Pupcakes for Persie's Fifth Birthday

Today Persephone the long haired chihuahua turns FIVE years old! She still seems like a little puppy to us, but at the same time, it seems like we have had her forever. We have done so many things with her and she has been so many places. She really is the most wonderful dog and the best companion anyone could ask for(besides Tim of course). She has many nicknames such as Baby Squirrel, MC Funky Pajamas(her rapper persona), Floo-pea, Persalert, and Pretty Pretty Princess, just to name a few. She is a world traveler, well, she has been to Canada and almost to Mexico. Since she was raised by Julian the black panther, she sometimes thinks she is a cat. Her favorite foods are pineapple and watermelon. Now that you know a little bit about her, enjoy some pictures of her from her eventful little life.

This first picture we ever saw of Persie before we adopted her. We fell in love.

Her first Halloween while we were still in college.

When she was still a tiny baby.

Persie has been to Luray Caverns and licked a stalactite.

She has played in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, though not by choice.

She loves to hike.

And she loves to be carried while hiking.

She loves to lay around in the grass.

She was the flower girl at our wedding.

She can yawn even in the most amazing places.

She's a drift wood conqueror.

On the day she got a new little brother.

She likes to beat her little Newton up.

Tim and I just so happened to be invited to a BBQ today where there will be a ton of puppies, so I decided to make little puppy birthday cupcakes so they can all celebrate with Persie. Here are some photos of how they turned out, and the recipe is at the bottom of the post.

Carrot and banana cake with peanut butter and strawberry cream cheese frosting.

The birthday girl and her minion wait patiently on the couch.

I made a few regular sized pupcakes for the pups to share throughout the week.

Birthday Pupcakes for Persephone

Recipe for Carrot and Banana Pupcakes with Peanut Butter Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 30 mini cupcakes or a dozen regular cupcakes

For the cakes:

1 C. unbleached or wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 C. peanut butter

1/8 C. applesauce

1/2 of a ripe banana, mashed

2 large carrots, grated

1/4 C. cooking oil

1 large egg

For the frosting:

8 oz. package of low fat cream cheese(neufchâtel cheese)

1/8 C. peanut butter

1-2 large strawberries, mashed

extra chopped strawberries for garnish

Combine flour and baking soda. Mix in remaining cake ingredients until well moistened and blended. Pour into nonstick or lightly greased cupcake tins, using a spoon to lightly pack down batter and smooth out the tops. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes until cakes are firm but not crisp. Let cool 5 minutes in tins and then remove from pan to cool completely. Blend together frosting ingredients. Frost pupcakes and top with garnish. Voila!