Dessert For Dogs

There are days when I can scarcely get a semi-balanced, decent-looking meal on the table for my children. Now I just found out that I should be baking for my dog.

Puppy Cake is releasing a new peanut-butter-flavored cake mix this fall to go with their current line that includes Fifi's Favorite Carob and Buddy's Best Banana flavors. The dry mixes are made from whole wheat flour and other natural ingredients and of course come with a yogurt frosting mix. And Fifi's even emits the enticing aromas of chocolate without the toxic side effects.

But why would I want to bake a cake that I can't/wouldn't want to eat when I can't remember the last time I baked an actual cake (mix or not) for the people in my family?

Don't get me wrong: I love my 2-1/2-year-old black lab-pit mix, Olive. She's goofy, fun, obedient and is ready to sleep on my feet during those cool SoCal nights. She loves those other pups in the house (Kate and Jack) and would lay down her life to keep them from coming to any harm.

But a cake? That I have to bake? And decorate with frosting?

Well, now that I think about it, her birthday is coming up next month ...