Caramelized Pear Cake

     When I saw this recipe for Caramelized Pear Cake from a 2000 edition of Bon Appetit, I rushed right out to get what I needed to make it in my dutch oven.  I would definitely categorize this cake as cook-off worthy, it's not only visually impressive but the aroma of ginger and cinnamon makes you positively heady. 
     First I mixed the batter, lit my coals, then quickly peeled and arranged the pears for the topping.  You may want to slice and place them with more precision than I did, especially if you're trying to impress the judges.  The cake baked in my 10 inch oven with 10 briquettes in a ring around the bottom, 16 in a ring around the edge of the lid with 6 spaced evenly in the center.  After 20 minutes I removed 2 of the center coals and in exactly 40 minutes my tester came out clean and the cake was done. 
     Once you have your ingredients organized, it's really not that difficult to make and infinitely better than a packaged mix.  One of the absolute best recipes I've made so far in my dutch oven, the cake is so moist and with a hint of ginger, cinnamon and orange, topped with sweetened fresh pears, it's a definite blue ribbon winner.

Caramelized Pear Cake
Topping
6 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced
Cake batter
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tblsp minced crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 cup grated peeled Bosc pears (about 2 medium)

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Pour melted butter into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
     Arrange sliced pears in flower design atop sugar, cutting some pieces to fit center if necessary.
     Whisk flour, 2/3 cup sugar, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda and salt in medium bowl until well combined.
     Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and orange peel in large bowl to blend.
     Mix in grated pears.
     Mix dry ingredients into egg mixture.
     Carefully pour batter over pears in dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean.
     Cool cake in dutch oven for 30 minutes.
     Carefully lift cake out of oven using parchment paper and invert onto plate.
     Serve warm.

Arrange pear slices over melted butter and brown sugar

Carefully pour batter over topping

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

Parchment is a must for removing the cake

Bound to impress the judges or anyone else who tries a slice

Cranberry Orange Upside Down Cake

     What could taste more like Christmas than a cranberry-orange topped cake laced with cinnamon and ginger?  It may look complicated but if you make this cake from Midwestern Living magazine in steps it's very easy to assemble.  One little hint, you need to melt two different measurements of butter, one for the topping and one for the cake.  In my 10 inch dutch oven the cake baked for a total of 35 minutes with 10 coals placed around the bottom of the oven, 14 briquettes placed around the edge of the lid with 4 spaced evenly in the center.  Keep an eye on it, with all that butter, it will brown quickly.  The aroma wafting from your oven is worth the effort of making it alone.  Allow the cake to cool for a good 20-25 minutes before inverting onto a plate.  The tart but sweet topping melds perfectly with the buttery, spiced cake.  Leave a piece out for Santa and hide the rest for yourself, with a cup of tea, it's just what the doctor ordered after a long day of holiday activities. 

Cranberry Orange Upside Down Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tblsp butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 11 oz can mandarin orange sections, drained
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
2 eggs
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt OR sour cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 Tblsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.
     Place 3 Tblsp melted butter in parchment lined dutch oven, swirl to completely cover bottom of oven.
     Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter.
     Arrange orange sections over brown sugar.
     Top evenly with cranberries.
     In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, granulated sugar, the 6 Tblsp melted butter and the vanilla.
     Add flour mixture to egg mixture, one-third at a time, stirring just until combined after each addition.
     Spoon batter into dutch oven, spreading carefully to cover fruit.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
     Let cake cool for 20 minutes before lifting from oven and inverting onto plate.
     Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cover bottom of oven with 3 Tblsp melted butter, sprinkle
with brown sugar then top with oranges and cranberries

Carefully spread thick batter over fruit

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Allow to cool for 20 minutes before inverting onto plate

