The Piecaken
Well, apparently I've missed another week of the busy fall. To be completely frank, it mostly happened because of fun, happy things (not even homework, for the most part!), so I really can't complain.
Here's a quick review of the busy week:
NES and I headed out on a quick day trip on Veteran's day since we were both off! We went back to a state park we had visited together almost exactly 4 years before, while we were still just "hanging out".
We also made a stop for the world's best cupcakes! Hooray!
For dinner, NES and I made chicken hand pies again. Yum! So worth the work!
And then on my other day off, RMB and I made 6 crockpot freezer meals for LB, JB and baby E! We made all but the sandwiches and bbq ribs, and took about an hour (even with chatting time)! I also managed to get all the ingredients for under $60 and they looked awesome. I'm thinking of making some for us!
The rest of my free time was spent baking . . . pies. But not just any pies!
Dad S. found this video a month or so ago, and he and mom S. asked me try one out for our S. family early Thanksgiving! I am always up for a baking challenge, so I went for it!
I started with my favorite pumpkin pie recipe, and a new pecan pie recipe. Well, new to me, because I'd never made a pecan pie before. They aren't my favorite.
Well, I guess I actually started with my go-to pie crust recipe. While we were also making hand pies. Because you know, making one involved recipe just isn't enough.
So there were the pies.
Then, on my amazing free Thursday night, I made two cakes!
The special thing about these cakes?
There was a pie inside!
I made a spice cake for the pumpkin pie, and chocolate for the pecan pie.
One note: if you flip the pies into the cake pan like I did, remember that you need to flip the cake before frosting it. I may have ended up with upside down pies. Duh.
The cakes do take a lot longer than the recipes say to cook, since there's a pie in there! Be aware of the middle -- watch it closely and make sure the middle looks cooked before you take it out.
Another note about the cakes: the recipe I sorta followed (more for the idea than anything else . . .) called for boxed cake mixes, and I wanted to make it all from scratch, so I did. However, pay attention to the amount that the cake recipes make. I needed to 1 1/2 the spice cake (since it only made 12-18 cupcakes -- I'm used to a 2 layer cake making 24), and the chocolate cake may have overflowed into the oven.
My poor oven. It still smells kinda like burnt cake in here. And I totally just read bundt cake instead of burnt cake . . . yeah. Too much math today.
So then I had two cakes.
And then came the stabilized whipped cream. I totally thought that the cream cheese frosting called for would be waaay over the top. So I did whipped cream instead.
I spent the morning of early Thanksgiving frosting.
Then came the moment of truth. Not cutting into it, silly -- making it through the 1 1/2 hour car ride!
Well, not before NES made mashed potatoes,
the turkey wolf carved the turkey,
and ZNS and mom S. put together a lovely meal for 13!
There were also two tasty apple pies. (My stomach is still unhappy with my choice to eat 4 pieces of pie, no matter how small.)
Ok, now is the rea; moment of truth!
Piecaken! (It's kinda like the dessert version of turducken . . . ).
Upon trying this creation, I have come to a couple conclusions:
1. The pumpkin is better. The pecan kinda melded into the cake and tasted like a nutty-chocolate cake.
2. The whole thing is very elegant looking and not as much work as it seems, but I'd probably take just cake or just pie over the piecaken. So it's really an impressive party food.
3. Remember to flip the pan!
So there you go!
Pumpkin and Spice or Pecan and Chocolate Piecaken
loosely based on VittleMonster
1 of your favorite 9 inch pumpkin pie or pecan pie (baked) (I used this and this)
1 batch your favorite spice or chocolate cake batter (uncooked) (I used this and this)
1 recipe stabilized whipped cream
Line a 10 inch cake pan with parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray and flour.
Pour a thin layer of cake batter on the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the batter around so it covers the bottom of the pan. Flip the pie into the batter.
Pour the remaining batter over the cake. It should cover the bottom of the pie and the pool of batter comes up almost to the top of the pie.
Bake at 350 degrees for at least 10 minutes more than the cake recipe calls for. I checked every 5-10 minutes after that. The center should be firm, and a toothpick should come out clean.
