The Turducken of Desserts

 It's a cake!  It's a pie!  No, it's a Cherpumple!

From Charles Phoenix, the man behind fried cereal,

Inchezonya,

                                       

and the Astro Weenie Christmas Tree.

I love his description of his inspiration for this spectacular dessert.

The inspiration for the Cherpumple came from the typical desert table selection you would find at one of my family’s holiday celebrations. Seems there’s always cherry, pumpkin, and apple pie and a cake that’s a family tradition. It has a layer of spice and a layer of yellow. Since I always want to have a piece of each of the pies and the cake I figured why not make that waaaaaaaay more convenient. So I baked them all together as one and the Cherpumple was born.

It definitely doesn't look like an easy project, but since he uses frozen pies, boxed cake mix and tubs of frosting, it does take a bit of the effort out of creating this masterpiece.

This particular Cherpumple was made by Pastry Chef David Lowery of the Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin.  It weighed in at a hearty 21 lb. 10 oz. and has been estimated to be 1,700 - 2,000 calories per slice.

THE CHERPUMPLE “MONSTER” PIE CAKE

recipe by Charles Phoenix

1 8″ frozen pumpkin pie
1 box spice cake mix

1 8″ frozen apple pie –
1 box yellow cake mix

1 8″ frozen cherry pie
1 box white cake mix

eggs and oil according to the cake mix

3 tall tubs of cream cheese frosting

3 8.5″ round cake pans

Bake pies according to instructions and cool to room temperature overnight. Mix cake batter according to instructions. For each layer pour about 1 1/3 cup of batter in the cake pan. Carefully de-tin the baked pie and place it face up on top of the batter in the cake pan.  Push down lightly to release any trapped air. Pour enough batter on top to cover the pie. Bake according to box instructions. Cool and remove from pans the frost it like you mean it.

Since it’s the most wonderful time of the year …perhaps the cream cheese frosting should be dyed mint green!  And, yes, you can serve your Cherpumple FLAMING! Then you can call it CHERPUMPLE PIE CAKE FLAMBE! Why, oh why didn’t think of that sooner? Well actually I did but I was afraid that I would burn the vintage stove shop down where we filmed the video. I’ve heard those old stoves have a lot of trapped gas!

…BTW, to serve your “monster” pie cake FLAMING …its easy… just make a little puddle of lemon extract in the frosting on the top of your cake. Just before you light it gather friends and family around, turn out the lights and watch it burn. Make sure to have 911 on speed dial just in case.  Just how would you explain to your nosy neighbors that the desert version of the turducken burned your house down and singed theirs? Be fully prepared for gasps and ahhhhs as your guests see pie inside cake for the first time. Cherpumple ala mode anyone? Pie cake and 
ice cream go SO well together.

Take a look at Charles Phoenix's instructional video.  I found myself having appliance envy when I saw his green Sunbeam Mixmaster and the vintage pink stove.  The video was filmed at The Antique Stove Shop in Ventura, CA.  (and they ship their stoves!)

Are you ready to make your own Cherpumple?