(Not Your Average) Backcountry Orange Cake Recipe
After a rainy morning, the entire Camp decided to spend the afternoon at (what we call) “Back Lake”.
It has another name but we like to keep this little Boundary Waters oasis a secret because it butts up against our property line.
We call this afternoon activity the “Back Lake Hangout” where our campers can fish, read, roast marshmallows, carve wooden spoons, cook over a campfire, and just…hangout in the woods.
On this particular day, DaVinci (yes, camp nickname) asked if we could bake some Clementine Cake at the Back Lake Hangout.
We both LOVE The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Clementine Cake plays a big role in the storyline of that movie so we thought it would be fun to try baking it for ourselves, Camp Birchwood style – over a campfire.
Problem was, we were fresh out of Clementines…and so was Grand Marais. So we substituted oranges, packed Arlo’s backpack with ingredients, rallied the boys, and set out for Back Lake.
When we arrived to Back Lake, the boys asked what we were planning to cook.
“Orange Cake,” said DaVinci.
To which a camper replied, “Oooh I love cake in an orange.”
Cake in an orange is a typical trail dessert where cake mix is literally cooked inside an orange. However, we were not baking your average orange cake!
No, we were baking a glazed, orange flavored, almond flour, candied orange cake. Talk about fancy!
What resulted was reviewed as a success by 14 boys! If that’s not a positive review I don’t know what is!
Here is the recipe:
You’ll Need:
Cake Mixture:
- 5 Small Clementines or Oranges
- 6 Eggs
- 1 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 1/4 Cup Almond Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Glaze:
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 Cup Clementine/Orange Juice
Candied Oranges:
- Sliced Clementine/Orange
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
Equipment:
- Medium Dutch Oven
- Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk or Battery Powered Whisk (We wished we would’ve had a battery powered one but it’s not necessary)
- Empty Water Bottle
- Knife
- Spoon
Instructions:
1.Start a campfire! (with flint and steel if you’re feelin’ fancy)
2. While you’re waiting for the fire to burn down to coals, slice up an orange and float them in a pan of sugar and water. Place the pan next to your fire so it can begin to warm up and sweeten the orange slices.
3. Poke holes in three oranges and roast over the fire.
4. Peel oranges and mash the insides in a mixing bowl.
5. Once mashed to your liking, add in the almond flour.
6. Next the eggs.
7. Then the baking powder and sugar
8. Once everything is mixed together, butter your dutch oven, pour the mixture in, cover, and place in coals. Be sure to place some coals on top of the dutch oven.
9. Let the cake bake for about a half hour to forty-five minutes. While waiting, mix the glaze together in a water bottle by adding the powdered sugar, butter, juice from an orange, and a bit of hot water from the pan of candied oranges to melt it all together.
Shake, shake, shake!
Alternatively, if you brought a battery powered whisk now would be a great time to use it!
10. Once your cake is baked, remove from the fire and pour the glaze over the top.
11. Lastly, add the candied oranges!
Voilà! Let cool a bit and dish up!
After an afternoon of fishing, reading, and wood carving our campers were hungry for some orange cake!
I couldn’t believe how fast it went. I turned around and it disappeared!
After a poll, we all agreed that we would definitely bake this cake again, especially after a few days on trail!
Have you ever made a clementine cake or orange cake? I would love to know your tips for campfire baking. Comment below!
Happy Trails,
After a rainy morning, the entire Camp decided to spend the afternoon at (what we call) “Back Lake”.
It has another name but we like to keep this little Boundary Waters oasis a secret because it butts up against our property line.
We call this afternoon activity the “Back Lake Hangout” where our campers can fish, read, roast marshmallows, carve wooden spoons, cook over a campfire, and just…hangout in the woods.
On this particular day, DaVinci (yes, camp nickname) asked if we could bake some Clementine Cake at the Back Lake Hangout.
We both LOVE The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Clementine Cake plays a big role in the storyline of that movie so we thought it would be fun to try baking it for ourselves, Camp Birchwood style – over a campfire.
Problem was, we were fresh out of Clementines…and so was Grand Marais. So we substituted oranges, packed Arlo’s backpack with ingredients, rallied the boys, and set out for Back Lake.
When we arrived to Back Lake, the boys asked what we were planning to cook.
“Orange Cake,” said DaVinci.
To which a camper replied, “Oooh I love cake in an orange.”
Cake in an orange is a typical trail dessert where cake mix is literally cooked inside an orange. However, we were not baking your average orange cake!
No, we were baking a glazed, orange flavored, almond flour, candied orange cake. Talk about fancy!
What resulted was reviewed as a success by 14 boys! If that’s not a positive review I don’t know what is!
Here is the recipe:
You’ll Need:
Cake Mixture:
- 5 Small Clementines or Oranges
- 6 Eggs
- 1 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 1/4 Cup Almond Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Glaze:
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 Cup Clementine/Orange Juice
Candied Oranges:
- Sliced Clementine/Orange
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
Equipment:
- Medium Dutch Oven
- Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk or Battery Powered Whisk (We wished we would’ve had a battery powered one but it’s not necessary)
- Empty Water Bottle
- Knife
- Spoon
Instructions:
1.Start a campfire! (with flint and steel if you’re feelin’ fancy)
2. While you’re waiting for the fire to burn down to coals, slice up an orange and float them in a pan of sugar and water. Place the pan next to your fire so it can begin to warm up and sweeten the orange slices.
3. Poke holes in three oranges and roast over the fire.
4. Peel oranges and mash the insides in a mixing bowl.
5. Once mashed to your liking, add in the almond flour.
6. Next the eggs.
7. Then the baking powder and sugar
8. Once everything is mixed together, butter your dutch oven, pour the mixture in, cover, and place in coals. Be sure to place some coals on top of the dutch oven.
9. Let the cake bake for about a half hour to forty-five minutes. While waiting, mix the glaze together in a water bottle by adding the powdered sugar, butter, juice from an orange, and a bit of hot water from the pan of candied oranges to melt it all together.
Shake, shake, shake!
Alternatively, if you brought a battery powered whisk now would be a great time to use it!
10. Once your cake is baked, remove from the fire and pour the glaze over the top.
11. Lastly, add the candied oranges!
Voilà! Let cool a bit and dish up!
After an afternoon of fishing, reading, and wood carving our campers were hungry for some orange cake!
I couldn’t believe how fast it went. I turned around and it disappeared!
After a poll, we all agreed that we would definitely bake this cake again, especially after a few days on trail!
Have you ever made a clementine cake or orange cake? I would love to know your tips for campfire baking. Comment below!
Happy Trails,
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