Are You Team Cake or Team Pie?

ROUND 1: EVERYDAY VS. SPECIAL OCCASION
 

While cake certainly is celebratory, pie has versatility in filling, as it can be sweet or savory. However, there are certainly some holidays that are pie centric – Thanksgiving and Pi Day (March 14) celebrations would be nothing without pie.

"A great cake marks special occasions for a lifetime," says Calli Marie of BREW 5 Points. Meanwhile, Emma Sterzinger of Songbird Pies in St. Augustine says her customers are discovering pie is "something you can have daily." Her savory chicken pot pie hand pies have become a staple at farmers markets in the region. "I think savory pies are overlooked. It's a great meal, something to throw into your weekly recipe rotation, or to bring to a sick friend as it easily feeds a family.” Barbara Bredehoeft of Biscotti’s and bb’s restaurant and bar has noticed that her restaurants’ cakes bridge the gap between everyday delights and special occasions. You can order a single slice, or a whole cake for a celebration. She's seen customers who've grown up enjoying their favorite cakes now want those same flavors for their big celebrations like weddings and graduations.

Verdict: While pie has secured a place at the table on special occasions, cake is firmly on the regular rotation of everyday dessert options.

ROUND 2: FLAVOR, FILLINGS & TEXTURE
 

Pie is at a disadvantage here because there are only so many layers and textures you can fit in one pie plate. For Kelly Crawford of Bells Baked Stuff, the limitless elements of cakes are her favorite part. "It's really nice to have a soft cake, velvety frosting and then something crunchy. I fill my cakes with surprises!" Sterzinger says that despite the fewer components to a pie, the research and development of the endlessly available flavor combinations really lights her fire. From rich and creamy to acidic and fruity, "the flavor profile of pie filling can be developed and taken to the next level,” she says. Pies also offer many opportunities for seasonal flavors, says Natasha Burton of Mixed Fillings Pie Shop. “I'm a very seasonal pie eater. It’s nice to enjoy pumpkin in the fall and to dig into berries in the summer!”

Verdict: Despite their simple appearance, pies can be made in a wide range of flavors; cakes offer more possibilities for layering and texture combinations.

ROUND 3: DECORATIONS
 

Pie with its flaky dough often relies on simple, geometric shapes of the crust for decoration. Allison Vaughn of 1748 Bakehouse says she "loves to match the filling to the crust, with a crimped or rolled edge, a lattice or a closed top depending on the pie." She uses dough cutouts as a signature look to cover the top of fruit pies with leaves, snowflakes, flowers, or hearts, depending on the season. Those cutouts work best for fruit pie as it allows the fruit to bubble up and through. Cakes on the other hand have become an all-out canvas for bakers to use as their artistic outlet. "There's a level of trust and artistry when it comes to building a cake," says Crawford, who likes to ensure that the cake matches the customer's personality. "Cake offers different sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors, so it is easier to squeeze in the different fragments of a person's taste."

Verdict: Cake decorations are more eye-catching, though experimentation with pie ornamentation has become more popular.

CONCLUSION

The two sweets are more closely intertwined than you might have thought. All of our expert bakers said that no matter if it's pie or cake, their quality is deeply rooted in good ingredients, and preference is built on memory and nostalgia. "No one can compete with a memory,” Vaughn says. “When you have something that brings a smell, taste, or memory back, you go for it." There was one very clear conclusion from our baking community: They love both desserts! Sterzinger says she is not a cake hater, while Bredehoeft confided that she actually prefers pie. Burton agrees, saying “why can’t we be friends?” Perhaps Marie said it best: "I am a dessert person!"