Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (Easy Camping Dessert Recipe)

Name: Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: ½ cup butter; 2 cups brown sugar; 20 ounces pineapple slices ((1 large can) reserve juice); 1 box Yellow Cake Mix; 3 large Eggs (or as cake mix requires. ); ½ cup Vegetable Oil (or as cake mix requires. ); Water (see directions for amount)

Modified: May 5, 2026 · Published: Jun 24, 2013 by Renée B. · This post may contain affiliate links · 50 Comments

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This Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is a longtime camping favorite - simple, reliable, and baked right over the coals with a buttery caramel finish.

Two girls looking across a wooden table to pineapple-upside-down cake in foreground.

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Why You'll Love This Cake
The Story Behind This Recipe
What Makes Dutch Oven Baking Different?
Essential Equipment for Dutch Oven Cooking
Ingredients You'll Need
How to Make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in a Dutch Oven
Dutch Oven Temperature Guide
Tips for the Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Can You Make This in a Regular Oven?
Troubleshooting
Storage & Leftovers
Make It Your Own
More Easy Camping Recipes
Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Whenever we go camping, there's always a moment in the evening, after the dinner plates are empty and the fire begins to settle, when someone asks, "When are you making the cake?"

Not if, but when.

This Dutch oven pineapple upside-down cake has been showing up at campfires since I was a child. My kids expect it. Their friends expect it. A decades-long procession of campers and counselors-in-training have come to expect it...and I love all of that.

This is one recipe I never tire of making. It's easy, it's dependable, and it never fails to get that quiet, appreciative "whoa" when I flip it out.

Why You'll Love This Cake

It's about as close to foolproof as campfire baking gets
Uses a simple boxed cake mix (no hauling half your pantry into the woods)
Bakes beautifully over charcoal or campfire coals
Feeds a group without much fuss
That caramelized pineapple top never stops feeling a little magical

The Story Behind This Recipe

By conservative estimates, I've probably taught over a thousand people how to make this cake.

Teenagers, kids, adults who claimed they couldn't cook - give me a Dutch oven and a bag of charcoal, and we'll fix that. Somewhere along the way, this cake became the thing I make when I'm feeding a crowd outside. It's reliable. It's forgiving. And it turns a handful of basic ingredients into something that feels like more than it should.

Also, cooking dessert over a fire makes people pay attention: they can feel something special and delicious about to happen.

What Makes Dutch Oven Baking Different?

A Dutch oven isn't just a pot with a lid.

Once you set it up with coals on top and underneath, it becomes a little oven you can carry with you. Heat comes from all sides, not just the bottom. That's the trick.

When you're baking, most of your heat should come from the top. That's what gives you an even bake instead of a burned bottom and a raw middle.

It takes a little practice, but once you get a feel for it, you can regulate the temperature of your Dutch oven just as you do your home oven.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven in the sunshine — _{Always think of a Dutch oven as an "oven" instead of just a "pot"!}

Essential Equipment for Dutch Oven Cooking

Dutch Oven (What to Look For)

If you're cooking outdoors, you want a Dutch oven with legs and a flat lid with a lip around the edge. The legs lift it above the coals so air can circulate, and the lid holds your top coals in place.

Size-wise, a 10-inch works well for most small groups. If you're feeding a crowd, go bigger.

Unpopular Opinion: At the risk of suffering the wrath of all that is holy in the camping and Dutch oven baking worlds, I have to admit that my favorite Dutch oven for baking is...aluminum. Yep. There, I said it.

Cast iron gives you that deep sear and heat retention, but aluminum is much lighter to tote, and a little easier to control, too. Especially when you're juggling dessert after a long day outside.

Lid Lifter (or a Simple Hack)

A lid lifter keeps things steady and keeps ash out of your food. If you don't have one, a claw hammer works surprisingly well.

Heat Resistant Gloves

Because fire is hot.

Nice-to-Have Extras

Ingredients You'll Need

The ingredients for this recipe are simple.

