Creative Turkey-Shaped Dessert for Thanksgiving Celebrations

Creative Turkey-Shaped Dessert for Thanksgiving Celebrations

Prepare for a Thanksgiving showstopper like never before with this outrageous turkey layer cake! This monstrous delicacy will stir up feelings of horror, amazement, and laughter at the dinner table. Be warned: this dish isn't for those who need an inch of separation between food groups!

Here's the scoop on this mouthwatering oddity: it's a savory layered cake with each layer representing a different Thanksgiving favorite. We've got ground turkey filling, mashed potato "icing," stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and (you guessed it) more! Before we dive in, whip up the mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sausage stuffing (though you can skip cooking it if you prefer raw stuffing, it'll cook during baking), and gravy. The sweet potatoes can be prepared ahead of time as well. Warm everything again, except the cranberry sauce, just before it's time to construct the cake.

Yield: 8-10 wildly entertained guestsDifficulty: MediumTotal Time: 2 hours (yes, you read that right!)Active Time: 1 hour

Ingredients (25):

For the Turkey Layers:- Unsalted butter, to grease the pans

• 2 pounds ground turkey breast
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sage leaves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Sweet Potato Layer:- 1 pound sweet potatoes- 1/4 cup whole milk- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed- Pinch ground mace or nutmeg- Freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:- 5 cups or 1 recipe Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, warmed- 1/2 cup chilled cranberry sauce, excess liquid drained- 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups pre-cooked sausage stuffing, warmed or raw (if you're brave)- 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows- Gravy, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

To make the turkey layers:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with butter; set aside.
2. Combine all of the remaining turkey layer ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined (don't overwork). Divide the mixture evenly between the pans, spreading to the edges and smoothing out the top. Bake until cooked through and the cakes begin to pull away from the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven (but leave it on) and let cool for about 10 minutes. Strain away any excess fat from the cakes’ surfaces; set aside. (While the turkey cakes bake, work up a sweat making the sweet potatoes.)

To make the sweet potato layer:

1. Place a steam basket in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, add water to tide it over, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Steam the cubes in the basket (still covered) until they're soft when poked with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the steamer basket with the potatoes to a plate; set aside.
3. Discard the water from the saucepan. Add the milk and butter, and heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Remove from heat, add the reserved sweet potatoes, the brown sugar, measured salt, mace or nutmeg, and pepper, and mash with a potato masher until creamy. Season with more salt and pepper if needed; keep warm on low heat.

To assemble:

1. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven. Loosen the edge of the turkey cakes with a knife. Unmold one cake layer, place it bottom-side-up on an overturned cake pan or ovenproof serving dish. Spread 1 1/4 cups of the mashed potatoes on top of the cake, leaving a 1/2 inch border (keep the remaining potatoes warm).
2. Using the back of a spoon, evenly spread the cranberry sauce on top of the mashed potatoes.
3. Gently pack the stuffing in an even layer on top of the cranberry sauce. Pat the stuffing gently to help it adhere to the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
4. Spread 1 1/4 cups more of the mashed potatoes on top of the stuffing.
5. Unmold the second turkey layer and place it bottom-side-up on top of the mashed potatoes.
6. Transfer the cake pan or serving dish with the partially assembled cake to a baking sheet. Bake until warm throughout, about 30 to 40 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 165°F).
7. Remove from the oven and set aside. Switch the oven to broil. Spread the remaining mashed potatoes on the outside of the entire cake (but not the top if you're feeling fancy). Spread the sweet potatoes on top of the cake. Arrange the marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes.
8. Place the baking sheet with the assembled cake back in the oven and broil until the marshmallows are golden, around 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Carefully transfer the cake to a serving dish or cake stand. Serve immediately with gravy, if desired.

Enrichment Data:This outlandish Thanksgiving Turkey Layer Cake is a dinner conversation starter, for sure. While the creation isn't a traditional cake, it's a fun and tasty way to present iconic Thanksgiving flavors. To make it look like an actual cake, follow these simple steps:

Ingredients:- Mashed Potatoes: around 5-6 cups mashed potatoes- Cranberry Sauce: 1.5 cups cranberry sauce- Sausage Stuffing: approx. 3-4 cups sausage stuffing- Sweet Potatoes: 2-3 sweet potatoes- Gravy: around 2 cups gravy (optional)

Steps:1. Prepare each layer: - Mashed Potatoes: Boil, mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. - Cranberry Sauce: Combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cook until thickened. - Sausage Stuffing: Cook sausage, onions, garlic, and herbs. Mix with bread cubes. - Sweet Potatoes: Bake, mash with butter, sugar, and spices. - Gravy: Combine broth and flour. Add butter and simmer until thickened.2. Layer the ingredients: - Base layer: Mashed potatoes in a large serving dish. - Stuffing layer: Sausage stuffing on top of potatoes. - Sweet Potato Layer: Sweet potatoes on top of stuffing. - Cranberry Sauce Layer: Cranberry sauce on top of sweet potatoes. - Final layer: Top with another layer of mashed potatoes.3. Decorate to resemble a cake: - Top: Fresh herbs like parsley or thyme. - Frosting: Whipped cream or cheese sauce around the edges.4. Serve: Serve each slice with a drizzle of warm gravy.

Tips for presentation and serving:- Choose round cake pans if you'd like distinct layers.- Use small "cakes" made from cookies or bread as separators for clearer layers.- Keep the dish warm until serving to ensure guests enjoy the warmth of each layer.

There you have it—a legendary Thanksgiving centerpiece that showcases the unique flavors of the season. Tuck in and brace yourself for an unforgettable meal!

1. Craft a Thanksgiving sensation with this extraordinary turkey layer cake, a dish that blend horrors, amazements, and laughter, ideal for an unconventional dinner table.
2. This notable layered cake carries an array of distinct Thanksgiving favorites, including ground turkey filling, mashed potatoes as the "icing," stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and additional surprises!
3. To construct this outrageous cake, set aside two hours of your time, employing a smorgasbord of 25 ingredients, and prepare for medium level complexity.
4. Assemble your enriched cake with warmed layers of Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, drained cranberry sauce, warm or raw sausage stuffing, mini marshmallows, and gravy (optional), bringing together the sweet, savory, and nostalgic essence of the Thanksgiving recipes.

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