Baking Methods for Camping

Box Oven Baking

Box oven cakes are fun to make and delicious to eat in the out-of-doors. You don't need to wait for a special occasion to make one.

Materials

• Cardboard box, approximately 12" x 16" x 14" deep for large cake; 12' square for smaller cake.
• Aluminum foil
• Scotch or masking tape
• Knife
• 4 to 6 empty 12-oz beverage cans
• Charcoal
• Plastic roasting wrap (optional)
• Cake pan
• Cake mix and/or ingredients
• Canned frosting
• Decorator frosting with fancy tip, tube or push-button can

Directions

For a 9-inch by 13-inch cake, cut the top flaps off a large box. Line the inside of the box with aluminum foil, bringing the foil around the edges and down the outer side about 4 inches. Anchor with tape. If you want to watch what is happening in your oven, cut a square hole in the solid top of the oven box, and tape clear plastic roasting wrap tightly over the hole.

Fill four empty beverage cans about half full with sand or dirt, and place them in the charcoal pit so each can will support a corner of your cake pan.

Light 14 pieces of charcoal; then mix your cake.

When the charcoal is giving off even heat, spread the coals, set cake pan on the beverage cans, and place cardboard box oven over the pan. Make a small gap for air at each end of the oven by scraping some dirt away. Air circulation is needed to keep the charcoal burning.

Bake cake for the length of time specified in the recipe. Do not peek! Lifting the box will cause the oven to lose heat. If you use an 8-inch square pan and a 12-inch square box for the oven, light only 12 pieces of charcoal.

Date:         Tue, 21 Nov 1995 12:09:50 -0500
Sender:       SCOUTS-L - Youth Groups Discussion List
              (SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU)
From:         Stern Dixon 
Subject:      Re: Reflector Ovens

I saw a nice box oven recently that maintains head very well -- we cooked a 9 x 12 pan of brownies in it and they turned out wonderful and very evenly done. The oven consisted of a box covered inside and out with foil into which was inserted foil covered panels that created a double wall on top, bottom and sides. The end of the oven had a swinging door. 7 coals were enough to keep the oven evenly heated. You could put your hand on the top of the oven and it was cool -- virtually no heat escape except through the door.

Stern Dixon
District BS Chair
Mecklenburg Co. (N.C.) Council

Box oven for baking with charcoal.
Box Oven Diagram

Vagabond Stove Design

Last edited: February 22, 2004

The NetWoods Virtual Campsite, Steve Tobin, Campmaster