Yellow cake mix
Eggs
Oil
Large can of pineapple rings (juice reserved)
Butter
Brown sugar
Water

Optional: maraschino cherries, if you're feeling traditional

How to Make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in a Dutch Oven

Step 1: Prepare the Coals

Start about 25-30 charcoal briquettes and let them ash over.

For a 10-inch Dutch oven, you're aiming for roughly 14 coals on top and 8 underneath. That gets you close to a 350°F (175°C) bake.

If it's cold or windy, go ahead and light a few extra. You'll probably need them.

Charcoal vs. Campfire Coals (What to Use and Why)

This is one of those choices that feels small until you're halfway through baking and wondering why your cake is taking forever.

Both work. They just behave differently.

Charcoal Briquettes (Steady and Predictable)

If you want consistency, charcoal is your friend.

Briquettes burn at a fairly even rate, and they're easy to count. Once you learn how many you need for your Dutch oven, you can repeat that setup almost anywhere and get the same result. That's a big deal when you're baking.

They also stack neatly on the lid, which helps keep your heat where you want it-especially important for cakes.

If I'm teaching someone for the first time, this is what I hand them. It takes a lot of the guesswork out.

Campfire Coals (Rustic and a Little Unruly)

Coals from a wood fire will absolutely get the job done. In fact, that's how this was done long before bags of charcoal showed up at the grocery store.

But they're less predictable.

Different woods burn at different temperatures. Coals can be uneven in size. Heat tends to shift more, and you'll need to pay closer attention as things bake. You might find yourself rotating the oven or swapping coals around to keep things even.

That said, there's something satisfying about pulling it off with nothing but the fire you built yourself. The flavor doesn't really change much for a cake like this-but the experience does.

So Which Should You Use?

If you want easy and reliable, go with charcoal. If you're comfortable managing a fire and don't mind adjusting as you go, campfire coals work just fine.

And if you're somewhere in the middle, you can always use both - start with charcoal for steady heat, then supplement with fire coals as needed.

No matter which way you go, the goal is the same: steady heat, mostly from above, and just enough patience to let the cake do its thing.

Step 2: Line the Dutch Oven

Double-line your Dutch oven with extra-wide aluminum foil.

Note: For this cake,we do not recommend using Dutch oven liners. They require the cake to drop too far when it is flipped, and this can end in disaster.

Step 3: Prep the Caramel

Melt one stick of butter in the foil-lined Dutch oven, either by sitting it over coals or on top of a camp stove. (If you put it on a camp stove, watch carefully where you place the legs of the Dutch oven.)

Use a wooden spoon to stir to avoid piercing a hole in the foil lining.

Stir in the brown sugar until it melts into a thick, smooth mixture. It should look glossy, not grainy. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat.

Arrange the pineapple rings over the top. Set aside the juice: you'll use it in the batter.

PRO TIP: If you are using a 10-inch Dutch oven, you will have one extra ring of pineapple. Give the extra pineapple slice to your favorite child.

Butter, brown sugar, and pineapple rings inside foil-lined Dutch oven.

Step 4: Mix the Cake Batter

In a bowl, mix the cake batter according to the package directions - but use the reserved pineapple juice instead of water. (If you come up a little short, just add enough water to make up the difference.)

Pour the batter gently over the pineapple layer.

TIP: I always use the pineapple can to measure the liquid - one less dish to wash.

Pineapple cake mix in mixing bowl, with wire whisk.

Carefully pour the cake batter over the pineapple and brown sugar mix in the Dutch oven. Pour gently to avoid disrupting the pineapples and brown sugar too much.

Dutch oven with prepared cake inside, foil lined, ready to bake.

Step 5: Bake the Cake

Put the lid on the Dutch oven, and use a pair of long tongs to place briquettes on top of your Dutch oven. (On a calm, temperate day, you'll need about 14 coals on top and 8 underneath for a 350°F (175°C) bake in a 10-inch Dutch oven.

For more about how to regulate the temperature inside your Dutch oven, see the Dutch Oven Temperature Guide below.

