Surprise Your Guests With a Cake With Filling
Thanksgiving stuffing is not considered a glamorous side dish. Its soft brown lumps of varying shades don’t really inspire much table decoration, and yet few dishes receive as warm a welcome at the table. While the dish is great served in a casserole, it doesn’t hurt to try a little sparkle for this special occasion. Let me introduce the filling: reimagined. For a beautiful edible decoration, prepare a cake with filling.
It’s a pie in shape, not function.
The cake with filling is not sweet. It’s really just mince like you would normally make it, but dressed up for the evening. Most of the Thanksgiving feast is assembled and piled on a plate—mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, all the casseroles—so I wanted to add a little structure with another scooped side dish. The filling is the best candidate for molding because deep down it wants to be molded. I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed that the filling retained the shape of the spoon with which it was scooped.
All I did was pack the usual filling into a nice molded bundt pan – with a few useful binders thrown in – and the cake took on a fluted shape. It’s similar to this incredible risotto cake . The hole in the center provides the perfect opportunity to add a little luxury. I placed a small wide container in the center and filled it with herbs and various edibles. This is not only beautiful, but if desired, you can tear off a twig or piece from the bunch and throw it on a plate.
What makes this stuffing work?
As I mentioned, there are several useful folders. I add some grated cheese and an egg to hold the mixture together, otherwise the filling may fall apart. If you are serving a vegan or dairy-free filling, you can use vegan substitutes that can be purchased at the grocery store. Besides, you technically don’t need them. You can simply make the filling a little moister by adding more broth to help the bread mixture pack more tightly into the pan. Just be aware that too much liquid can make it heavy. I recommend adding some kind of cheese or egg to it if possible to keep it fluffy.
The great thing about this “recipe” is that you can use the same type of filling that you already like. The flavor is simply enhanced by a little umami from the Parmesan, and if you don’t like it, you can choose another cheese, such as cheddar, low-moisture mozzarella, Swiss or Muenster. My favorite part is that the fluted edges of the pan add extra crispiness to the dish. Each bite gets a little crunch. As always with this type of pan, be sure to generously coat it with oil and breadcrumbs to prevent it from sticking when it comes out.
But you don’t have to use a mold – this mixture will hold any shape. Place the filling in a loaf pan, angel food pan , or regular round cake pan to cut into wedges. You can also choose to pre-portion mini brownies and pack the filling into a muffin tin; or, heck, try a madeleine mold to make little “cookies” with filling. Whatever you choose, first grease the pan with butter and breadcrumbs.
Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe (for shaping)
Ingredients:
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4 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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Stuffing recipe for 6 cups, ready-made
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½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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2 eggs
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Pinch of salt
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Butter for the frying pan
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter the baking dish. Lightly mix the flour and breadcrumbs and pour into a greased pan. Turn and tap the pan until it is well coated with the dry mixture. Excess breadcrumbs can be added to the filling.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and Parmesan cheese. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared filling and mix thoroughly.
3. Pour the filling into the prepared pan, distributing it as evenly as possible. Rub the back of a spoon with a little oil and spoon the filling into the pan. If necessary, re-butter the spoon. Bake the pie for about 35 minutes or until the edges begin to dry out, brown and pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool for a few minutes and, if necessary, loosen the edges of the pan with a spoon. Before serving, turn the pie out onto a wire rack to cool.
Please note that large cakes can be used to make double or half batches due to the nature of their construction. Feel free to double the recipe to make a taller cake.