Inspired by Love

Legend has it that the Chocolate Funny Cake-Pie was invented by a pretty Pennsylvania Dutch girl trying to impress her suitor.  Wanting to show off her culinary expertise, she created a special new dessert just for him.  Upon seeing it, he exclaimed, “What a funny cake!”  And that is how this unique baked good got it’s name (and the pretty girl her suitor, or so the legend goes).

This combination of walnut cake, chocolate pie and fresh whipped cream would make even a curmudgeon fall in love.

Everything Old is New Again

Inspired by the Great British Baking Show’s “Forgotten Bakes” episode, I decided to dig through my vintage cookbooks and find out what other lost treasures were waiting for someone to make again.  The Chocolate Funny Cake-Pie recipe is from the 1954 edition of The Mixer, Hand Mixer and Blender Cookbook.  Not limited to desserts, this goldmine of old-school recipes included novelties such as Griddlecake Sandwiches (two pancakes filled with tart jelly and pork sausage, then topped with maple syrup and butter), Whiskey Milk Punch and a Tangerine Duff.  Having grown up in Pennsylvania eating Pennsylvania Dutch classics like Shoo Fly Pie and Chow Chow, I decided that the Chocolate Funny Cake-Pie would be a great place to start my baking adventure.

My new favorite recipe book!

It’s a Cake, it’s a Pie, it’s a Cake-Pie!

So what exactly is a cake-pie, you might be wondering?  Not surprisingly, it’s exactly what the name says it is: a cake baked inside of a pie.  The butter crust is filled with walnut cake batter and a warm chocolate sauces is gently poured on top.  The chocolate sauce sinks through to the bottom of the cake to form the pie on top of the shell.

After pouring the warm chocolate sauce on top of the cake batter most of it will sink to the bottom. Some, however, will remain on top giving your Cake-Pie its unique marbled appearance.

A couple of tips before you get started:

• No one will hold it against you if you use a store-bought pie crust instead of making your from scratch.  You do what you need to do to get it done.
• Make sure the crust border trim is as you normally would make it – don’t lower it based on the volume of the batter.  When poured into the shell the batter only goes about halfway up the sides, but it rises significantly when baking.  If you’re worried about the chocolate dripping out just put a cookie sheet on the rack below the pie to catch anything that might spill over.

The Funny Chocolate Cake-Pie is best eaten warm, served with fresh whipped cream, and perhaps a cup of coffee.

Why don’t you give it a shot and try something old?  It’s freezing outside and this will warm your house and your belly!

CHOCOLATE FUNNY CAKE-PIE – THE RECIPE

Ingredients

9″ Pie Shell
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2-4 Tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 oz. chocolate
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake
1 cup (3 1/2 oz.) chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg

Whipped Cream Topping
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Step 1 – Make the pie shell

In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles course meal, with a few pea-sizes pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 Tablespoons of water, 1 Tablespoon at a time). Don’t over-mix.

Turn dough out onto large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch thick disk.  Refrigerate until firm (at least one hour or up to three days).

On a floured surface, roll dough into a 14″ round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around the rolling pin, and unroll over 9″ pie plate.  Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.  I like to trim the edges to a 1″ overhang, then fold into it self and crimp edges with my thumbs and forefingers.  Use immediately or refrigerate until ready (up to 1 day).

Step 2 – Make the sauce

Over low heat, combine in a saucepan water and chocolate. Cook and stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Add sugar, stirring constantly, bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Set aside.

Step 3 – Make the cake

Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add milk,softened butter and vanilla, mixing on low speed until dry ingredients are just incorporated. Increase speed to medium and add egg, beating for 2 minutes. Add nuts and beat for 1 minute more.

Step 3 – Make the pie

Pour batter into shell. Stir sauce and carefully pour over cake batter (sauce will sink to the bottom).

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes, or until the cake tests done (toothpick inserted in middle comes out crumb-free and dry).  Sauce will have sunk to the bottom.

Step 4 – Make whipped topping

When ready to serve your Chocolate Funny Cake-Pie, whip cream on high speed in chilled bowl with chilled beaters until cream stands in peaks when beaters are slowly lifted upright.  Beat confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract into whipped cream with final few strokes until just blended.

Serve and enjoy!

Please tell us what you think, we really want to know!

Tell us what you think!

Please comment below if you try the Chocolate Funny Cake-Pie recipe and let us know how it goes!  Find all of Brooklyn to the Catskills‘ recipes in the Food section of our website.  We’d love to hear what you think about our other recipes too!