A Baker in the Making!

When I was a teenager, I hiked the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island twice. The first time was with my highschool and the second time was with a neighbourhood house (like a community centre)in Vancouver.

On my second hike, a friend of mine was having her birthday and I decided before I left to make a cake mix and an icing mix where all I had to do was add water to be able to make her a cake for her Birthday. I had researched how to bake without an oven and what tools you could use to create an oven with an open fire. There was the aluminum foil method, but if it was windy at all, it could cause problems. Then there was the pot inside pot method, but if you put it directly on the fire, you needed something to stop the bottom from burning. I don't remember now what else I read, but I do remember what I did.

We got to Tsusiat Falls and that was the evening of my friends birthday. We set up camp, had a big fire on the beach and started making dinner. There were good sized rocks all around and ones that had been put on the edge of a fire pit that seemed to live at Tsusiat Falls. I took the mix I had made at home, added water and placed the cake batter in a small greased pot from my camping cookware. I had this fantastic set of cookware that all fit inside each other. I took the largest of the pots and lined it with rocks, being careful to choose rocks that had already been at the fire pit as I did not want any of them to explode. I put my cake pot on top of the rocks in the larger pot and then put the lid on the large pot. This was placed over the fire. I don't remember how long it took to bake, but it kind of steamed/baked like a traditional english steamed pudding. I took it out when it was fully baked and added water to my icing, covered the cake, put a candle on top and presented it to my friend. Everyone wanted to know where I "found" this cake and I told them I made it. Even then baking and feeding people was a passion for me. Everyone was amazed and I have to say after 4 days of hiking it was delicious.