Your camping meal isn't complete without a sweet Dutch oven dessert to finish and this easy Dutch oven chocolate cake recipe delivers. Laced with ribbons of fudgy chocolate pudding, this classic cake will have everyone fighting over the last spoonful.
I'm not generally a huge fan of cake, but this may actually be my favorite Dutch oven recipe. It's so simple to make and the finished cake has the most amazing soft, airy texture, subtle notes of cinnamon, and ribbons of fudgy chocolate pudding throughout. If you've ever had chocolate pudding cake, it's just like that. But better. Because you're camping, and you just made a chocolate cake in your Dutch oven.
Why This Recipe is Great for Camping
- You can make it in your Dutch oven in the fire pit.
- The leftovers keep for a few days and don't require refrigeration.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Milk--You can use any type of milk here, including non-dairy. I've made it with oat milk with amazing results.
- Chocolate chips--Stick with regular semi-sweet chocolate chips for best results. If you really like dark, bitter flavors, you can use dark chocolate chips, but don't make it with milk or white chips. Regular size or mini is fine.
- Cocoa powder--Use Dutch process cocoa powder for best results. Don't substitute natural cocoa powder.
How to Make Chocolate Cake in a Dutch Oven
- Line the Dutch oven with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla, and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Scrape the batter into the Dutch oven.
- Sprinkle the remaining cocoa powder and sugar over the batter, and top with the chocolate chips.
- Pour the boiling water over the batter. Do not stir.
- Place the covered Dutch oven in the fire pit on top of four coals and place 8 coals on the lid. Cook until the cake is puffed and beginning to pull away from the sides, with pudding-like streaks throughout.
FAQs
This recipe was specifically designed to be made in a 2-quart Dutch oven. The small size makes it perfect for dessert and the cake puffs up beautifully in it. I don't recommend making it in a larger Dutch oven as it may change the cooking time.
This small Dutch oven is also the perfect size for reheating leftovers, like campfire chili, or soup, or for frying fish, chicken, or campfire doughnut holes, as it requires less oil to fill and the oil heats quickly.
Serve your Dutch oven chocolate pudding cake warm topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Canned whipped cream works great when you're camping!
Storing Leftover Campfire Chocolate Cake
Store leftover chocolate cake in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can rewarm it slightly in your Dutch oven or microwave before serving, if desired.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To get ahead, mix the dry ingredients for the base layer and the topping before heading out to camp. Store them in separate resealable bags.
- Ensure that you don't have any bits of parchment sticking out of the Dutch oven as it could ignite.
- Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a pile of rocks, or a tarp.
More Dutch Oven Dessert Recipes You'll Love
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Recipe
Dutch Oven Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the base
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup milk (any kind)
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the topping
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup boiling water
Instructions
Make the base layer
- Start a chimney of coals/briquettes (you'll need 12), or prepare hot embers in a campfire. It will take about 15 minutes for the coals to turn grey and be ready to use. Prepare the cake while the coals are heating.
- Line a 2-quart Dutch oven with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together.
- Pour in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla, and mix just until no floury streaks remain. Don't over-mix the batter. Scrape it into the prepared Dutch oven.
Add the topping
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder over the base layer.
- Pour the boiling water over the cake. Do not stir.
- Cover the Dutch oven and place it in your fire pit with four coals on the bottom and eight coals on the lid. Cook until the cake is puffed and beginning to pull away from the edges, with ribbons of pudding-like chocolate running through the cake, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the fire and cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
- Get ahead--Mix the dry ingredients for the base layer and the topping before heading out to camp. Store them in separate resealable bags.
- Tuck in the parchment--Ensure that you don't have any bits of parchment sticking out of the Dutch oven as it could ignite.
- Protect your pot--Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a pile of rocks, or a tarp.
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