Blueberry Buckle Cake

     While blueberries are cheap and plentiful, run out and buy the ingredients you need to make this wonderful cake.  That being said, I am giving you the original recipe from Kraft but I substituted a plain white cake mix with a Duncan Hines Golden Butter mix I had in the pantry.  The big difference is that the Golden Butter mix is made with 7 tablespoons of softened butter in place of the usual vegetable oil.  Needless to say, the cake was very rich.  The cake baked for a total of 30 minutes with 12 briquettes in a ring around the bottom of the oven, 16 coals placed in a ring around the outside of the lid with 9 more placed in a second smaller ring around the center.  Take a peek halfway through cooking time to make sure the cake is not browning too quickly.  Light, crunchy and overflowing with berries, every bite will remind you of a warm, summer's day.
    
Blueberry Buckle Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 package (2 layer size) white cake mix plus ingredients needed from package to make cake
1 3.4 oz package vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 Tblsp lemon zest (optional)
4 cups fresh blueberries

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Combine first 3 ingredients in large bowl.
     Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
     Prepare cake batter as directed on package.
     Add dry pudding mix and zest; beat 2 minutes.
     Fold in blueberries; pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with streusel mixture.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 35-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Cool for 30 minutes before removing from oven.

Sprinkle batter with streusel topping

Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until
tester comes out clean

Buttery, moist and best of all, made from a cake mix

Cherry Coffee Cake

     I love canned cherry pie filling and if given the chance, will devour it by spoonfuls right out of the can.  Washington's Birthday was just the excuse I needed to make this very tasty Land O'Lakes Cherry Coffee Cake in my dutch oven.  Kind of an old fashioned coffee cake that pairs perfectly with a steaming cup of coffee, crunchy on the top and light and airy in the middle.  In my 12 inch dutch oven the cake baked for 45 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 18 placed in a ring around the outside of the lid with 10 spaced evenly in the center.  Drop large spoonfuls of batter on top of the cherry filling then carefully spread with a knife.  For something different, substitute the cherry flavor with any 21 oz can of your favorite pie filling.

Cherry Coffee Cake
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
Topping
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven, line with parchment paper.
     Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl.
     Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
     Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
     Add 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.
     Spread half of batter into prepared oven.
     Spoon cherry pie filling over batter.
     Spoon remaining batter over pie filling; spread carefully.
     For topping, stir together 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, pecans and cinnamon in bowl.
     Cut in 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
     Sprinkle crumb mixture over batter.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tester comes out clean and topping is dark golden brown.

Layer pie filling between layers of batter then
sprinkle with topping

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

A buttery, classic coffee cake

Christmas Coffee Cake

     This coffee cake from Susan Branch has all the flavors and smells of Christmas morning.  In my 10 inch dutch oven it baked for 40 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 13 placed on the outside of the lid with 5 more briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  If you decide to make this in your conventional oven, bake it in an 8 inch square pan.  Loaded with soft apples, crunchy walnuts and tangy cranberries, it's a moist and delicious cake that is perfect for a cold winter's day.  Have a very Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season!

Christmas Coffee Cake
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cored, peeled, chopped apple (2 apples)
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar for dusting

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Sift together flour, soda and salt; set aside.
     Combine remaining ingredients and mix well.
     Stir in flour mixture.
     Spread in prepared oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
     Let sit 15 minutes before removing from oven.
     Cut into squares, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Spread batter into parchment lined 10 inch dutch oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

Happy Holidays!

Raspberry Bubble Bake

     If any of you wonderful people out there in dutch oven cooking land are still following my blog, I apologize for not keeping up with your nice comments and for generally falling behind on posting any new recipes.  Thank you for your patience and I hope you have been enjoying cooking in your black pots while mine have been collecting dust.  Life has been a good kind of busy lately but now that the weather has cooled off I am really feeling the urge to fire up the coals and try some new recipes.
     This Raspberry Bubble Bake from the Rhodes site is just about as easy as it gets.  A great recipe for the beginning dutch oven cook, the hardest part is waiting for the dough to rise.  When you add the pie filling, it may look a lot but after the dough rises, the rolls will poke through.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, they baked for 30 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 18 placed around the outside of the lid with 6 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  If you don't feel like going to the trouble of making the icing, sprinkle the rolls liberally with powdered sugar. Substitute with your favorite pie filling, as a dessert or coffee cake, these ooey, gooey, rolls are totally delicious.

