Why Whipped Cream Is The Best Topping For Your Piecaken

If you've ever challenged yourself to bake a piecaken then you likely wondered what you should put on top. For those who've never heard of it before, a piecaken is the dessert version of a turducken; a pie and cake wrapped up into the ultimate tasty treat. Most piecakens consist of a layer of pie sandwiched between two cake layers or a layer of cake on top of a layer of pie. Either way, when it comes to what to put on top, a pie and a cake require two very different finishing touches. So, what do you choose when your dessert is a little bit of both? The answer is as simple as it is delicious: whipped cream. 

It may be most folks' instinct to top their piecaken or piecaken cupcakes with thick, sweet icing or buttercream frosting. After all, that's one of the best parts of a cake or cupcake! In the case of the piecaken, though, it's important to beware of sweetness overload. With dense layers of crust and decadent filling, pie is thicker and heavier than spongey cake. For this reason, we never top a pie with icing. A dense, creamy frosting is the perfect complement to a light cake but not so much for a heavy dessert like a pumpkin or cherry pie. For pie, a dollop of whipped cream is an ideal addition and the same goes for the piecaken. 

Thanks to the pie portion of your piecaken, frosting adds way more sweetness and thickness than the dessert requires. Whipped cream is light and fluffy, making it the perfect balance for a thick, sweet base. You can opt to spread whipped cream across the top of your piecaken the same way you would frost a cake, or, if you're working with piecaken cupcakes, you can simply add a dollop in the center to show off your pie crust. 

Homemade whipped cream can be quick and easy to whip up yourself. As a reward for your efforts, your whipped cream will add a creamy, decadent twist to your topping. However, you can save time by choosing your favorite whipped cream brand. On top of your whipped cream, feel free to add crumbles of pie crust, a bit of your pie filling, like a few cherries, or even a dusting of gingerbread cookie crumbs for some added flavor and texture. With the perfect topping, piecaken will become your new favorite baked good.