Tart, sweet, spicy and incredibly moist, a new holiday favorite

Upside Down Fresh Fig Cake

     I have always loved Fig Newtons and fig jam but I am  ashamed to say, today was the first time I have ever eaten a fresh fig.  Where have I been all my life?  All these years I have been denying myself the pleasure of eating this sweet and juicy fruit.  Not only delicious, they are loaded with fiber, calcium and potassium as well. 
     This recipe came from The Times Picayune newspaper via Food.com.  In my 10 inch, parchment lined dutch oven it baked for exactly 35 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 14 in a ring around the outside of the lid with 5 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  After 20 minutes I removed the center coals as the cake was rising and browning quickly and left it to bake for 15 more minutes.  Be sure to test the center with a toothpick before taking it off the coals and let it sit in your oven for a good 45 minutes before lifting it onto a plate. 
     Some of you may be lucky enough to have a fig tree in your backyard, substitute with any one of your favorite varieties if you like, you can even reconstitute dried figs by soaking them in water if the fresh ones aren't in season.  For a change of pace, leave the canned pineapple on the shelf and give this light and buttery cake a try.

Upside Down Fresh Fig Cake
12 Tblsp (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature, divided
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tblsp honey
14 fresh Mission figs, stems removed, cut in half
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk OR buttermilk

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Melt 4 tablespoons of butter; pour evenly into parchment lined oven.
     Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and honey.
     Place figs, cut side up, in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture.
     In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
     In another bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter with granulated sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
     Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
     Beating on low speed, add dry ingredients, alternating with milk until just combined.
     Spoon thick batter evenly over figs.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cake is golden brown and tester comes out clean.
     Allow to cool in dutch oven for 45 minutes before lifting out and inverting onto plate.
     Serve warm.

Place fig halves closely together over brown sugar mixture

Carefully cover with thick batter

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until
tester comes out clean

Allow to cool before lifting out and inverting onto plate

This honey flavored cake is very light and buttery

Canadian Bacon Upside Down Cake

      We can thank Marsha Gardner from Florala, AL for posting this wonderful Canadian Bacon Upside Down Cake recipe online.  She makes it in a cast iron skillet but it is perfectly adaptable to dutch oven cooking.  In my 10 inch oven, it baked for 28 minutes with 10 coals around the base of the oven, 14 briquettes in a ring around the outside of the lid and 6 spaced evenly in the center.  I used a 15 ounce package of Krusteaz Honey Cornbread and added a sprinkling of brown sugar to the melted butter.  Serve it hot out of the oven with maple syrup or even a drizzling of honey, warm cornbread topped with sweetened pineapple and Canadian bacon is a combination that just can't be missed.

Canadian Bacon Upside Down Cake
12 slices Canadian bacon
4 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 20 oz. can pineapple rings, drained
1 15 oz. package cornbread mix
Ingredients for preparing cornbread as listed on package
Maple syrup

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Pour melted butter in prepared oven, swirl to cover bottom of oven completely.
     Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
     Arrange pineapple rings over brown sugar and butter.
     Layer Canadian bacon slices over pineapple rings, overlapping if necessary.
     Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions.
     Spoon batter over bacon and pineapple.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown and tester comes out clean.
     Let sit for 10 minutes before lifting out and inverting onto plate.
     Serve warm with maple syrup, makes 6 servings.

Overlap slices of Canadian bacon on top of pineapple layer

Cover with cornbread batter

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before lifting out and
inverting onto plate

Best served warm, doused with maple syrup

Duncan Hines Pineapple Upside Down Cake

     Have you ever seen a grown dutch oven cook cry?  I consider it nothing short of a miracle any time I remove an upside down cake from my dutch oven and invert it perfectly onto a platter.  As I was photographing this finished Pineapple Upside Down Cake the plate tipped and most of the cake landed in a pile of crumbs in the grass.  I was able to salvage a few slices and our wild turkeys happily squabbled over the rest. 
     In any event, the cake was very delicious and was made from a box of Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme Deliciously Moist Cake Mix.  The recipe can be found here and on the side of the package.  You need to bake it in your 12 inch dutch oven or even your cast iron skillet.  The cake baked with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 16 in a ring around the outside of the lid with 8 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  In 45 minutes the cake was ready when a tester came out clean.  A prepared mix makes this old fashioned classic incredibly easy and extremely moist.  Substitute walnut or pecan halves for the maraschino cherries or serve it naked like I did using only the sweetened pineapple slices.

