Actually, the Best Thanksgiving Dessert Is Cake

Hear me out: For Thanksgiving, bake a cake instead of or in addition to a pie. I don’t know how we all fell into pie, but like cilantro, it’s not for everyone. But the cake East for everyone, but we adults rarely have a good excuse to eat a really good cake. Thanksgiving is your excuse. It’s mealtime and it’s time to eat cake.

Cakes have more flexibility than pies

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some really good pies in my life. But when it comes to pie, you have fruit tarts and your custard-filled tarts like pumpkin, and… that’s it, really. Meanwhile, there is a whole world of cakes out there. You can change the flavor profile of cakes dramatically, from a safe olive oil or matcha cake to the sweetness of a funfetti or dark chocolate cake. We haven’t even discussed frosting, or toppings, or syrups yet! All of these elements help make cakes more complex desserts than a pie could ever be.

Since Thanksgiving dessert is usually a smorgasbord anyway, a cake won’t look out of place. In fact, among a pile of pies, a slice of cake can start to look awfully appealing.

Classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting is Hard to Hate

Skip the boxed cakes and make a yellow cake from scratch, with real chocolate frosting. There’s something magical about the combination when you get the perfect ratio of cake to frosting. The duo asks for a glass of milk as an accompaniment. Combine Sally yellow cake recipe with Hershey’s dark chocolate frosting for a layer cake that everyone will keep an eye on throughout dinner.

Pumpkin Carrot Cake Looks at the Holidays

A carrot cake provides the crumb of a traditional cake, without all the cloying sweetness. Dive into the holidays by adding pumpkin to the batter for a richly colored cake with a holiday accent. With the cream cheese frosting, you get that slight extra sweetness and creaminess that makes it a real version for adults of traditional pumpkin pie, in cake form.

Coconut Cloud Cake Makes a Bold Statement on the Table

Incredibly large, white and fluffy, a coconut cloud cake takes layers of impossibly light fluffy white cake, marries them with silky vanilla frosting, then tops it all with coconut flakes for a stunning image. Even if you don’t like coconut, you’ll want a slice. With the texture of angel food cake, and a light, slightly sweet taste and scent of vanilla and coconut, this one will please all ages.

If you’re a Thanksgiving guest, a spectacular cake is a great way to get in the door. If it’s just a small celebration at home, a cake will be the cherry on top of your Thanksgiving.