are in most store cupboards. Thanks very much for the recipe! ?
Hey Kelly,
Thanks for you comments. That’s exactly what I did Saturday for my pup’s 1st birthday. Forgot how easy it all was and how much they love it.
Hi James,
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. My mum Trish makes loads of it and freezes it in small amounts. It smells delicious and I sit by the hot thingy in the kitchen till its done. ??? She lets me have it when I take her training. (The cat, Yannis, sometimes has a few crumbs but it’s really big boy stuff. ?? ) My buddies at doggy training think it’s yummy too. It’s so good I watch mums hand all the time and try to do everything right, then she gives me lots of little bits . Thanks again
Paddy The Laddy.
Haha, thanks Paddy!
Hi,
Is the recipe for soft or hard cake? My three dogs love softer type. Thank you
It’s quite soft, bready like.
Do you think ox liver would be OK to use?
Ox liver is fine