How to Make Liver Cake
This is the world's most popular homemade dog treat—and for good reason! It's incredibly simple to make, uses cheap, everyday ingredients, and your dog will absolutely love it.
Liver is easy to find in any supermarket (Morrisons is a great bet) or from your local butcher. The recipe calls for roughly 500g (about 1lb), but don't worry if your pack is a bit more or less—this recipe is very forgiving. If you don't have liver, you can easily swap it for other proteins like minced beef, kidney, heart, chicken livers, or even tuna!
This cake is perfect as a training treat, a special birthday cake, or even to sell at fairs. You can top it with cream cheese for a "frosting" or bake the mixture in a cupcake tray for individual pupcakes (check out my pupcake recipe for details).
For this recipe, you'll need a 9" cake tin. You can find one online here.
Equipment
- 1 9" Cake tin
Ingredients
- 500 g Liver (approx. 1lb, a standard pack)
- 2 Eggs
- 200 g Wholemeal flour (200g = 7 ounces)
- Splash of milk
Instructions
- Add the liver, the eggs and a splash of milk to a jug.
- And blend it. It should look a bit like a smoothie once done.
- Transfer the mix to a large bowl and add 200g (7oz) of flour
- 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.
- Grease a cake tin with a little butter.
- Empty your mix into cake tin, making sure it’s level.
- Put cake tin into the middle of a preheated oven at 160ºC (320ºF/Gas Mark 3) and cook for about 45 mins.
- Right, it should now be cooked. Yummy!
- It’s easier to cut while it’s still warm.
- Cut into squares and fridge. Freeze what you won’t use in a few days.
- If your dog is like mine, she will have watched you the entire time.
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
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)
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.