The Piecaken

Life is full of interesting food combinations, but have you ever had a pie inside of a cake?

After you create this fun-filled combination, you will say that you have! This recipe is so simple to make all you need to have is experience making pie and cake. Everything will be worth it when you see a person's face light up while cutting into the piecaken. Not only will shock and delight overtake the senses, so will the sweet flavor of the pie mixed with the moist spongy cake. If you make this, you will surely be the talk of the town.

This recipe is catered to anyone with a pie and cake recipe they would like to combine. This process will work for any pie or cake out there! You can make combinations like chocolate cake and cherry pie, or even coffee cake and apple pie! Anything will work in this process, but I'll give you a little help to get started by making the Chocolate Pumpkin Piecaken! I hope you have a sweet adventure making the piecaken!

Let's get started!

Mixing bowls, pie dish, springform pan, whisk, scissors, double-boiler, stove, candy thermometer, hand mixer, spatula, and a squeeze bottle

Ingredients for the Pumpkin Pie:

• 1 roll of chilled pie dough
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Ingredients for the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups of flour
• 3/4 cup of baking cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Ingredients for Swiss Meringue Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Begin by taking the chilled pie dough out of the refrigerator and unrolling it on the counter. Place a well-greased pie dish next to the prepared dough and gently lay the dough over the dish. Carefully make sure that the dough fits into the pie dish by pressing the dough to fit. Next, take some scissors and cut the pie dough to fit the dish. Make sure that the dough is not falling over the edge of the dish or else the pie will not come out properly. You can do this by folding the edges of the dough above the lip of the dish. Gently pinch the edges of the pie. After preparing the pie crust, set it aside for later use.
Note: You can also use a homemade pie crust for your piecaken, but I would recommend buying a premade crust. It is easier to work with and won't give you much grief.

Begin making the pie filling by measuring out all the ingredients that are needed to make the pumpkin filling. Take 3 eggs and crack them into a large mixing bowl. Next, add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup of brown sugar into the large mixing bowl. Whisk and combine eggs and sugars until smooth. Next add one can of pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the sugar and egg mixture. Stir all of the ingredients until fully combined. The result should be nice and smooth

After the filling has been mixed and the pie dish has been prepared, it is time to pour! Begin by taking your pie dish and placing it next to your mixture. Next, carefully pour the contents of the mixture into the prepared pie dish. Tap the pie dish against the counter several times to make sure that the filling is evenly spread throughout the dish.

After the pumpkin pie has been poured, it is time to bake it! Set the oven for 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pie on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 45 minutes.

While the pumpkin pie is baking, you can begin making your chocolate cake. Begin by measuring out all of the ingredients to make the batter. After all of the ingredients are measured combine, 2 cups of sugar, 1 3/4 cups of flour, 3/4 cup of baking cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of salt together in a large mixing bowl. Combine all ingredients using a whisk. After all dry ingredients are combined add 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of oil, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the large mixing bowl. Whisk until all ingredients are fully distributed throughout the batter. The result should be thick but don't worry, the batter will thin up in the next step.

Next, measure out 1 cup of water into a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, the water should be boiling in the microwave. Carefully take the boiling water out of the microwave, and add it to the chocolate cake batter. Stir and combine the water into the batter. The result should be a thin batter.

After the timer has gone off on the oven, it is time to take the pie out. After the pie is out of the oven let it cool for 30 minutes. After it has cooled, you can take the pie out of the pie dish, and set it aside.

Now it is time to form the legendary Piecaken! Begin by taking a springform cake pan and spraying it with cooking spray. Make sure that your springform pan is latched, or else the cake batter will seep out. Place your batter and cooled pie next to your cake pan. Carefully pour 1/3 of the cake batter into the springform pan. Next gently place your pie on top of the batter in the pan, making sure that it is nice and center. Finally, take the remaining cake batter and engulf the pie in chocolaty goodness. Take a spatula and make sure that the pie is completely covered.

Begin by setting the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the piecaken on the top rack of the oven, and a baking sheet on the bottom rack. This will catch any batter that might leak from the springform pan. Bake the piecaken for 90 minutes (1 1/2 hours). Make sure the cake is fully baked by sticking a toothpick in the center. If a lot of batter sticks to the toothpick, cook for 15 more minutes. Keep repeating the process until no batter shows up on the toothpick.

While the piecaken is baking, it is time to start making your Swiss Meringue Vanilla Buttercream frosting. Begin by measuring out all of your ingredients. Next separate 3 eggs into egg whites and egg yolks. Throw away the egg yolks and mix the egg whites. Next, add the egg whites and 1 cup of granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk until combined.

Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Next, place a saucepan that will fit on top of the previous pan to create a double-boiler over the simmering water. Pour the egg white and sugar mixture into the top pan and constantly stir. Heat the mixture until it has reached 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. When it has reached the right temperature, take the top pan off of the heat and pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Immediately after transferring the mixture to the mixing bowl, begin beating the sugar and egg mixture on high with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Next, cut up 3 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter into small cubes and gather the other ingredients. Add in butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the egg white mixture, and mix until light and fluffy.

After the piecaken is done baking, it is time to let it cool. Let it cool for 1 hour. After the piecaken has cooled, carefully unlatch the springform cake pan. Gently lift the edge of the pan away from the cake, and let it cool for 15 more minutes to ensure that the Piecaken has fully set.

Now it is time to decorate the piecaken! Begin by carefully frosting the top and sides of the piecaken. Take your time on this step to ensure a nice smooth coverage of buttercream. Next if desired, melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave. Do this in 15-second intervals to make sure the chocolate doesn't burn. After the chocolate has melted take 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and combine in the melted chocolate. This makes the chocolate thin enough to drizzle. Place your chocolate in a squeeze bottle and drizzle the top of your piecaken. You have complete freedom to make any fun designs that you would like.

Congratulations! You have just made a Piecaken. You will surely be the talk of the town after creating this marvelous delicacy! Dig in! You deserve it!