Raspberry Bubble Bake
12 frozen Rhodes White Dinner Rolls
2 21 oz cans raspberry pie filling, or your favorite flavor
2 Tblsp butter
2 Tblsp milk
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven, line with parchment paper if desired.
     Place twelve frozen rolls in prepared oven and allow them to thaw until softened.
     Once softened, using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut each roll in half and then cut each half into three pieces.
     Spread two cans of your favorite pie filling evenly over the pieces of dough.
     Cover and allow dough to rise until doubled in size and the dough starts peeking through the filling.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bread has turned golden brown and holds its shape when lightly touched.
     For icing: heat butter and milk until butter is melted. 
     Gradually add powdered sugar until the icing's consistency is thick but pourable. 
     Drizzle glaze over rolls, serve while still warm.

Allow frozen rolls to thaw until softened

Cut each roll in half then each half into thirds

Spoon pie filling over rolls, cover and allow to rise
until doubled in size

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Drizzle icing over hot rolls

So sweet, gooey and good

Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

 

     If you liked playing with Play-Doh and Silly Putty as a child you are going to enjoy making this Pillsbury Bake Off winning recipe.  The fun part is mashing each cinnamon roll with the palm of your hand then rolling it around the filling.  I would suggest only putting a small amount of filling in each roll, folding the sides over one another then pinching and twisting the ends so each bundle is completely sealed.  I followed the original recipe and thinned the icing with a little lemon juice, pouring it over the coffee cake like a glaze, but would recommend using the thick icing right out of the package. 
     Once you master the art of shaping the dough, the possibilities of using different fillings are endless.  A mixture of crumbled bacon, softened butter, brown sugar and a little maple syrup immediately comes to mind.  Any canned pie filling would be good as well and very convenient for camping.  Just remember to add the filling sparingly and you can't go wrong.
      In my 10 inch dutch oven, the cake baked for 22 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 14 placed in a ring around the outside of the lid with 4 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  I would advise lighting your coals halfway through the assembling process, if you let the raw dough sit for too long before baking it will start to rise and unseal. 

Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
1 medium lemon
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup blueberry preserves
2 tsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 12.5 oz cans Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls (not Grands)
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In medium bowl, grate 1 teaspoon zest from the lemon.
     Mix 2 tablespoons of the blueberries with the lemon zest, mashing berries slightly with fork.
     Stir in preserves, remaining blueberries and butter; set aside.
     Separate rolls from both cans; reserve icing.
     On parchment paper, press rolls, cinnamon side down, into 3 to 4 inch rounds.
     Spoon about 1 tablespoon blueberry mixture in center of each round.
     Fold dough over filling, pressing edges to seal.
     Place filled rolls in pan, seam side up in spoke fashion with two in the center.
     In small bowl, lightly beat egg with wire whisk; brush over rolls.
     Bake 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until center is deep golden brown.
     Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from oven and frosting with icing.
     Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Place stuffed cinnamon rolls side by side in
parchment lined oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes

Glaze or frost with icing while still warm

A fun and yummy coffee cake that kids
 of all ages will enjoy making

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake for a Crowd

      I've had my eye on this recipe for a while and was waiting until I had company to make it.  Conveniently made with Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon rolls, the prep work only requires melting a stick of butter, snipping the dough into quarters and rolling it in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Keep your refrigerated rolls as cold as possible until you're ready to assemble them, otherwise the warm dough will become sticky and hard to handle.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, the coffee cake baked for a total of 30 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 18 briquettes placed around the rim of the lid with 10 spaced evenly in the center.  When you can smell the cinnamon it's probably done.  Lining your oven with parchment will make for an easier clean up while you're camping and be sure to serve this unbelievably good monkey bread-like cake warm so you can scoop up all the gooey caramel from the bottom.

