Are any of your camping crew the kind whose annual birthday wish is to go camping? And, of course, would like an authentic campfire birthday cake? If so, 50 Campfires offers this delicious solution.

The use of orange or grapefruit rinds in place of cupcake papers is more than a neat camp cooking twist. It actually gives you a bit more margin for error in baking in the Dutch Oven with coals. If you get it too hot, the rind mind burn a bit, but it protects the batter inside. Leaving a bit of citrus flesh and juice in the rind also adds a great flavor booster.

One important hint! As tempted as you’ll be to want to dive into these as soon as you take them out of the Dutch Oven, let the cakes cool COMPLETELY before frosting. Otherwise you have an ooey gooey mess as the frosting will melt and run everywhere. (We didn’t say it wouldn’t be delicious – just messy!)

Give each “cupcake” a candle and you have a wonderful campsite celebration dessert. It’s time to blow out the candles and party.

Bake a Campfire Birthday Cake — Let’s Party

 

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These make great mini-birthday cakes or a delicious chocolatey cherry dessert for any occasion.

Author: 50 Campfires

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American Camping

Serves: 10-12 large cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 tsp. almond flavoring
• 1 tsp. Grand Marnier
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 4 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 can chocolate frosting
• several grapefruits and/or large oranges

Instructions

1. Cut citrus fruits in half across the sections. Cut around and scoop out the flesh leaving half rind “cups” intact. Use a spoon to scrape out as much remaining fruit as you want, but leaving some flesh and juice behind adds flavor to the cake. Set aside the citrus flesh for a salad or eating as is.
2. Mix all the cake batter ingredients in large bowl until well combined.
3. Spoon into orange or grape fruit rinds. Fill them just over half way.
4. Place rind cups in lined Dutch oven.
5. Place coals on top and bottom to achieve 350 degrees.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, but start checking doneness at 15 minutes.
7. Cakes are done when a skewer or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Carefully remove from Dutch oven and allow to cool completely before frosting and adding birthday candles.

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