Dutch Oven Desserts

Well doesn't this dutch oven dessert look like a keeper? Yummy. We were doing a youth activity and we made dinner for a few hundred kids last Thursday. This was the dessert recipe. It is made with yellow cake, caramel ice cream topping, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and pecans.

I really loved this idea. Some guy had these dog tags on all of his dutch ovens. He and his sister who are great big campers had them attached to each and every lid and pot they had. You could really tell from a distance which dutch ovens were theirs.  

 But I didn't have those on mine and everybody's pots looked the same once you all got cooking. So this guy had a set of alphabet letter metal stampers and a bunch of washers and wire. He punched your initials into the washer and then laced a piece of wire through the washer and attached one to your lid and one to your pot handle. I could see my initials even after we were all done cooking for the day. Ingenious!

We were feeding a big crowd so the coal starter was really big, but you could go small and use those little chimney style coal starters too. Then you use your small shovel to add a few coals to the bottoms and tops of the dutch ovens when they are slightly gray on each of the corners.  That tells you they are ready to go!  

The first 3 drawers of the massive kitchen gadget drawers for camping trips.  The gal that owns these had both sets of 3 drawers pulled together with a nylon belt used for securing things in truck beds.  I loved it.  Really it was the best! 

 I took a picture of this gal's 6 drawers and all the gobs of gadgets that were packed inside.  If you are a die-hard camper like she is, you would LOVE having this kitchen away from home!!  I was thinking I would do a smaller 3 drawer version of this. It is way nice to have all your gadgets an arm's length away!

Tools you will need to do dutch oven cooking. There is a shovel, lid lifters, long handled spoons, charcoal lighter and the charcoal briquettes. And of course a few dutch ovens!! I cut off the fireplace shovel but you could bring a smaller garden shovel too. Just be sure it has a long handle so you don't burn your arms. 

This camping box was so organized!  The gal that had this camping box also has 40 dutch ovens. She has made this her life hobby. I got a lot of tips from her.  

This is how we layered our dutch ovens for cooking.  We had a main dish (pulled pork) a side dish (cheesy potatoes with onions and bacon) and a dessert (chocolate caramel cake with pecans) and the cute little one on top was strictly for looks. Isn't it cute?  These were positioned inside of this coal pot (pictured to the left). You could also put them right on the cement if you wanted, or in a stand up oven. 

You can see the ovens on the stands here.  We must have had 12 dutch ovens going here.  It was a big meal. 

 We first mixed up the yellow cake mixes and put them in an oiled dutch oven.

 We cooked the cake mixes in oiled dutch ovens for about 15 minutes. You can see the coals on the tops of the ovens.  Then after 15 minutes we added the toppings. In these desserts it was a can of sweetened, condensed milk, and a can of caramel ice cream topping.  Then we added another cake mix over the top and baked for 15 more minutes.  Then we opened up each oven and added chocolate chips and pecans for a topping and let them melt for 5 or so minutes.  Finished!

Ladies, do you want to taste test these?  Uh.....do you even need to ask?  No you don't!  Give me a bite! 

Here is the dessert almost done, we took a look and we needed that milk incorporated into the cake a bit more.....

It sure does look good now, doesn't it?  Give me that whipped cream!  

Chocolate Chip Pecan Caramel Cake
2 packages yellow cake mix mixed according to package directions
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small jar of caramel ice cream topping
2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups pecans 


Mix cake mixes. Pour half into an oiled 16 inch dutch oven. Bake for 15 minutes. (8 coals on bottom, 12 on top). Open up and add the condensed milk and the caramel in wavy lines over cake. Make 4-5 small slice lines through cake. Then cover again and Bake 10 more  minutes. Open and top with chocolate chips and pecans. Bake another 10 - 15 minutes or until golden. 

Here are some other easy recipes to try next time you do dutch oven cooking!  Cobblers are really easy and you really can't go wrong with them.

EASY Apple or Cherry Cobbler
2 cans apple or cherry pie filling
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 pkg. buttery yellow cake mix
1 cup pecans; chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) butter

Spread 2 cans of apple or cherry pie filling in a 12” oiled, Dutch oven. Sprinkle the sugar, then cake mix, then pecans over apples. DO NOT STIR. Slice thin the 2 sticks of butter and layer over top. Bake at 350 (8 coals on bottom 12 coals on top) for 45 minutes to 1 hour, replacing coals as needed. (you can also use blueberry filling). 




Raspberry Swirl Cake
1 cn Raspberry pie filling (large)
1 Yellow cake mix
3 Eggs
 7up or lemon lime soda instead of water in the mix
1 stick of melted or softened butter (for the oil)

Mix cake following directions using some 7up instead of water for the liquid and butter for the oil. Mix it up and add  eggs. Pour in oiled dutch oven and bake for 15 minutes (8 coals on bottom and 12 on top).  

 Mix pie filling and 1/2 can of 7up and pour in dutch oven. Carefully pour raspberries (with 7 up) over the top ( do not mix). Cook 15 to 20 more minutes checking with a toothpick after 15 minutes.  Serve cake topped with  whipped cream. You can use other pie fillings with this. 


Have fun dutch oven cooking on your next camping trip! Or just try it in your backyard. You can do it on pea gravel or on cement or on a large cookie sheet even.  Have fun with your dutch ovens! I just ran out and bought another one!!!