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Chocolate Pecan Piecaken

13 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 45 min. + chilling Bake: 55 min. + cooling

Makes

16 servings

Updated: Nov. 24, 2022
Why fight over whether cake or pie is better when you can combine the two to make this chocolate pecan piecaken recipe? —James Schend, Dairy Freed
Chocolate Pecan Piecaken
Chocolate Pecan Piecaken Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 1 package spice cake mix (regular size)
  • 1 pre-baked pumpkin pie (8 inches)
  • 1 package chocolate cake mix (regular size)
  • 1 pre-baked pecan pie (8 inches)
  • 2 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
  • Optional: Chopped pecans and ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. Grease 12 muffin cups.
  2. Prepare spice cake mix batter according to package directions. Transfer 1-1/2 cups batter to 1 of the prepared pans. Remove pumpkin pie from pan; place upside down on top of batter. Top with 2-1/2 cups additional batter; tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles (batter should not completely fill pan). Pour remaining batter into 6 muffin cups.
  3. Prepare chocolate cake mix batter according to package directions. Transfer 1-1/2 cups batter to remaining prepared pan. Remove pecan pie from pan; place upside down on top of batter. Top with 2-1/2 cups additional batter; tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles (batter should not completely fill pan). Pour remaining batter into 6 muffin cups.
  4. Bake cupcakes according to package directions, and cake layers until cakes start to pull away from edges of pans and tops are completely set, 50-60 minutes. Cool in pans 1 hour before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.
  5. If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a serrated knife to make level. Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting. If desired, press chopped pecans onto side of cake and sprinkle ground cinnamon on top of cake. Decorate cupcakes as desired. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. Refrigerate leftovers.
Chocolate Pecan Piecaken Tips

Can you use frozen pies for this piecaken recipe?

Pies from the freezer section of the grocery store will not work for this piecaken recipe; use prebaked pies from the bakery section. Or, for a fully homemade chocolate pecan piecaken, make the pies from scratch. Start by choosing your favorite pecan pie recipe and pumpkin pie recipe. Bake them well in advance so they have time to fully cool before you get to work on building the piecaken.

What's the best way to frost a piecaken?

Since a piecaken is such a tall layer "cake," you want to make sure the layers are stacked perfectly straight so you don't wind up with a leaning tower. First, chill each layer before you frost it to prevent crumbs from flaking into the frosting (never frost a warm cake!). Then, chill each layer again after it's frosted to let it set—this will make each layer more stable for stacking and lower your risk of a leaning piecaken. Here's more on how to frost a cake and our best cake frosting tips.

How can you make this piecaken recipe your own?

Get creative with your piecaken! Swap out the pumpkin and pecan pies for other seasonal pie recipes, such as apple pie and citrus cranberry pie. You can also use a range of cake mix flavors (we love a butter pecan cake) and experiment with different types of buttercream frosting.

—Lauren Pahmeier, Taste of Home Associate Editor and Nancy Mock, Community Cook

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 839 calories, 35g fat (9g saturated fat), 98mg cholesterol, 759mg sodium, 123g carbohydrate (75g sugars, 2g fiber), 8g protein.