RECIPE: Dutch Oven Upside Down German Sweet Chocolate Cake

Image ©2014 Rick Beach

Dutch Oven Upside Down German Sweet Chocolate Cake

Using a Basic Dutch Oven Chocolate Cake made with Sparkling Apple Cider

Image & Recipe by: Rick Beach 

The Gooey Topping

2 Tbsp                        Butter

¼ Cup                          Brown Sugar (packed)
½ tsp                          Salt
14oz (1 can)               Condensed Sweetened Milk (Eagle Brand)
½ Cup                        Chopped Pecans (Optional)
1  Cup                        Shredded Coconut (Bakers Sweetened) 

Basic Dutch Oven Chocolate Cake made with Sparkling Apple Cider 

1 Box Cake Mix        Betty Crocker Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge
                                  w/Pudding in the mix 
                                  (Omit cake mix recipe water)
3                             Eggs (at room temperature)
½ Cup                      Vegetable Oil
8 oz                         Sparkling Apple Cider (Martinelli) 

8 Inch Dutch Oven, Lid, and Liner.

Coals for 350° heat (8 inch Dutch Oven would normally take 5 on Bottom and 11 on top.

Line 8 inch Dutch Oven with Parchment Paper or foil.  Liberally spray the liner with cooking oil or coat with liquefied Crisco or similar.

Melt 2 Tbsp of Butter and immediately remove from heat.  Pour into the bottom of the lined Dutch Oven.  Don’t heat the butter in the Dutch Oven – you want the Dutch Oven to be normal temperature at this point. Stir in the Brown Sugar, optional Chopped Pecans, and Salt. Then stir in the Condensed Milk until all are combined and creamy looking.  Stir in the shredded coconut.  
(You can alternatively add this as a topping after the cake has baked in the Dutch Oven and cooled.  If baking with the topping in the Dutch Oven it is tricky keeping it from becoming "candy" thick if too much bottom heat is applied during baking)

Combine the dry Cake Mix, oil, and eggs.  Beat on low at low speed for 30 seconds, then 2 minutes on medium.  Add the Sparkling Apple Cider and start beating again on low and increase to medium for about 30 seconds to get fluffy batter.

Dump the cake batter on top of the Coconut mixture already in the Dutch Oven.

Cover and bake at 350° for 50 minutes.  Gently open and Test with toothpick.  If not done, continue baking and recheck again at each 5 minute intervals until done.

Once it passes the toothpick test remove the Dutch Oven from the heat.  Place on an elevated wire rack and let set for 5 minutes.

Image ©2014 Rick Beach

Gently lift the cake out of the Dutch Oven by lifting the Parchment Paper or foil.  Set on elevated wire rack.  Still upside down at this point.  Pull the Paper or foil away from the sides.  Let rest and cool on the now flat paper/foil for 10 minutes.

Place an upside down plate on what is to become the bottom of the cake.  Pull the Paper/Foil up to the plate to hold the cake secure to the plate.  Quickly invert the plate and cake.  Peel off the Paper/Foil from what is now the coconut topping.

Image ©2014 Rick Beach

If all went well and you are using a 8 inch Dutch Oven you should have a nice moist 3 inch thick cake with a gooey Coconut topping.  Serve when cooled.