Duncan Hines Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 20 oz can pineapple slices, drained, juice reserved from can
Maraschino cherries (optional)
Cake
1 package Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme 10.25 oz cake mix
1 3.4 oz package vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
4 large eggs
1 cup water OR juice saved from can of pineapple slices
1/2 cup oil

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Pour melted butter into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
     Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar, place cherries in center of pineapple rings.
     Measure one cup of juice from drained pineapple (if there is not enough juice, add enough water to equal one cup of liquid).
     Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, pineapple juice and oil in large mixing bowl.
     Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes.
     Pour batter evenly over fruit in dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
     Let cool for 45 minutes before lifting from oven and inverting onto plate.

Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar and melted butter

Cover pineapple with thick batter

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

Cool for 45 minutes before removing from oven

The cake is deliciously moist and rises quite high

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

   
     On Oct 17, 1777, British General Burgoyne surrendered his army of 5,000 men to the American troops during the Saratoga campaign. It was a major victory for the American colonists and the turning point of the Revolutionary War.  His gigantic cast iron kettle is located by the monument commerating the famous Battle of Bennington in VT.  One can only imagine the thousands of weary British soldiers who were fed hot broths, soups and stews from this massive pot.  Undoubtedly it was one of his army's most important pieces of equipment and vital to the survival of the troops.
     Here's another way to take advantage of summer's ripe berries, this Blueberry Upside-Down Cake from Martha Stewart makes a lighter than air cake topped with sweet, buttery blueberries.  Perfect for your 8 inch dutch oven, be sure to line it with parchment paper for easier removal.  The cake baked with 8 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and 12-13 coals on the lid, in thirty minutes it was golden brown and cooked all the way through.  I served it warm with a big scoop of Maine Lobster Tracks ice cream and it was pure heaven on a plate. 

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
4 Tblsp butter, melted
1/3 cup plue 3 Tblsp brown sugar
1 1/2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup cake flour (not self rising)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk, room temperature

     Lightly oil or spray an 8 inch dutch oven, line with parchment paper.
     Pour 2 Tblsp melted butter into the bottom of prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle butter evenly with 3 Tblsp brown sugar.
     Scatter 1 cup blueberries over sugar.
     In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
     In another medium bowl, whisk together remaining 2 Tblsp butter, remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and the egg.
     Whisk the milk into the egg mixture.
     Add flour mixture; whisk until batter is smooth.
     Pour half of the batter into dutch oven.
     Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup blueberries over batter.
     Spread remaining batter over blueberries.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
     Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto plate, serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
     Makes 4 servings.


Sprinkle blueberries over melted butter and brown sugar

Top with batter and more blueberries

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

Let sit for 10 minutes before inverting onto plate

A red, white and blue summer treat

Rosy Peach Upside Down Cake

      It's been a while since I've baked a cake in my dutch oven, would like to blame it on the rainy, windy weather we've been having but honestly the last couple of cakes I've baked were complete disasters.  My faith in my baking abilities was restored today with this beautiful, brilliant colored Rosy Peach Upside Down Cake.  This cake is topped with sweet Jello and peaches and the cake is swirled with the Peach Melba flavored batter.  It is very light and if you chill it after baking, would be positively refreshing on a hot summer's day.  I had to shop around for the Peach Jello but other than that it's a snap to make and could even be baked at your campsite.  In my 12 inch dutch oven it baked with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and about 28 briquettes on the lid.  After 15 minutes I removed some of the center coals to keep the cake from browning too quickly.  Be sure to use a cake tester or bamboo skewer to insure that it's cooked all the way through.  Let it sit for a good 20-25 minutes before lifting out and inverting onto a platter.  It's such a pretty cake and the combination of flavors is delightfully delicious.