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake for a Crowd
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp grated orange peel (1 large orange)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 17.5 oz cans Pillsbury Grands refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     In medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and orange peel; whisk until well combined.
     Pour butter mixture into prepared dutch oven.
     Top with 1/2 cup of the pecans.
     In small bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
     Separate dough into 10 rolls.
     Cut into quarters.
     Place dough pieces in sugar mixture; toss to coat.
     Arrange dough in single layer in dutch oven.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center.
     Drop icing by teaspoonfuls over top of coffee cake; sprinkle with remaining pecans.
     Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
     Serve warm, makes 10 servings.

Spread brown sugar mixture in bottom of well oiled
oven then top with pecans

Roll cinnamon roll pieces in cinnamon sugar then
arrange in single layer in dutch oven

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Add icing and remaining pecans

Be sure to serve this yummy pull-apart coffee cake while
still warm

Peachberry Buckle

     What better way to celebrate the birth of our nation and the seemingly endless bounty of fresh summer fruit than with this Peachberry Buckle from King Arthur Flour.  It takes a bit of preparation but if you follow the steps and light your coals right before you assemble the cake you'll find it very easy to make.  In my 10 inch dutch oven the buckle baked for a total of 50 minutes with 10 coals around the base of the oven, 16 briquettes placed in a ring around the outside of the lid and 6 spaced evenly in the center.  I didn't even raise the lid to check on it until the 45 minute mark when I smelled cinnamon wafting from my oven.  You can substitute any one of your favorite berries for the blueberries, if you use strawberries, just be sure to cut them into smaller pieces before adding them to the batter.  This buckle is so worth the extra time it takes to put together, as a coffee cake, dessert or midnight snack, I know this light and buttery cake will definitely become one of your summer favorites.  Happy Independence Day!

Peachberry Buckle
Cake
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
Filling
1 cup blueberries (unthawed if frozen)
1 cup sliced fresh peaches, peeled or not, your choice
Topping
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp almond OR vanilla extract
pinch of salt

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     To make the cake: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar.
     Beat in the egg and vanilla.
     Stir in the baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
     Add the flour in three additions, stirring it in alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
     Set the batter aside while you make the topping.
     To make the topping: Mix all of the ingredients until crumbly, don't over mix or you'll get a smooth paste, rather than crumbs.
     To assemble the buckle: Spread half of the batter in prepared dutch oven.
     Layer with peach slices.
     Fold the blueberries into the remaining batter and using two tablespoons, dollop it on top of the peaches.
     Sprinkle the topping over the batter.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until it's deep golden brown and a tester comes out clean.
     Cool in dutch oven for 45 minutes before lifting out with parchment paper.
     Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spread half of batter in parchment lined oven then
top with peaches

Mix berries with remaining batter then drop by
spoonfuls over peaches

Sprinkle with crumbly topping

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes

Wait 45 minutes before lifting from oven

Serve warm with ice cream for a luscious summer dessert 

Banana Coffee Cake With Chocolate Chip Streusel

      Oh my, I can hardly even begin to tell you how incredibly delicious this Banana Coffee Cake With Chocolate Chip Streusel is.   From a January 2003 issue of Bon Appetit, this moist, sweet cake with a gooey, crispy topping is a five-star recipe. 
     Unless you want to cut slices from your dutch oven, you'll need to line it with parchment beforehand.  In my 10 inch oven, I started the cake with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 16 in a ring around the edge of the lid with 6 briquettes spaced evenly in the middle.  After 20 minutes I rotated the lid and removed 2 coals from the center of the lid.  After 40 minutes the topping was brown and a tester came out clean.  Resist the urge to remove the cake before it cools.  I let it sit in my oven for 30 minutes before removing it, while it was still warm, with the parchment paper.  It started to crumble when I used a spatula to transfer it to a clean plate so give it some time to set up.  Also, I omitted the walnuts and you'd never know they were missing.
     Most coffee cakes are fairly dry, they're supposed to be to soak up your hot beverage, but the mashed bananas make this one wonderfully moist.  Serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a midnight snack, once you bite into those sweet layers of melted chocolate and cinnamon you'll see why this cake gets such rave reviews.
    
