Introduction: Backpacker's Instant Chocolate Cake
My Daughter happens to have her birthday in summer, coincides exactly when we are in our backpacker camp.
Generally desserts take much of your time and efforts preparing them. Many a times time and lack of necessary tools or ingredients leave out desserts whilst camping.
But a birthday is a birthday, cannot go without a cake...so here is what I did. Moreover it is a dry mixture so make it light to carry in the backpack and the shelf life is considerably long.it just needs to be moistened with water to get it going.
This fluffy cake recipe is so easy and yummy, our children look forward to the camping cake every summer camp.
Step 1: Ingredients:
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients
All purpose flour - 3 tbsp
Coco powder - 1.5 tbsp (if you prefer less bitter reduce it to 1tbs)
Sugar - 3tbsp (I used powdered sugar)
Baking Soda - 1/8 tsp
Milk powder-3tsp (omit in case you have milk at the camping site)
Vanilla sugar - 1/4 tsp
Choco chips/raisins - 1 tsp(optional)
wet ingredients:
Water-6tbs(replace with milk in case available)
Butter3tbp
This is for one portion. Depending on the number of people multiply the quantity mentioned.
eg. we are a family of 4 so take all the ingredient X 4 in a pack.
Step 2: Preparing the Mixture
Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Sieve it a couple of times to make sure uniformity in the mixture.
On a thorough mixing empty the dry mixture into a ziplock bag.
Label the bag "chocolate cake"
Pack in a small sachet of butter, we get the travel sized pre packed butter. in case this is not available in your region use a small ziplock and fill it with 3 tbs butter seal it and put it into the bigger ziplock....keeping all ingredients together is very important, saves time searching for those little sachets.
Pack this "cake mix" with your backpack...now all you need is a cooking vessel, 3tbs water and a heat source to get the delicious cake ready.
Keeping the mixture dry has 2 advantages.
1. it stores longer and better
2. is much lighter to carry.
Step 3: Baking the Cake
At the campfire all you need to do is empty the tiny butter sachet into the bigger pack and add in the required water. Seal the ziplock and using your hands "knead" the plastic bag till the mixture is mixed.
For baking I generally use tin cans after using the contents-serves a double purpose. I line it with a muffin liner since it makes it easier to pull out the cake.
Snip off an end of the ziplock bag and press out the wet dough into your cooking can.
Place the vessel onto the grill or directly in the coals after the flames die out.....Wait and watch the cake rising blissfully and sending out its chocolaty aroma.
The cake is done once the crust looks dry and cracked. Maybe you could poke a skewer to check if it is done...most of the times it is not really necessary(unless you are making larger portions of cake)
Remove from the heat source with tongs.
Wait for it to cool ...it can otherwise cause burns.
Easy quick yummily delicious.
Enjoy the fluffy chocolate cake with coffee or tea.