Short-Cut Cake

Last Edit August 19, 1999

When you are in a hurry.....

Oven Version

1 lg. can peach slices
or 1 large can of apple slices - if this is thick, add 1/2 Cup water
or 1 large can of cherries
1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 c. coconut (optional)

Empty peaches and juice into 9 x 13 inch pan. Shake dry cake mix over the peaches. Shake coconut over the batter and shake nuts over coconuts. Do not stir. Bake in 325 degree oven for 60 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whip cream.

Camp-Out Version

On a campout, put the peaches in the bottom of an 8" Dutch Oven (I line mine with aluminum foil). Proceed with the recipe. Put on the lid. Use evenly distributed coals (one coal is 17 degrees) and use enough to reach 325 degrees. In high altitudes and when it is cold, you will need more coals. Start checking after 45 minutes. If the fruit you chose does not have a lot of juice (pie filling for example), you will need to add water. The total amount of liquid should be about what is required for normal baking (minus 1/4 Cup).

This is served with a large serving spoon and sort of scooped out - get fruit with each serving. Some kids do not like fruit - so you can just give them the cake part. Use cold milk on the mess if you are camping (you can mix up powdered skim milk with cold water). Don't get burned! Boys on campouts are impatient little devils.

Peaches and cherries mix pretty well. Double the recipe for a big Dutch Oven. Some people like to add a melted stick of margarine to this - drizzled over the batter before cooking. In this day and age, I don't recommend that.