Banana Coffee Cake With Chocolate Chip Streusel
Streusel Topping
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 oz.)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tblsp cinnamon
Coffee Cake Batter
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 Tblsp buttermilk

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven, line with parchment paper.
     Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended.
     Set streusel aside.
     Combine all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
     Using electric mixer, if possible, beat sugar, butter and egg in large bowl until fluffy.
     Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk.
     Add dry ingredients and blend well.
     Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with half of streusel.
     Repeat with remaining batter and streusel.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean.
     Cool completely in dutch oven; lift from oven using parchment paper and transfer to plate. 

Layer cake batter with streusel topping in parchment lined 10 inch oven

Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees or until tester comes out clean

I know it's torture but try if you can to let cake cool
before lifting from oven

Tanyard Farm Buttermilk Cake

     Other than the fact my mouth was watering when I read this recipe, what really drew me to it is the fact that you can mix all the cake ingredients in one bowl, a huge plus when you're baking outdoors.  Posted on the King Arthur Flour website, the recipe comes courtesy of a farm in West Hartford, VT.  The batter comes together as easily as a cake mix, you do need to melt the butter for the topping but other than that it's extremely easy to make.
     In my 12 inch dutch oven, the cake baked for a total of 45 minutes.  I started out with 12 coals around the base of the oven, 17 in a ring around the outside of the lid and 10 spaced evenly in the center.  After 20 minutes I rotated the lid and moved the center top coals to the outside of the lid as the cake was starting to brown in the center.  After a total of 35 minutes a tester came out clean in the center of the cake and I proceeded to add the topping.  After 10 more minutes the cake was done.  It is important to bake the cake completely before adding the warm topping otherwise it will sink in the center.  I allowed the cake to cool for a good hour before lifting it out of the oven however if you like it on the gooey side, serve it warm right from your oven. 

Tanyard Farm Buttermilk Cake
Cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
6 Tblsp butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 to 1 cup chopped pecans

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth.
     Add the eggs, beating until smooth.
     Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
     Add the baking soda, salt and flour to the wet ingredients, beating until thoroughly combined.
     Pour the batter into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
     Towards the end of the baking time, prepare the topping.
     Stir the melted butter and sugar together.
     Add the milk, pecans and salt; the glaze will be thick but pourable.
     Spoon the topping over the cake, completely covering cake.
     Return lid to dutch oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes.
     Allow cake to cool for one hour before lifting from oven.
     The topping will look very runny.
     You can eat the cake hot, with the glaze still gooey or let the cake sit at room temperature for a few hours, at which time the glaze will have set.

Pour batter into parchment lined oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until tester comes out clean

Spoon warm topping onto cake and continue baking
for 10 minutes

Allow cake to cool for one hour before lifting from oven

A definite died and gone to heaven coffee cake

Gingerbread Apple-Streusel Coffee Cake

     A gingerbread mix from Betty Crocker makes this Christmas morning coffee cake an easy and festive way to start your day.  A crisp, buttery crust tops this moist, dense cake and the addition of chopped, candied ginger makes it especially good.  In my 10 inch, parchment lined dutch oven, the cake baked for 40 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 14 placed around the rim of the lid with 6 coals spaced evenly in the center.  It's worth making this cake just to smell the aroma of apples and gingerbread wafting from your oven. 
     Wishing you and your families all the joys of the season and a very Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Apple-Streusel Coffee Cake
1 14.5 oz package Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake and Cookie Mix
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 egg
2 apples, peeled and diced
2 Tblsp chopped, crystallized ginger (optional)
Topping
2 Tblsp butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl, stir together gingerbread mix, water, egg and diced apples.
     Spoon into prepared dutch oven.
     In small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon until crumbly.
     Sprinkle evenly over gingerbread batter.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Allow to cool for 20 minutes before lifting from oven.
     Serve warm or cold.

Sprinkle streusel topping over batter in parchment lined oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

A coffee cake that tastes like Christmas morning