Rosy Peach Upside Down Cake
1 29 oz. can sliced peaches, drained
1 3 oz. package strawberry gelatin
1 3 oz. package peach gelatin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter or margarine cut into small pieces
1 18.25 oz. box yellow cake mix plus ingredients needed to bake cake
Whipped cream for topping

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Arrange peaches in single layer in prepared oven.
     Combine strawberry and peach gelatins and cinnamon in small bowl.
     Sprinkle 3/4 of mixture evenly over peaches; dot with butter.
     Prepare cake mix as directed on package.
     Pour 3/4 of batter into pan.
     Stir remaining gelatin mixture into remaining cake mix.
     Blend well and pour into dutch oven.
     Using a spatula or knife, gently zigzag through batter to marble.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
     Cool for 20-25 minutes before lifting out and inverting onto platter.
     Cool completely and garnish with whipped cream before serving.

Sprinkle peach slices with gelatin mixture then dot with butter

Cover peaches with batter then gently swirl together with spatula

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Cool for 25 minutes before lifting out and inverting onto platter

So colorful and delicious too

Blackberry Apple Upside Down Cake

     I made this fabulous dessert in my dutch oven last winter and when I saw packages of plump blackberries on sale today for 99 cents a box I knew this recipe was calling to me again.  What makes this upside down cake so good is the addition of honey in the topping.  The luscious berries and tart apple slices are baked in a sweet, golden nectar that tops a moist, buttery cake.  In my 10 inch dutch, the cake baked with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 24 on the lid.  After 15 minutes I peeked and saw the middle of the cake was browning quickly so I removed 4 or 5 center coals and moved the rest to a ring around the outside.  The total cooking time was 35 minutes.  Let it sit for 30 minutes or so before lifting with the parchment paper and inverting onto a plate.  Food of the gods, this Blackberry Apple Upside Down Cake is from a September 2010 issue of Southern Living.
  
Blackberry Apple Upside Down Cake
3/4 cup butter, softened and divided
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large Gala apples, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries*
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
* Don not thaw blackberries if using the frozen variety.

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Melt 1/4 cup butter, pour into prepared oven.
     Sprinkle melted butter with brown sugar; drizzle honey over brown sugar.
     Arrange apple slices in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture, overlapping as needed.  Sprinkle with blackberries.
     Beat granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.
     Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
     Stir together flour and baking powder. 
     Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
     Beat on low speed just until blended after each addition.
     Stir in vanilla.
     Spoon batter over blackberries in pan.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Cool in dutch oven for 30 minutes before inverting onto plate, spoon any topping in pan over cake.

Arrange apple slices and blackberries over melted butter, brown sugar and honey

Spread buttery batter over fruit

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Let cool in oven for 30 minutes before inverting onto plate

Cranberry Pear Upside Down Cake

      Making an upside down cake in your dutch oven doesn't come much easier than this Cranberry Pear Upside Down Cake from Allrecipes.com.  Line your oven with parchment paper, pour in the caramel sauce, arrange the pear slices and spoon over the quick cranberry bread mix.  This is a wonderful combination of flavors, a great fall dessert.  When you invert the cake onto a platter the caramel oozes into the warm cake.  Add pecans or dried cranberries to the top layer to really dress it up.  Something you can easily make at your campsite, it fills the bill on all counts, easy and delicious.
 
Cranberry Pear Upside Down Cake
2/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 29 oz. can pear halves, well drained
1 16 oz. package cranberry quick bread mix
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Pour and spread caramel in bottom of dutch oven.
     Cut pears into fourths and arrange over caramel topping.
     In medium bowl combine cranberry bread mix with water, oil and eggs.  Stir until moistened.
     Carefully pour batter over pear slices.
     Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Let cake cool in dutch oven for 20 minutes before inverting onto plate.
     Serve warm with extra caramel sauce if desired.

Arrange sliced pears over caramel sauce

Pour over quick bread batter

Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees

Top with leftover caramel sauce, doesn't get any easier than this