How can you not smile when you take a look at layers and layers of pizza? I had so much fun making this layered Pepperoni Pizza Cake with my family, and it’s already been requested for our next pizza night! Don’t push this recipe off as too difficult, or too time consuming. It’s actually super easy to make with the help of refrigerated pizza crust.
Start by finding a pan that has tall sides, like this cake pan. The bottom does not need to be removable like this one. It could even be a square pan, if you can’t find a circular one.
Start by unrolling your pizza dough and pressing it out into an even layer. Cut out three 6-inch circles (or the size needed to fit the bottom of your pan).
Bake the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet for just eight minutes, then remove them from the pan and cool. Open up the second pizza dough and cut two 6-inch circles along the long side of the dough, bake for eight minutes and then cool. Cut a long strip on the opposite side of the remaining pizza dough. Make sure the dough is a half inch taller than the height of your pan, and cut it into a long strip.
Line the round pan with parchment paper, so that parchment paper comes up and over the sides of the pan. Carefully drape the pizza dough inside the pan, to line the sides, leaving that extra half inch of the dough hanging over the outside edge. Take one of the cooked and cooled pizza dough circles and place it in the bottom of the pan.
Now is a great time to let the kids help! Have them spread pizza sauce on the bottom layer, followed by a layer of pepperoni. Place a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on top, followed by another precooked pizza dough circle.
Repeat the process, until you reach the top layer. Finish the cake by spreading pizza sauce, mozzarella, and then pepperoni. Use the dough that is hanging over the edge of the pan to create a crust, by rolling it over on top of the top layer of pizza.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sides of the pizza are fully cooked. If the top of the pizza crust is becoming too dark while baking, use a strip of aluminum foil to cover the crust to prevent it from burning.
Once it’s fully cooked, carefully remove the pizza from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper. Let the pizza cool for five minutes before using a sharp knife to cut slices, like you would a cake.
Update: Pizza cake is sweeping the nation! Check out some of the people who have been inspired to make pizza cake, including So Good Blog, Bustle, and more. Let us know how it goes if you try pizza cake for yourself!
Ingredients
2cans Pillsbury™ refrigerated classic pizza crust1
1/2cups Muir Glen™ organic pizza sauce (from 15-oz can)
3cups shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
1cup sliced pepperoni
1 tablespoon butter, if desired
Steps
- 1Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil.
- 2Measure diameter of tall-sided ovenproof pan. (Pan used was 6-inch in diameter with 4-inch high side.) Unroll 1 can of dough onto work surface; press out into thin layer. Cut out 3 (6-inch) rounds; place on cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool.
- 3Unroll remaining can of dough; cut 2 additional (6-inch) rounds from long edge of dough, leaving opposite side untouched. Place rounds on cooled cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet; cool.
- 4Meanwhile, line pan with cooking parchment paper so that ends of paper stick up and out of pan. Cut long strip of dough at least 1/2 inch wider than height of pan. Carefully drape long strip of dough around inside edge of pan to line, leaving 1/2 inch hanging over outside edge of pan and bottom of pan open. Pinch seam to seal.
- 5Carefully place 1 partially baked crust round in bottom of pan. Spread pizza sauce over crust; top with pepperoni slices and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (when cheese melts, crust above will stick to it). Repeat to make 3 more layers. For top layer, place last crust over cheese; sprinkle with remaining cheese and arrange remaining pepperoni on top.
- 6Fold overhanging dough over top layer of pizza cake to make a raised crust edge.
- 7Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until dough around pizza cake is fully cooked. (To test, carefully pull up parchment paper to raise pizza cake out of pan.) Once completely baked, cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove pizza cake from pan; brush crust with butter. Use sharp knife to cut slices like you would a cake.
