Go Back
Delicious Thanksgiving Piecaken dessert showcasing layers of pie and cake.

Thanksgiving Piecaken

A festive and impressive dessert that layers a whole pumpkin pie inside a moist spice cake, all covered in a luscious cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 580

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Pie Layer
  • 1 Pie crust pre-made or homemade
  • 15 ounces Pumpkin puree
  • 14 ounces Sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 2 teaspoons Pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 teaspoon Salt
Spice Cake Layer
  • 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 0.25 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 teaspoon Salt
  • 0.5 cup Unsalted butter softened
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 ounces Cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup Unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon Milk if needed

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Electric mixer
  • 9-inch pie plate
  • 10-inch springform pan
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Spatula
  • Oven
  • Wire rack

Method
 

Prepare Pumpkin Pie
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Press the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare Spice Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate large bowl, cream softened butter until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time, followed by buttermilk and vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Assemble and Bake Piecaken
  1. Pour half of the spice cake batter into the prepared springform pan. Carefully place the cooled pumpkin pie on top of the batter in the center. Pour the remaining cake batter around and over the pie, ensuring the pie is mostly covered. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake portion (not the pie) comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined, then beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract, and add milk one tablespoon at a time if a thinner consistency is desired.
Frost and Serve
  1. Once the Piecaken is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top and sides. For best results, chill the Piecaken for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. Garnish as desired with additional spice or festive sprinkles.

Notes

For optimal results, consider baking the pumpkin pie layer the day before to ensure it is completely cooled before assembling the Piecaken. This will prevent the pie from sinking into the cake batter. Ensure the Piecaken is fully chilled before slicing for clean, impressive cuts.