Crockpots seemingly are used mostly in the winter months because they are known to be used to make soups and chili. I don’t care what time of year it is, when I want more free time and don’t want to slave over a hot stove in the kitchen, I always turn to my crockpot! It can’t get any easier than to throw together a few ingredients, cover, turn it on, and in a few hours I have dinner on the table!
But, what about dessert? While my passion is cooking, I have never been a huge fan of baking. Probably because it is time consuming and, I feel, kind of messy. Dirty mixers, cake pans, cookie sheets, and utensils. Not to mention, flour EVERYWHERE! So….why not make dessert in a crock pot? Throw it all together and voilà … you have an amazing dessert with very little clean up!!
I’m a planner, especially when going on vacation or just to the campsite for the weekend. I plan my meals out so once I’m there, it’s all so much easier. I found that I was doing the same desserts over and over (if you call store bought pastries a true dessert). Before my last vacation to Panama City Beach with Premium Beach Condos, and while planning my meals, I thought about my favorite desserts. How could I make them a little bit more special for my family than just the hum drum of store bought items, yet easy? Why not use a crockpot? I decided that I could make a special dessert every day during my stay if I wanted to. In all of the Premium Beach Condos units there is a crockpot, so my plan was a go! Here are just a few of the desserts I tried while there!
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
This recipe is so easy and has all the wonderful flavor of a pineapple upside-down cake. My Mom used to make me a pineapple upside-down cake every year for my birthday and this was a must try for me since I was in FL for my birthday. All you do is throw all the ingredients in and let them cook for a few hours and you have a little piece of heaven because the outside gets slightly crispy with the brown sugar and butter mixture and the inside is so moist.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple slices (drained, but reserve ¾ cup of the juice)
- 10 to 12 maraschino cherries (drained, de-stemmed)
- ¾ cup pineapple juice (use the juice when draining the pineapple slices)
- 1 (16-ounce) package pound cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line a 5-6 Quart crock pot with a crockpot liner so it will be easy clean-up and easy to remove the cake.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and butter. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the crockpot and spread evenly.
- In a single layer, put the pineapples slices on top of the brown sugar mixture. Put a cherry in the pineapple holes.
- Put the cake mix, pineapple juice, egg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and mix on low speed for 30 seconds and scrape the bowl frequently. Beat on low speed for 2 more minutes. Pour the batter over the pineapples.
- Place a double layer of paper towels over the top of the crockpot and then place the lid on top. Cook on high for 3 hours or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. BUT, check after 2-1/2 hours because crockpots can run hot. NOTE: The toothpick will not be completely clean since the top of the cake should be moist and some of the cake might stick to it.
- Turn off the crockpot and remove the ceramic part from the heating element. Let the cake stand covered for approximately 20 minutes then carefully loosen the sides of the cake from the liner. Place a serving platter upside-down on top of the cake. While holding both the platter and the cake, flip the platter over so the pineapples will be on top when inverted. Carefully remove the rest of the liner.
Crockpot Chocolate Lava Cake
This is so sinfully delicious! It’s full of chocolate! Chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding, and chocolate chips. My step-daughter asks for this again and again for her birthday and it serves 12, so there’s plenty to go around and plenty for leftovers, if there’s anything left!
Ingredients for the Chocolate Lava Cake
- 1 box of Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
- 1-1/4 cups of milk
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
Ingredients for the Lava Topping
- 1 4-oz box of instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 12-oz bag of chocolate chips
Instructions
- Beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, and mild with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until batter is smooth.
- Spray slow cooker with nonstick spray and pour the cake mix into it and smooth to cover bottom.
- In another bowl, beat the 2 cups of milk and the pudding until well blended and pour over the top of the cake mix, BUT do not stir.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top, again without stirring.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-1/2 hours.
You’ll know when it’s completely cooked when the outside edges and the top set up like a sponge. The middle, however, will still be gooey. We like to serve this up with some vanilla ice cream.
“I really hate dessert” said no one ever…
So, next time you’re on vacation on the most beautiful beaches in the world in Panama City Beach, add a little pinch of sweetness and a dollop of fun in your kitchen with these delightful, yet easy, desserts! These will please the biggest sweet tooth in your family and they will be sure to indulge your senses.
If you’d like to find more great ideas for easy, indulgent meals, be sure to check out our Dining With a View series at Premium Beach Condos. While on our website, also be sure to check out our Sunkissed Cocktails series and our available condos to book your next vacation! We have everything you need right at your fingertips to make your next vacation your most memorable vacation!
