Without considering the savoury variant, pie recipes usually consist of pastry, with a wide range of fillings.
This the general view. Specifics in shape and texture may make the difference between pies and cakes less obvious.
A rule of thumb: anything made of soft and spongy batter is cake while bread like pastry as a carrier with filling would define it as a pie.
The pastry base can be shortcrust, puff pastry or filo (phyllo), with or without sugar.
It gets confusing when a cake base carries a good amount of filling like with the German Obsttorte. It looks like a pie though!
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Pie Listing:
Pie recipes can also vary in size, going from tarts to tartlets and anything inbetween.
Or they can have the pastry layered, inverted and even on top of the filling, the main ingredient. The latter can be found as crumbles or cobblers.
X |
Pie |
Cake |
IN VOLUME/SIZE |
The pastry is usually low in volume compared to filling. |
Usually is the main ingredient. |
FEEL |
Crumbly and stuffed. |
Spongy and soft. |
CONTENT |
Often there's a filling partially or entirely covered with pastry. |
May be layered and covered with a cream type. |
TASTE |
Can be neutral, salty or sweet in taste. |
Is always sweet in varying degrees. |
NUTRITION |
The nutritive value is higher. |
The nutritive value is lower. |
APPEARANCE |
Often decorated or neutral. |
Often filled and/or decorated. |
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