Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This has become a camping tradition to make a cake in my dutch oven. I love that you are able to make baked goods in a dutch oven while camping! Cake, biscuits, whatever! It all works!

I kind of just wing the recipe .. use a box mix and some canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, but I found this recipe:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Topping Cake Batter
4 Tbs. butter 1 yellow cake mix
1 cup brown sugar 1 cup pineapple juice
8 pineapple rings 1/3 cup water
8 maraschino cherries 3 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Prepare Cake Topping: Melt butter in bottom of a 12" Dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter being careful not to touch the sugar once it has begun to dissolve into the butter. Carefully place pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar, 7 around the outside and 1 in the center. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Prepare Cake Batter: In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, pineapple juice, water, eggs and oil; mix well. Spoon cake batter carefully over the top of pineapple rings. Spread batter evenly to edges.

Bake: Cover Dutch oven and bake usinge 10-12 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 45 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so in the oven with the lid cracked. Next run a rubber spatula around the inside edge of the oven to loosen the cake. To turn the cake out, first lay a piece of parchment paper across the top of the oven so it lays flat and replace the lid so that it holds the paper in place. Make sure you have an available lid stand resting on your table for the next step. Using gloved hands place one hand on the lid and the other hand under the oven and carefully lift and flip the oven over so the cake falls onto the lid. Rest the oven upside down on the lid stand and tap the bottom and sides of the oven lightly with your hand to make sure the cake didn't stick. Then lift the oven off the lid. The cake will be resting on the parchment lined lid and can be cooled this way or slid off the lid using the parchment paper. Allow cake to cool slightly before service.

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

This is my favorite recipe by far! I wish I would have remembered the red pepper and garlic! But I was trying to get it ready really quick before work! Next time!! It's not the best picture ever, but you get the idea!

1 - 2lb pork tenderloin
pork seasoning - I used Old Bay
1 pkt Ranch dressing mix
2 cans chx broth
1 can crm of mushroom soup
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes * I Forgot
2 cloves minced garlic * I forgot

Liberally season tenderloin with pork seasoning.

Sear the pork loin in a large skillet preheated over medium high heat using 1/3 cup canola oil. Approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side.

While the pork is searing pour one can of cream of mushroom soup into your slow cooker, along with two cans of chicken broth. Add one envelope of ranch salad dressing mix (dry) and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 2 cloves of minced garlic.


Place the seared pork into the slow cooker, cover and set to 4 - 6 hours or cook on high for 2 hours and low for 4 hours.

I did not do this step:
After 6 hours, remove pork loin from slow cooker and allow to rest. While the loin is resting, ladle the gravy into a sauce pan and thicken with flour or cornstarch and season to taste. I thickened our gravy with a little flour and seasoned with salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence.

For more pictures click here

Black Bottom Cupcakes

I made these for a work celebration today, they were a huge hit! And oh so yummy! I doubled the recipe and highly recommend doing the same!

Black Bottom Cupcakes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
** I added about a tsp of vanilla to the crm chz recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter muffin tins and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Batter will be thin.

Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with the chocolate batter. Top each one with a spoonful of cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.** I found that 25-30 (I did 27 minutes) was perfect