S. Worthen | Weblog

A cheesecake is a cake by name - which is not a bad way to classify it - but in practical terms it's a biscuit topped with a mousse, so it's more like a marshmallow teacake than a regular cake or pie. Lemon meringue pie, like Key lime pie, has a pastry base and sides, so it's more pie-like. Trifle is another hybrid dessert with similar problems to cheesecake.