Thanksgiving dessert idea: Serve a 'piecaken' the whole family will love

Can't decide between pie or cake? Smash them both together this holiday season. (iStock)

Thanksgiving is a time for classic dishes, but also experimental creations. And since many of us have already heard of (or tried) a "turducken," it might be time to try a "piecaken."

This dessert dish has been making the rounds for a few years now, but was first popularized by Chef Zac Young in 2015, who has since started selling piecakens (for $75 apiece) at the David Burke cafe within NYC's Bloomingdale's department store. His "original PieCaken" combines pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and an apple upside-down cake, all layered with cinnamon buttercream — but other variations are springing up all over Instagram, including the now-viral "cherpumple."

What on earth is a "Cherpumple" you might ask? It's really six desserts in one, including pumpkin, apple, and cherry pies, suspended in yellow, chococolate and spice cakes, with cream cheese frosting in between.

And now that social media has gotten wind of the trend, creative pastry chefs and aspiring bakers are putting their own spins on the dish. So if you're looking for a new dessert this Thanksgiving — or if you can't seem to settle on just one — a PieCaken could be your best option.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

The 'original'

A 'cherpumple'

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A pumpkin pie inside a chocolate cake

Pecan pie, almond cake and ganache

Chocolate-pecan piecaken

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Carrot-apple piecaken

Double-layer pumpkin and chocolate with vanilla icing

A ‘deconstructed’ piecaken

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A two-for-one chocolate-pecan and apple-spice combo

Apple pie and cheesecake

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