Cake, Pie, and Related Questions

[mamselle]

OK, pursuant to another thread's discussion, this seems apposite.

The Old Forum had a rather contentious thread on this; maybe we can elaborate on the values of both without needing to excommunicate those who have different tastes?

So...I like both, in any case...

Who likes what?

And as one person was just asking, "Whhhhatttt arrreee yourrr secretttsss???"

M.

[ergative]

Yes, please, all of them. Cheesecake too.

I just made this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/simple-sesame-cake/17691/

It's cooling on the counter even as I type.

[mamselle]

A friend visiting from DC and I made a whole Thanksgiving feast one year,, using all-Wa-Po recipes....this one sounds great!

M.

[Vkw10]

Both, please. Coconut cake, lemon meringue pie, double chocolate torte, chicken pot pie, peach cobbler, sour cream pound cake.... I'll take one of each.

[mamselle]

That's consistent with one of my favorite sayings: "When life give your lemons, make lemon meringue pie...!"

M.

[wareagle]

Boston cream pie.  Best of both worlds.

[the_geneticist]

I think the key to good cake is learning to make your own frosting!  I am a fan of the Betty Crocker sour cream frosting, chocolate variation.  It's smooth, creamy and not too sweet. 

Deep, dark secret: if I'm in a hurry, I use a boxed cake mix.  Box mixes are always flavorful and moist.  Put on homemade frosting and no one will know it's not all from scratch if you don't tell them.

For pie, learn to make a crust with lard (or shortening for the true vegetarians out there).  All-butter pie crusts are so fussy to make.  To get a butter flavor, simply dot the filling with butter before adding the top crust!

[mamselle]

Ahh, OK, now we're getting the secrets.

What kind of flour do you like best?

M.

[Parasaurolophus]

In principle, I like them both. In practice, most cakes are gross, apart from the ones you get at good pâtisseries, or if you're making the bûche from Les recettes de tante Léa.

I find a mediocre pie more palatable than a mediocre cake.

[mamselle]

I've been pondering making a bûche, I have the ingredients, all except the time....!

My cousin in Belgium has a <<bûche de Noel>> at Christmas whenever I'm there,  but I'm happy to make/eat one anytime.

A Napoleon is cool, too....

M. 

[polly_mer]

Boston cream pie.  Best of both worlds.

No.  Just no.

Cherry cobbler forever!

[spork]

I have successfully reduced the refined sugar content of the pumpkin pie handed down by my mother from one cup to three tablespoons. As a substitute I have added whites of two eggs.   

[mamselle]

Is that for structure, or do the egg whites make it sweeter as well?

Never considered that!

M.

[dismalist]

-Steak and kidney pie.

-Pork pie.

-Chicken pie [Mrs. Budd's]

[ab_grp]

I would prefer crab cakes and pot pies, but I guess those are probably out of bounds (though thanks to Vkw10 for sneaking the latter into the list!). 

In principle, I like them both. In practice, most cakes are gross, apart from the ones you get at good pâtisseries, or if you're making the bûche from Les recettes de tante Léa.

I find a mediocre pie more palatable than a mediocre cake.

I probably lean in this direction. In principle I like both, but in practice I only like cakes I have had from two bakeries.  Both are thousands of miles from here.  Sometimes I like those molten chocolate lava cakes, but I'm not sure if they count.  Pies are a bit easier.  I grew up loving coconut custard pie but haven't had it in ages and miss it.  Went through a coconut cream pie phase as a young adult, but that might be too sweet at this point.  Still like pumpkin pie.  And the strawberry glaze pie my cousin used to make.  I don't really have much of a sweet tooth, though.

On preview: Another savory fan! Yay!