Pie vs. Cake: Which One Should You Choose?

Cake or pie? It's a delicious debate that's consumed many. And while your taste buds may be the official tie-breaker, we can determine which dessert is better for your wallet. Here's a breakdown of the costs that go into cakes and pies.

If you're challenging yourself and baking a recipe from scratch, expect to pick up lots of ingredients. To make a simple apple pie, you'll need flour, sugar, apples, butter, cinnamon and more. All these items could cost up to $12. Baking a cake is a lot cheaper. Since you won't need ingredients like real fruit, your biggest expense will be eggs.

If that seems daunting, don't sweat it. There are shortcuts! Both pie and cake mixes are readily available. Pillsbury sells a boxed pie crust for only $2.50. You'll have to prepare your own filling, but the pre-made crust makes the process a lot quicker and cheaper.

Meanwhile, Betty Crocker has a cake mix that'll run you only $1.49. You'll also need 3 eggs, a half-cup of vegetable oil and water. That plus an additional $1.50 for frosting puts the total for a delicious cake at $3.99.

Unsurprisingly, buying your own dessert is the easiest but most expensive option. Whether you're going to your local bakery or a major chain like Carvel, a store-bought pie or cake will cost at least $20.

As far as your wallet is concerned, it's cheaper to bake a cake than a pie. But that's not likely to sway the pie lover in your life.