Pizza Cake
My pizza cake features so many layers of cheese and pepperoni inside a perfectly chewy crust. This is THE ultimate deep-dish pizza.
I'm known for my unique pizzas like Crab Rangoon, jalapeno popper pizza, Shrimp Scampi, and bacon cheeseburger. I also love the classics like pizza margherita and alfredo pizza. This Pepperoni Pizza Cake takes pizza to the next level. Seriously, this is epic! It has layers and layers of gooey cheese, spicy pepperoni, and sauce so big you can barely fit it in your mouth. SO good! It's also much easier than it looks! We love making it for Friday pizza night, birthdays, and, of course, game day. This is the perfect cake for "those" people who don't like birthday cake. I know I know, I'm shocked they exist too. More for us. 😉
⏲️Recipe Run Down⏲️
- Taste: Spicy pepperoni and herby sauce
- Texture: Chewy crust and melty cheese
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cooking Method: Oven
- Pros: It's unique, and it's not something you've likely had before or can get at the local pizza shop.
- Cons: Lots of rolling, but hey, it'll build arm muscles!
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Flour: When measuring your flour, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a spoon. Avoid dipping into the flour container with your measuring cup. You might overmeasure, leading to a tough and dry crust.
- Yeast: I suggest using Pizza Yeast. It doesn't require any rise time and contains dough conditioners that help your pie hold its shape without shrinking.
- Water: Make sure your water is not too hot or cold. Technically, it should be around 110 degrees. This will feel like bath water. If it is too hot, you could kill the yeast.
- Pizza Sauce: Use your favorite brand. My go-to is Del Grosso's Pappy Freds. Homemade pizza sauce would also be a solid choice.
- Mozzarella Cheese: If you have the time consider grating your own. I find it melts much smoother.
Don't Leave Out The Sugar
It gives the yeast something to "eat." This causes it to release carbon dioxide, leading to that bubbly, airy crust we all love.
How To Make Pizza Cake
- Combine all dry ingredients. Add water and oil.
- Knead until no longer sticky.
- Divide dough into five equal portions and cut into circles. Bake.
- Assemble by placing dough, then sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Repeat with all layers.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
FAQs
If you don't have a thermometer, the water should feel like warm bathwater when you dip your finger in. If it feels too hot, it likely is.
Absolutely! Store in the fridge for up to 3 days and bring to room temperature before rolling.
Krystle's Tips and Tricks
- Kneading: Knead dough until it is elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers.
- Weigh Crust: Get your crust into 5 even portions by weighing it with a food scale.
- Clean Cuts: Cool slightly before serving to allow the cheese time to firm up a bit.
- Avoid Premade Pizza Dough: Premade dough tends not to hold its shape as well, making cutting/rolling trickier. In addition, it breaks and tears easily leaving your pizza cake prone to holes.
Use Foil
Just like when you bake a pie, if the edges brown too soon, you can cover them with foil.
More Pizza-Inspired Recipes
📖 Recipe
Pizza Cake
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Ingredients
- For The Pizza Dough
- 2¼ Cups Flour
- ¼ Oz.Pizza Yeast
- 1½ teaspoon White Sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- ⅔ Cup Warm Water
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- For the Filling/Topping
- 1-2 Cups Pizza Sauce
- 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
- 8 Oz. Pepperoni If desired
Instructions
- For the Pizza Dough
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together. Add 1 cup of the warm water and oil. Mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add the remaining flour a little at a time.
- Knead on a floured surface with greased hands for 4-6 minutes or until dough no longer sticks to your fingers.
- Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Use one portion of dough to line the sides, but not the bottom of the pan. This will serve as the sides of your cake.
- Roll out remaining dough portions one at a time. Cut out (4) 5 inch rounds using a cookie cutter or large glass.
- Bake circles of dough for around 15 minutes in your preheated oven.
- Line a springform pan or cake cake pan with parchment paper.
- Place one dough round in the bottom of your pan. Top with a generous amount of sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
- Top with the next layer of dough and repeat the process ending with an extra layer of sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- Flour: When measuring your flour, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a spoon. Avoid dipping your measuring cup into the flour container.
- Yeast: I suggest using Pizza Yeast.
- Sugar: Don't leave this out; it gives the yeast something to "eat."
- Water: Make sure your water is not too hot or cold. Technically, it should be around 110 degrees. This will feel like bath water.
- Pizza Sauce: My go-to is Del Grosso's Pappy Freds.
- Mozzarella Cheese: If you have the time consider grating your own. I find it melts much smoother.
- Kneading: Knead dough until it is elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers.
- Weigh Crust: Get your crust into 5 even portions by weighing it with a food scale.
- Use Foil: If the edges brown too soon, you can cover them with foil.
Nutrition
Love a pizza cake. Our daughter always make one for her oldest for his birthday, a tradition now. He just turned 20 and still asks for it.
What if can't fund pizza yeast? What would happen if used regular yeast?
Hi Jade,
You can find pizza yeast in the baking aisle near the regular yeast/baking soda, ect. I would not suggest using regular yeast as you'd have to rise your pizza dough once or twice for a few hours.
Your pizza crust directions make no sense
Hi Miranda!
Can you tell more about what is confusing? I'd love to help anyway I can and clear things up. Thanks for stopping by!
-Krystle
What a fun idea to make a pizza cake! It sounds like a fun twist on a classic!
Oh my that pizza cake looks TOO good!
Thanks Lisa xx
MIND COMPLETELY BLOWN!!!
Bwhaha that means a TON coming from you, thanks Gigi 😉
what a fun way to eat pizza
Thanks Heather!
Oh my goodness gracious me YUM!!!! I could quite happily tuck into this any time of the day, gorgeous!! It's not even 8am here and I'm now craving pizza...!
Thanks so much Elizabeth!