Dump cakes are a very popular and easy dessert to make in a Dutch oven while camping and seem synonymous with American Boy Scouts camp cooking.

The basic premise of a dump cake is you ‘dump’ a few processed ingredients in a Dutch oven and, often to people’s surprise, a cake is created.

This particular version is one of my favorites. It combines cherries and chocolate to create a cake sitting on a gooey cherry base. It is surprisingly easy and tasty.

Recipe Directions

1. Add a layer of baking paper to the Dutch oven as neatly as possible.

2. Pour the cherry pie filling on top of the baking paper to create an even layer over the base of the Dutch oven.

3. Sprinkle the chocolate cake mix over the cherry base.

4. Gently pour the soda over the cake mix.

5. Lightly drag a spoon over the top of the cake and soda mixture to slightly combine.

6. Lightly scatter the chocolate chips over the top of the cake.

7. Set the Ducth oven up to an approximate temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cook for 30 minutes.

8. Let cool slightly before serving.