Hold on, Is Cheesecake Really a Pie?

In a world full of chaos, it’s a relief to know that some things are simple, clear, and unchangeable: Water is wet, the sky is blue, cakes are cakes, and pies are pies. Right? WRONG.

Yesterday, I was a content person who knew these basic truths to be self-evident.

Today, I’m a shattered version of myself, lost in confusion. I’ve come to the crushing realization that cheesecake isn’t a cake, and now, nothing makes sense. I trust no one anymore.

I know this will spark some debate, so hear me out:

Put your emotions aside for a moment. Now ask yourself, 'What exactly is a cheesecake?'

If your answer was 'custard in a crust,' congratulations, you're correct. And by the way, that's a pie. You just described a pie.

But it’s called 'cheesecake,' so shouldn’t we just accept the name and move on? Sure, if you prefer to live in denial.

In an attempt to both validate my own beliefs and ruin everyone’s Thanksgiving, I brought this debate to my coworkers.

Some die-hards still cling to the idea that 'cheesecake is a cake.'

One editor pointed out that, according to Wikipedia, the ancient Greeks believed cheesecake was a type of cake.

“I’m sticking with the cake argument, using the simple reasoning that a cake is anything that’s called 'cake,'” he argues.

Others were less subtle in expressing their views.

“It’s a cake, you fools,” one member of Team Cake typed in our shared online chat.

While those are both valid points, I stand by my own logic. If it looks like a bird and sounds like a bird, it’s not a cake.

Check out our full collection of Cheesecake Recipes for mouthwatering inspiration.