This year, you can have your cake — and your pie — and eat it too. That is, if a “piecaken” graces your Thanksgiving dessert spread.
So what is a piecaken? Simply put, it’s a pie stuffed within a cake, the latest mashup in a long line of frankenfoods out there that, for the holidays at least, seem to trace their origins back to the notorious “turducken” (which, in case you’ve forgotten, is a chicken stuffed into a duck stuffed into a turkey).
Piecaken variations are endless. Think cheesecake + pumpkin pie, raspberry pie + dark-chocolate cake, or even a savory version, like chicken pot pie + cornbread “cake.” We’ve rounded up a few that are perfect for Thanksgiving, including a piecaken recipe from NYC’s fabrick that went viral after a segment on Live With Kelly and Michael earlier this week.
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Long-time foodies will recall that early versions of piecakens have been around since 2007, but this is the year that they’ve really taken off. So take your pick of our favorites, or DIY up your own combo!
Keep in mind that these impressive creations aren’t necessarily quickies — the aforementioned fabrick piecaken will keep you in the kitchen for 5+ hours — but for the oohs and ahhs of your guests, a piecaken just might be worth it.
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This year, you can have your cake — and your pie — and eat it too.
That is, if a “piecaken” graces your Thanksgiving dessert spread. What is a piecaken? Simply put, it’s a pie stuffed within a cake, the latest mashup in a long line of frankenfoods out there. And piecaken variations are endless. We’ve rounded up a few that are perfect for Thanksgiving, including a recipe for this viral piecaken from NYC’s fabrick, on the next slide. (Photo: Zach Young/Food.com)
Pumpkin pie + pecan pie + apple upside-down spice cake.
It may be too late to order the viral PieCaken from NYC’s fabrick, shown here (made famous by a segment on Live With Kelly and Michael earlier this week) but the good news is executive chef Zach Young has his recipe posted on Food.com. Just note your time: it will take you an estimated 5 hours and 30 minutes to make this epic dessert. Check out the recipe. (Photo: Zach Young/Food.com)
No-bake cheesecake + pumpkin pie.
For the most basic version of a piecaken, stick to just one pie and one cake. This combo’s a winner … and, if you, like the blogger behind Piecaken, cheat a bit by buying a pumpkin pie, this masterpiece takes only 20 minutes to whip up! Check out the recipe. (Photo: Piecaken)
Ginger cake + pumpkin pie.
There’s no recipe with this luscious-looking piecaken, but the basic method of making any piecaken is to pre-bake the pie, let it cool, then put a layer of cake batter in a springform pan, put your pie into it, then pour more cake batter on top. Ta-da! For this combo, finish with cream-cheese frosting. (Photo: Instagram/Nick Burns)
Pumpkin pie + chocolate fudge cake.
Virtually any version of pumpkin pie surrounded by another cake makes us swoon. You really get us, piecaken. This chocolate-y, pumpkin-y creation is tipped with pumpkin-spice milk-chocolate ganache and buttercream. Check out the recipe. Wow! (Photo: Piecaken)
Gluten-free no-bake peanut-butter cheesecake + chocolate pie.
Dare we say that this is a “healthy” piecaken? Maybe, maybe not … but GF friends, this is the piecaken for you! Check out the recipe. (Photo: Piecaken)
Raspberry pie + dark chocolate cake.
What a fancy, rich-looking combo. It’s like a raspberry-filled chocolate bon bon, only super-sized. Check out the recipe. (Photo: Piecaken)
Cherry pie + dark-chocolate truffle cake.
If cherry isn’t seasonal enough for you, we suggest trying a cranberry version instead! Check out the recipe here. (Photo: Piecaken)
Yes, you can make a mini-version too: the “cup-paken”
What??? Put a pie inside a cupcake? That’s crazy! Crazy delicious, maybe. P.S. the name comes from the fact that piecakens are sometimes simply called “pakes,” so “cup-paken” naturally followed. Check out the recipe. (Photo: Piecaken)
And if you want to go savory … chicken pot pie + cornbread “cake.”
We have to say, this is a little weird. That is a ketchup glaze on top there (ummm …). While the blogger behind Piecaken swears it’s good, we say: Bake at your own risk. Check out the recipe. (Photo: Piecaken)
OK, it’s a bit stomach-turning, but … mincemeat pie + fruitcake.
Save this piecaken for anyone who loves Christmas recipes, perhaps? Or as an amazing prank-gift, we say. Check out the recipe. (Photo: Piecaken)
And of course, there’s the “pumpecapple piecake”!
We’d be remiss not to include this year’s popular “turdurken” of pie and cake, a 23-½-pound cake inspired by the “cherpumple pie” (see the next slide). The folks at 3 Brother’s Bakery demonstrate how they created it, so if you follow their method you can make your own (or you can order it for $250!) This baby consists of a pumpkin pie baked in a pumpkin spice cake, a pecan pie baked in chocolate cake, and an apple pie baked in a spice cake. (Photo: 3 Brothers Bakery)
And this is the piecaken credited with starting it all: The “Cherpumple.”
Credited to humorist Charles Phoenix in 2007, the three-layered dessert has a base of cherry pie baked inside chocolate cake, pumpkin pie baked inside spice cake, and apple pie baked inside yellow or white cake — finally smothered in vanilla frosting. Check out the original recipe. (Photo: Cooking Channel)
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