Let the cake bake for about 30-40 minutes. Avoid checking it for at least the first 20 minutes: every peek lets heat escape, and it adds up.

You'll usually smell it before it's ready. That's your cue to take a look. The cake is done when the top feels set and springs back lightly.

Two Dutch ovens, one with coals on top, and one with lid off, cake baked inside. Lid lifted on removed lid.

Step 6: Flip the Cake

Flipping the cake is the tricky, magical part.

DO NOT WAIT until the cake cools or the magic won't work! Do this step immediately after removing the Dutch oven from the coals.

→ The next step involves some HOT WORK! Protect your hands, and any other body parts you're concerned about.

With two hands and heat-resistant gloves or potholders, use the edges of the aluminum liner to carefully lift the cake out of the Dutch oven. Mr B and I often do this together so that we can lift the cake evenly from four points.

Cake lifted out of Dutch oven, in foil, not yet flipped over.

Set the cake, in the foil liner, on the first big flat thing.

You now need another big flat thing to put on top. For this, I usually cover my camp cutting mat with foil, because this second surface is ultimately what your cake will be served from.

Roll the sides of the aluminum liner down until it is even with the top/bottom of the cake.

Now, gather all the kiddos around, because this part is usually pretty impressive.

Peel back the edges of the foil from the cake sides, but leave the bottom alone. Set the second big flat thing gently on top of the cake.

Put one hand underneath and one hand on top.

Say "1-2-3" and flip the cake in one smooth, fluid motion. (Flourish is optional.) Carefully peel away the foil from the now top, stand back, and enjoy the appreciative "oohs" and "aawws."

Dutch Oven Temperature Guide

~350°F (175°C) = 12-14 briquettes on top + 7-9 underneath (10-inch footed Dutch oven)

Like your oven at home, you can regulate the temperature of a Dutch oven by carefully counting the number of charcoal briquettes you use.

On calm, moderately warm day with little or no wind, I use 12-14 briquettes on top and 7-9 on the bottom for my 10-inch Dutch oven. Add briquettes as needed if the weather is colder. (Once you get to know your Dutch oven, regulating the heat will become easier and easier.)

If there is a lot of wind blowing directly on your Dutch oven, the coals will burn down faster. (This happens frequently when baking a cake on the beach. Been there; done that.) In this case, you may want to start a few extra coals about 10 or 15 minutes into the baking process so that you have some to swap out for the spent ones.

Tips for the Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

A few small things make this go smoothly.

Don't rush the coals
If they aren't fully ashed over, your heat will be uneven from the start.

Keep most of the heat on top
This surprises people at first. But baking in a Dutch oven works more like a real oven when the heat comes from above.

Trust your nose
You'll smell the cake before it's ready. That's usually when I check it the first time.

Flip it while it's still hot
This is the one rule you don't want to break. Wait too long and the caramel sets up, and suddenly you're negotiating with gravity.

Wind changes everything
A breezy beach or open campsite will burn through coals faster than you think. I almost always start a second batch about halfway through.

Can You Make This in a Regular Oven?

You can.

Prepare everything the same way, then bake it in a 350°F (175°C) oven according to the cake mix directions.

That said, I almost never do. I only make this when we have a campfire: that's one of the things that makes it special.

Troubleshooting

Cake stuck to the foil
It probably sat too long before flipping. Next time, flip right away.

Bottom too dark
Too many coals underneath. Shift more heat to the top.

Center undercooked
Heat dropped too soon; add fresh coals earlier next time.

Close-up of cooked pineapple upside-down cake, with one slice cut out.

Storage & Leftovers

This cake is best warm, right after flipping. If you do have leftovers, cover them and keep for a day or three.

Make It Your Own

Add cherries in the center of the pineapple rings
Use crushed pineapple for a more rustic top
Swap in spice cake mix for something a little deeper

More Easy Camping Recipes

If you're already cooking over coals, make a night of it! Our favorite camping dinner, by far, is Foil Stew (i.e., foil packet dinners) followed by this cake for dessert. Life really doesn't get any better.

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