6 Ways to Turn Your Favorite Thanksgiving Pie into Cake
Now you can have your cake and eat pie too!
If you ever wished Thanksgiving dinner could end with something other than pie, we're here to tell you it can. Our test kitchen chefs have come up with several delectable ways you can take your favorite Thanksgiving pie flavors and transform it into an ultra-comforting and equally delicious cake or cupcake. Whether you like apple, pecan or pumpkin pie best, these spectacular two-in-one desserts are sure to have you and your guests buzzing with excitement. Now the only question is, which one should you try first?!
For Apple Pie Fans
Apple Pie Cake (pictured above)
While traditional apple pie doesn’t normally come topped with luscious dollops of brown sugar frosting, this festive apple pie-flavored sheet cake will have you feeling just as warm and cozy. The cake itself is made with many of the same ingredients you’d use to make classic apple pie — like nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and diced Granny Smith apples — but it’s the cake’s leaf-shaped cutout topping that really makes it worthy of a coveted spot on your turkey day table. Not only are they made from refrigerated pie dough, but the cutouts also give this cake the same crunchy texture you’d get with a piece of pie crust. Though the recipe says to use only half of the packaged pie dough to make them, we wouldn’t be mad if you used the whole box and snacked on some of the baked pie crust pieces while you're putting the final touches on your Thanksgiving feast.
Armando Rafael; Armando Rafael, 2015, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
If you’ve ever had a hard time selling all the kids in your family on the delicious wonders of apple pie — because “ew, fruit” — these yummy, whipped cream-topped cupcakes might just be the thing that finally converts them. Though you’ll need to make the apple filling, cupcake batter and topping separately — and wait a bit of extra time before combining all three parts together — these extra steps help keep these spicy cupcakes adequately moist and perfectly fragrant. When building the cupcakes, be sure to follow the recipe exactly, and divide the batter evenly between the wells of your muffin pan before adding a mound of your apple filling on top of each one. Doing so ensures that each one of your golden cupcakes will have a lovely and yummy surprise hidden inside.
For Pumpkin Pie-Lovers
We’re obsessed with the pumpkin-flavored pudding found in the middle of this unique layer cake, so much so that we’d even suggest using it in place of cream cheese filling in the pumpkin cupcake recipe found below. Either way, this lovely cake is a must-try, especially if you consider yourself a true pumpkin lover. You’ll use pumpkin pie spice in the cake’s batter, filling and whipped cream frosting, so absolutely each and every bite of this cake will be bursting with pumpkin-y flavor. Though we’ll definitely be adding this dreamy confection to our Thanksgiving spread, it’s also the perfect dessert option for fall family dinners or November birthday parties.
Armando Rafael; Armando Rafael, 2015, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Traditional pie crust gets reimagined in this super playful cupcake recipe. You can use either a store-bought or homemade version to make the cupcake’s flaky leaf-shaped garnish. While pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree play a leading role in the cupcake’s batter, it’s their cream cheese-based frosting and filling that truly makes them unmissable, and gives them an overall taste that’s very similar to freshly baked pumpkin cheesecake. Best part of all?! These cupcakes can be made and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days in advance, so you can save yourself from any dessert-related headaches on Thanksgiving Day. Want to make your cupcakes more personalized? Use initial-shaped cookie cutters instead of leaf-shaped ones, and use your cupcakes as edible place cards for all your guests!
For Pecan Pie Stans
One of the things we love most about traditional pecan pie is the gooey-ooey filling, but sometimes it can be a little too sweet. This uniquely flavored chiffon cake from Food Network Magazine is a lovely, light alternative. You’ll still get the same flavor notes of traditional pecan pie thanks to the cake's sticky-sweet brown sugar-pecan glaze, but your slice won’t be as decadent since its airy and spongy texture is very similar to angel food cake.
Armando Rafael; Armando Rafael, 2015, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
“These are light, fluffy, and amazing! Everyone has complimented me on them, and I'm by no means a proficient baker.” That’s what one commenter had to say about these scrumptious pecan pie cupcakes. We have a good feeling that you’ll get a bunch of compliments too, once you make them for your loved ones this holiday season. To infuse the cupcakes with the signature nuttiness of classic pecan pie, you’ll toast pecans in the oven first, before pulsing them in a food processor to make a smooth flour. You’ll then use the flour in your batter along with a handful of other ingredients. Browning and refrigerating the butter for your frosting also infuses these cupcakes with a one-of-a-kind toastiness that’s very similar to a rich caramel sauce. For the final touch, our test kitchen chefs recommend spooning a generous teaspoon of dulce de leche on top of each cupcake, though salted caramel sauce also sounds like it would add a nice touch.
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