Want a way to win your significant other over this Valentine's Day? You make them this Valentine's Day Piecaken! It is a double crust strawberry pie within a devil's food cake. It is topped with a mulled strawberry buttercream frosting. When you put anything chocolate with strawberry, you just can't go wrong. It will for sure tell someone you REALLY love them.
I have really enjoyed making this hybrid dessert. You all should also try my Caramel Apple Pie Piecaken. I made this one during Thanksgiving and couldn't get enough of it. My family members still rave about it!
Valentine's day Piecaken
I have always thought Valentine's Day is just a cheesy Hallmark holiday, but a dessert like this would definitely win my heart over.
I am a sucker for anything chocolate and strawberry, so why not put it together? So when I came up with the ingredients in this recipe, I was pleasantly surprised. The strawberry mulled buttercream really enriches the flavor in the strawberry pie. In addition, when you add the chocolate cake in the center brings the whole dessert together.
It is a long process to make the Piecaken, so it is not for the faint of heart. Be sure to allow yourself a couple of days to complete and assemble it.
Pie crust
First, in a large mixing bowl, add lard, granulated sugar, and 5 cups of flour. Beat a large egg in a measuring cup (1 cup) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add in cold water until you have reached 1 cup. Pour over the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter to blend.
Second, form dough into a ball and cut into 2 sections. Cover and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
Lastly, remove from fridge and let it reach room temperature. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about ¼ in thick. Lay in the bottom of a 9 in pie pan. Set other ball of dough aside until ready to place on top of pie.
Strawberry filling
The Strawberry filling is pretty simple to make and so sweet to eat. The smell of it reminded me of my Strawberry Shortcake doll from my childhood. You know the one that blew strawberry scented kisses?
Wash and cut your fresh strawberries and place in a mixing bowl. Pour granulated sugar, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon on top. Mix well. Pour into the pie crust that is already in the pan.
Roll out your other ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to a ¼ in thick. Place on top of strawberry filling and pinch around the edges to close. Flute pie if you would like, but it not necessary for this recipe. Cut slits in the top of pie to vent. Brush with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Top will be golden brown.
Devils Food Cake mix
Prepare cake mix as directed on the box. Set aside.
Mulled Strawberry Buttercream frosting
In a saucepan, put your cut strawberries on medium heat and add in lemon juice and sugar. Smash strawberries down until the are pureed. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the strawberries into a bowl and discard pureed ones. Cover and put in fridge to cool.
In a large stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter on medium for 5 minutes. Pour in ¼ cup of the mulled strawberry mixture. Add in confectioner's sugar. To get your desired consistency, you may have to add more confectioner's sugar. Set aside until ready to use.
Assembly of the piecaken
Turn oven to 350 degrees. Grease your 9 in springform pan with crisco. Pour in half of the cake batter in the bottom of the pan. Put the strawberry pie upside down on top of the cake batter (will be a tight fit, don't worry). Then, add the rest of the cake batter on top.
Place in oven for 90 minutes. Half way through put tin foil all around the edges of cake as they cook faster than the center. Cake is done when center is set. Cool for 2 hours or more before frosting. Once cooled, frost with buttercream.
I actually sealed mine in an airtight container overnight and then frosted it the next day. It will stay good for up to 3 days in fridge in airtight container.
Cake recipes
Valentine's Day Piecaken
Equipment
- Kitchen aid stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Home Decor
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9 in pie pan
- 9 in Nordicware springform pan
- Rubber spatula
- cake decorating stand
- Rolling pin
- pastry blender
Ingredients
Pie crust
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 egg beaten well
- 1 lb lard
- cold water
Strawberry filling
- 2 pint fresh strawberries cut
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Duncan Hine's devil's food cake mix
Strawberry Buttercream frosting
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temp
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
Instructions
Pie Crust
- In a large mixing bowl add your lard, 5 cups of all purpose flour and granulated sugar. Then, in a 1 cup measuring cup add your beaten egg, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and then fill the rest of the cup up with cold water. Pour over dry ingredients and mix with a pastry cutter.
- Form into a large ball and chill for 30 minutes. Once it has chilled and reached room temperature again, place on a floured surface and roll out to about a ¼ in thick. Place in the bottom of a greased 9 in pie pan.
Strawberry Filling
- Preheat oven to 425. Wash and cut your strawberries into halves. Place in a large bowl and pour in sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix well. Once it is mixed well, place in the bottom of the crust in pie pan.
- On a floured surface, take additional pie dough and roll out to a ¼ in thick. Place on top of the strawberry filling. Vent center with 4 slits. Brush top of pie with milk and sprinkle sugar on top. Put in oven for about 30-35 minutes. Top will be golden brown in color.
- Put pie in fridge overnight. It sets better within the cake if it is made the day before.
Devils Food cake
- Prepare Duncan Hine's cake mix as directed on box. Set aside.
Mulled Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- In a sauce pan, place freshly cut strawberries on medium heat. Put in lemon juice and sugar. Smash down berries into a pureed. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a stand mixer, beat softened butter for 5 minutes. You then strain your strawberries and place the juice in fridge to cool. Discard pureed strawberries.
- Once the mixture has cooled in fridge take ¼ cup and put into butter, add your sifted confectioner's sugar and mix until you get desired consistency.
Assembling the piecaken
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9 in spring form pan with crisco. Pour half of the devil's food cake mix to the bottom of the springform pan. Place your double crust strawberry pie upside down on top of the cake batter. Then add the rest of the cake batter. It will be a tight fit, so don't worry. Tap pan on counter to help distribute the batter all around the pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Half way through place tinfoil around the edges of the cake. The edges will cook faster and will burn if this is not done. Once the center is set the cake is done.
- Wait at least 2-3 hours before frosting. Once frosted, then serve. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make pie the day before as it has time to set and cool
- I recommend that once the dessert is done to let it cool for 1-2 hours and then store in an airtight container and frost the next day.
- Will stay good when stored in the airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Fun fact of the day!
Every year, kids in North America spend close to a half a billion dollars on chewing gum. I would agree with this. Norah contributes to this statistic!
Recommended Products
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