Description
Colonial Innkeeper’s Pie is a delightful layered dessert featuring a rich chocolate topping over a moist cake base studded with crunchy pecans. This classic recipe combines a buttery pie crust with a luscious chocolate glaze and a tender vanilla-flavored cake, perfect for serving with whipped cream to add a creamy touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked
Chocolate Layer
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cake Layer
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
For Serving
- Whipped cream, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the pie.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Line a 9-inch pie plate with the unbaked pie crust, fold the edges under, and flute them as desired. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the fillings.
- Make Chocolate Layer: In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the unsweetened chocolate, and stir until melted. Stir in 2/3 cup granulated sugar and bring the mixture to a boil again. Remove from heat and mix in 1/4 cup butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir well and set aside.
- Prepare Cake Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream 1/4 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar for one minute until fluffy.
- Mix Cake Batter: Add 1 large egg to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until combined. Alternately add the milk and the sifted flour mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
- Assemble Pie: Transfer the cake batter to the chilled pie crust and smooth the top evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Add Chocolate Layer and Nuts: Stir the melted chocolate mixture to recombine and pour it gently over the cake batter layer. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans evenly over the top.
- Bake the Pie: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool completely before slicing. Serve each slice with whipped cream if desired. Enjoy your Colonial Innkeeper’s Pie!
Notes
- Chilling the pie crust before baking helps maintain a flaky texture during baking.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts or omit nuts to suit preferences.
- Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar well to achieve a light, fluffy cake layer.
- Make sure the chocolate mixture is well stirred before pouring to ensure an even layer over the cake batter.
- Allow the pie to cool fully before slicing to get clean slices.
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality unsweetened chocolate and pure vanilla extract.
- Whipped cream adds a lovely creamy contrast but can be omitted for a lighter dessert.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
