Marty and I made this Carrot Cake for the Dutch Oven Potluck.  The truth is, Alex’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake was better.  This is the second time we’ve made this one, and we’re still perfecting it.  It was actually better the first time, burned a bit on the bottom this time, so be sure not to use too much bottom heat.  But this is a wonderful, fragrant cake, so we haven’t given up.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

For camping, we like to mix all these dry ingredients at home and transport them in a ziplock or a sealed container.  Then, when you get to your campsite, add:

• 1 cup grated carrot
• 3/4 cup oil
• 8 oz can crushed pineapple
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sourdough starter

Add to the dry ingredients to make cake batter.  Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch Dutch Oven and place over 12-13 charcoal briquettes with 10-12 briquettes on the Dutch Oven lid.   (These directions are according to an ancient booklet of recipes Marty has, “Dutch Oven Cooking with Sourdough,” published by the Idaho Wheat Commission.  We might recommend a little less bottom heat, and burning does seem to be a problem.  Also, we used a 12 inch Dutch Oven, resulting in a thinner cake, which might be easier to cook without burning)

Bake for 40 minutes and enjoy.  Great with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting!

— Katie