If it's in a pastry crust, then it's a pie.

I believe it's a cake by definition. It usually sits ON the crumb base rather than IN a piecrust but some types of cheesecakes are like custard pies. The answer is it can be both a cake or a pie depending on how it’s prepared. Canadians, Germans, Brazilians, Italians (first to make reference to cheesecake) and Japanese all prepare this dessert differently. Side note: Marcus Porcius Cato of ancient Rome made mention of cheesecake in his writings De agri cultura translated as About Farming Methods.

cheescake is freakin delicious. that's what cheescake is.

I would think it could be either...It depends on how you cut it...If it's in a pie form then it's a pie but if it's in a cake form then it's a cake

I think that cheesecake is good enough to make it's own catagory. It's neither a cake (regardless of the name) or a pie, it's cheesecake! =) YUM!

Who cares? It's the best dessert ever.

A pie. You cook the crust first like any pie, then add the filling.

The ones I make are icebox Pie because it's not cooked , I use a graham cracker crust

cheesecake is a pie. holding on to the fact that "cake" is in the name "cheesecake" is irrelevant at this point, simply because looks like a pie, tastes like a pie, and is made- guess how!? - like a pie. and if you refuse to accept that answer, then think about this: its a "pike" (pie + cake, for those out there who are math-impaired).

Cheesecake is cheesecake but it is in the pie family- something with a crust and then filled. Pies and tarts are in that category. Cake doesnt' have a crust unless it's a wrapping done after it is baked or formed.

My friends and I have come to the decision that cheesecake is a pie. It has a crust for pete's sake! Name us one cake that has a crust and we'll consider thinking differently. (Cheesecake does not count! DUH!) If you don't agree with us that cheescake is a pie don't visit this webpage ever again! And by far cheesecake is the best dessert in the entire world! And if you don't agree with us on that why don't you just go die in a ditch? If you think that cheesecake is a kind of cake I think you should just call up Emeril. Don't ask me what his phone number is either I mean, Oh my gosh! How stupid can you get. Duh look in the yellowpages or the internet and if you can't get it from either one it's your loss!

Cake

lol thats (#9)funny but its just PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.I.E

I would say unless it was really thin it would be a cake...I'll take a slice of cherry cheesecake please (8>),,,,,

It's neither, it's a tart.

Since it is called a cheesecake and not a cheesepie that makes it a cake.

does it matter? its yummy =)

I would say that cheeseCAKE is a CAKE.

well well, im suprised about the overall turnout of the pie cake dilema. Fortunatly, to balance the argument i will say a cake as i believe fully that i am not a retard and know that it is not called a cheesepie but moreover a cheesecake. Touchez kane x

