This campfire bananas foster is an easy 10-minute version of the banana and caramel dessert that's made in your mini skillet over the campfire. Serve it over slices of warm pound cake for a camping-inspired riff on the classic.
Recipe at a Glance: Campfire Bananas Foster
- DETAILS
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Preparation method: Campfire cooking (cast iron skillet)
- HIGHLIGHTS
- This campfire bananas foster recipe uses your mini cast iron skillet to create a camping-inspired version of the classic rum, caramel, and banana dessert.
- It's an easy camping recipe for serving two people.
- Serve it over slices of pound cake, or ice cream, if available to you.
Bananas foster sounds pretty fancy, but really, it's just sliced bananas cooked in a boozy caramel sauce. Which is every bit as delicious as it sounds. Although the traditional version of this dessert is flambéed, we skip lighting it on fire and just let the rum cook in the sauce for a minute or so to create a simple but truly spectacular campfire dessert.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bananas--Choose ripe but firm bananas. Don't use overripe or brown bananas here as they are already very soft and will soften more as they cook.
- Rum--I recommend using spiced rum here, but you can substitute regular white rum.
How to Make Bananas Foster Over a Campfire
1. Melt the butter in a small skillet over the fire.
2. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, and cook until thick and bubbly.
3. Add the rum and cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the bananas and cook until softened and slightly caramelized.
FAQs
You can cook the bananas foster in your skillet over medium heat on your camp stove or your stovetop at home.
I don't recommend making this recipe in advance. The bananas become very soft and mushy as they sit in the sauce.
Technically, it wouldn't be bananas foster without the addition of the rum, however, you can make the recipe and omit the rum. The result will be warm, caramelized bananas in a caramel sauce, which is still delicious.
What to Serve with Bananas Foster
Bananas foster is traditionally served over vanilla ice cream, and the combination of warm, butter banana slices, caramel sauce, and cool ice cream is remarkable. However, this recipe is designed for camping, and unless you have access to an RV freezer, you probably don't have ice cream.
I served this version over slices of store-bought pound cake, and it was a great match. You can also just enjoy the bananas and sauce on their own.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If you are doubling the recipe, use a 10-inch skillet.
- Keep the skillet as level as possible when cooking so that the sauce cooks evenly.
- If the sauce begins to boil too rapidly or begins foaming while you are cooking, remove it from the heat or move it to a cooler part of the grate.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets, but double check your brand of spiced rum to make sure any flavoring additives are gluten free.
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Recipe
Campfire Bananas Foster
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum
- 2 large bananas thickly sliced
- Pound cake or ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare a campfire and let it cook down to very hot coals or low flame.
- Set a small cast iron skillet on a grate over the campfire. Add the butter and let it melt, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes together and is thickened and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. It will seem like the butter and sugar aren't coming together at first, but just keep stirring!
- Pour in the rum and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the bananas and cook, stirring to coat them with the sauce, until they are slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately over pound cake (or vanilla ice cream), if desired.
Notes
- Scaling--If you are doubling the recipe, use a 10-inch skillet.
- Keep it flat--Keep the skillet as level as possible when cooking so that the sauce cooks evenly.
- Manage the heat--If the sauce begins to boil too rapidly or begins foaming while you are cooking, remove it from the heat or move it to a cooler part of the grate.
- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets, but double check your brand of spiced rum to make sure any flavoring additives are gluten free.
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