Allow to cool on wire racks. Flip the cakes so the pies are right side up.
Frost with whipped cream.
Here's a quick review of the busy week:
NES and I headed out on a quick day trip on Veteran's day since we were both off! We went back to a state park we had visited together almost exactly 4 years before, while we were still just "hanging out".
We also made a stop for the world's best cupcakes! Hooray!
And then on my other day off, RMB and I made 6 crockpot freezer meals for LB, JB and baby E! We made all but the sandwiches and bbq ribs, and took about an hour (even with chatting time)! I also managed to get all the ingredients for under $60 and they looked awesome. I'm thinking of making some for us!
The rest of my free time was spent baking . . . pies. But not just any pies!
Dad S. found this video a month or so ago, and he and mom S. asked me try one out for our S. family early Thanksgiving! I am always up for a baking challenge, so I went for it!
I started with my favorite pumpkin pie recipe, and a new pecan pie recipe. Well, new to me, because I'd never made a pecan pie before. They aren't my favorite.
Well, I guess I actually started with my go-to pie crust recipe. While we were also making hand pies. Because you know, making one involved recipe just isn't enough.
So there were the pies.
Then, on my amazing free Thursday night, I made two cakes!
The special thing about these cakes?
There was a pie inside!
I made a spice cake for the pumpkin pie, and chocolate for the pecan pie.
One note: if you flip the pies into the cake pan like I did, remember that you need to flip the cake before frosting it. I may have ended up with upside down pies. Duh.
The cakes do take a lot longer than the recipes say to cook, since there's a pie in there! Be aware of the middle -- watch it closely and make sure the middle looks cooked before you take it out.
Another note about the cakes: the recipe I sorta followed (more for the idea than anything else . . .) called for boxed cake mixes, and I wanted to make it all from scratch, so I did. However, pay attention to the amount that the cake recipes make. I needed to 1 1/2 the spice cake (since it only made 12-18 cupcakes -- I'm used to a 2 layer cake making 24), and the chocolate cake may have overflowed into the oven.
My poor oven. It still smells kinda like burnt cake in here. And I totally just read bundt cake instead of burnt cake . . . yeah. Too much math today.
So then I had two cakes.
And then came the stabilized whipped cream. I totally thought that the cream cheese frosting called for would be waaay over the top. So I did whipped cream instead.
I spent the morning of early Thanksgiving frosting.
Then came the moment of truth. Not cutting into it, silly -- making it through the 1 1/2 hour car ride!
Well, not before NES made mashed potatoes,
the turkey wolf carved the turkey,
and ZNS and mom S. put together a lovely meal for 13!
There were also two tasty apple pies. (My stomach is still unhappy with my choice to eat 4 pieces of pie, no matter how small.)
Piecaken! (It's kinda like the dessert version of turducken . . . ).
Upon trying this creation, I have come to a couple conclusions:
1. The pumpkin is better. The pecan kinda melded into the cake and tasted like a nutty-chocolate cake.
2. The whole thing is very elegant looking and not as much work as it seems, but I'd probably take just cake or just pie over the piecaken. So it's really an impressive party food.
3. Remember to flip the pan!
So there you go!
loosely based on VittleMonster
1 of your favorite 9 inch pumpkin pie or pecan pie (baked) (I used this and this)
1 batch your favorite spice or chocolate cake batter (uncooked) (I used this and this)
1 recipe stabilized whipped cream
Line a 10 inch cake pan with parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray and flour.
Pour a thin layer of cake batter on the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the batter around so it covers the bottom of the pan. Flip the pie into the batter.
Pour the remaining batter over the cake. It should cover the bottom of the pie and the pool of batter comes up almost to the top of the pie.
Bake at 350 degrees for at least 10 minutes more than the cake recipe calls for. I checked every 5-10 minutes after that. The center should be firm, and a toothpick should come out clean.
Allow to cool on wire racks. Flip the cakes so the pies are right side up.
Frost with whipped cream.
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