American American cheesecakes generally rely on cream cheese, invented in 1872 as an alternative to French Neufchâtel.[2] New York-style cheesecake, made famous by Lindy's and Junior's Deli, relies upon heavy cream, cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks to add a richness and a smooth consistency. Also called Jewish-style, it is baked in a special 5- to 6-inch tall springform pan in many restaurants. Some recipes use cottage cheese and lemon for distinct texture and flavor or add chocolate or strawberry to the basic recipe. Chicago-style cheesecake, typified by Eli's Cheesecake, is a baked cream-cheese version that is firm outside and creamy inside. Pennsylvania Dutch-style cheesecake uses a slightly tangy type of cheese with larger curds and less water content, called pot or farmer's cheese. Philadelphia-style cheesecake, typified by Darling's Cheesecake, is lighter in texture, yet creamier in flavor than New York style cheesecake. Ann Arbor-style cheesecake, originated by Old World Bakery in Ann Arbor, Michigan, features a graham cracker crust which covers both the bottom and the 3-inch high side of the cheesecake. It is also lighter and creamier in texture than other cheesecakes because of a combined cream cheese and sour cream base. Each cheesecake weighs an average of 4 to 5 1/2 pounds depending upon the flavour. It is also common to add liquor flavourings such as Bailey's Irish Cream, Amaretto, Raspberry Chambord, Kahlua, Wiasniak Cherry, and Vandermint. Farmer's cheese cheesecake is the contemporary implementation for the traditional use of baking to preserve fresh cheese and often is baked in a pie shell along with fresh fruit like a tart. Sour cream cheesecake is thought to have originated in the mid-20th century in the United States after the mass homogenization of milk and the loss of cream as a widely available ingredient. It still uses cream cheese but has no heavy cream. It is the most widely used recipe for cheesecake outside New York-style in the United States. It can be frozen for short periods of time without ruining the texture. Many factory-made cheesecakes use this method because of this trait. Polish Cheesecake (sernik) Country-style cheesecake uses buttermilk to produce a firm texture while decreasing the pH (increasing acidity) to extend shelf life. Vegan cheesecakes use substitutions such as silken tofu for cream cheese, or vegetarian cream cheese alternatives such as Tofutti's "Better than Cream Cheese". Vegan graham crackers are obtainable for the crust, and granola is also a popular substitute. Lactose free cheesecake may be made either with Vegan recipes or by combining vegetarian cream cheese alternatives or lactose-free cream cheese with other lactose-free ingredients. Cottage cheese and lemon versions. Cheesecake on a stick has become a popular way to enjoy cheesecake on the go. British In the UK, cheesecake is generally a cold dessert which is neither cooked nor baked. It is made with crumbled digestive biscuits mixed with butter and pressed into a dish to form a base layer. The topping or filling is a mixture of milk, sugar, cheese, cream and, sometimes, gelatin. Italian Roman-style cheesecake uses honey and a ricotta-like cheese along with flour and is traditionally shaped into loaves. Some recipes call for bay leaves, which may have been used as a preservative. It is still baked in areas in Italy that kept culinary traditions alive after the fall of Rome. Italian-style cheesecake is a modern version of Roman cheesecake. It uses ricotta or mascarpone cheese, replaces the honey with sugar, omits the bay leaves, and adds other modern ingredients such as vanilla extract. This type of cheesecake is typically drier than American styles. Often, small bits of candied fruit are added. French French-style cheesecakes are very light, feature gelatin as a binding ingredient and are typically only 1 to 2 inches tall. This variety gets its light texture and flavor from Neufchâtel cheese and is found in outdoor markets in the South of France and fine pastry shops in Paris. Greek Greek-style cheesecake commonly uses Mizithra cheese and Mascarpone cheese. Middle European Käsekuchen - German-style cheesecake uses quark cheeseGerman-style cheesecake (Käsekuchen, Quarkkuchen) uses quark cheese. The Käsesahnetorte (cheese cream tart) adds cream and does not get baked. Dutch/Belgian-style cheesecakes are typically flavored with melted bittersweet chocolate. Belgian cheesecake includes also a speculaas crust (speculaas is a traditional Dutch-Belgian biscuit). Latin American Brazilian-style cheesecake usually has a layer of goiabada (guava marmalade). Asian Asian-style cheesecake flavours include matcha (powdered Japanese green tea) and mango. Japanese Japanese white chocolate cheesecakeJapanese-style cheesecake relies upon the emulsification of cornstarch and eggs to make a smooth flan-like texture and almost plasticine appearance. It is a vending machine food in Japan because it is one of the few milk products that can easily be made shelf stable.

i'd say its a cake. i'm from australia and here a pie is generally savoury and is filled with mystery meat.

cake. thats why it's cheeseCAKE.

I am surprised to see someone copied Wikipedia as their own on the duplicate question of this page, but I wanted to clarify something for the fun of it. I am getting ready to make käsesahnetorte, which I JUST got the recipe from a very dear Austrian friend of mine. käsesahnetorte (cheese, cream tart)IS baked and has a "filling" in the middle of a cake you slice in half and put 1/2 on top and 1/2 as a base. It is indeed a cake. You just do not bake the filling. käsekuchen is more like what you think of American cheesecake and it is NOT baked. Sorry to see people giving misinformation around here.

Its a cake trust me

A Cheesecake is not a Pie or Cake its a Tart.

it a cake thats why its called cheese CAKE the thing in the midlee contains all kind of stuff eggs flour and sooon

Most of the time it should be classified as pie, in my opinion.

It's a custard pie

Cheesecake is a large family of sweet, cheese-based cakes. Some types of cheesecake are custard pie. In many parts of the world, the resemblance to cake is more obvious than the American style.

Oh, its cake! And its good!

It comes under pie

IT's a freakin cake!!!! OMG!!! can t believe im fighting over this,,,it not APPLE CAKE THE AMERICAN ITS APPLE PIE...CHEESE CAKE IT'S JUST PLAIN FREAKIN CALLED CHEESE CAKE NOT A PIE..NO DOUGHY CRUST,IT'S CREAM CHEESE,AND GRAM CRACKERS.......KAT

a cake

it is a pie and man a good one, too.

Cake

Yes but it doesn't matter because it is better than either. Cheesecake Rules~!!~

I belive both.

Cheesecake is a really a cake. I think there is a perception that cheesecake is a pie because most of the cheesecake variant out there has a dough base made from digestive cookies (or something similar to cookie crumbs). The filling is normally made from cream cheese. There is another variant of cheesecake that DO NOT have such similar base or dough. This variant is more like a sponge cake, although it is softer and have a strong cheese flavor. Japanese light cheesecake is such a cake (see http://www.1cakesrecipes.com/cheese-cakes-recipes/japanese-light-cheese-cake-recipe.php)

I'd say it is more of the pie family. But it really is in a class of its own. +5