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Demographics: Cake vs Pie

Oct 14, 2013#1

strawman

Were you presented with your ideal cake and your ideal pie, but could only choose one or the other, which would you choose?

Oct 14, 2013#2

Gilgamesh

Every. Single. Time.

Oct 14, 2013#3

LittleKagsin

Pie is the best! But I am picky about it, it should be homemade, crust and all.

Oct 14, 2013#4

PatrThom

The cake at our wedding was incredibly awesome. Chocolate torte covered with chocolate ganache, filled with white chocolate mousse, and garnished stegosaurus-style with big shaved flakes of white and dark chocolate.

It only marginally edges out our hybrid butternut squash/pumpkin pie covered with slightly burboun-enhanced whipped cream.

--Patrick

Oct 14, 2013#5

drifter

Oct 14, 2013#6

PatrThom

I had forgotten about those ^^^ .

--Patrick

Oct 14, 2013#7

Piotyr

It depends...where does cheesecake fall in the discussion? Right on the line?

Oct 14, 2013#8

Cog

I've never seen a pie in my life, except on tv.

Oct 14, 2013#9

GasBandit

The only pies I like are basically pudding or ice cream in an oreo-based pie crust, so they don't really count. The world belongs to cake.

Oct 14, 2013#10

strawman

Cog said:
I've never seen a pie in my life, except on tv.

SOMEONE TEACH THIS HUMAN HOW TO BAKE A PIE!

Sure, I'm a cake guy, but just because I like cake better than pie doesn't mean I'd wish a world without pie on even my worst enemies.

That's just not right.

Oct 14, 2013#11

Ravenpoe

Piotyr said:
It depends...where does cheesecake fall in the discussion? Right on the line?

Cheesecakes are pies. So pies win.

Oct 14, 2013#12

strawman

Cheesecake are definitely not pie. They may not be cake either.

You might prepare a pie with a cheesecake filling, or a cake with a cheesecake layer, but as far as I can tell, and for the purposes of this poll, cheesecake is to be considered a material or filling, like chocolate, that could be prepared as either dessert, and isn't exclusive to one or the other.

Oct 14, 2013#13

Piotyr

My favorite part of cake is the filling.

My favorite part of pie is the filling.

In pies, the filling ratio is far greater than 50%, whereas in cake, the filling ratio is 25% at most.

So, pies win.

Oct 14, 2013#14

Fun Size

I don't like almost every kind of frosting. I do like almost every type of pie. Not much of a choice here.

Oct 14, 2013#15

strawman

Wait... What do you fill your cakes with? Do you consider the icing filling, or the cake the filling? You are making me ponder unponderable things!

Oct 14, 2013#16

Jay

Cake and IAEC

Oct 14, 2013#17

Piotyr

stienman said:
Wait... What do you fill your cakes with? Do you consider the icing filling, or the cake the filling? You are making me ponder unponderable things!

Cake filling is anything that goes between layers of cake, mostly either fudge or fruit. Occasionally icing fills cake, but that is probably my least favorite kind of filling.

Oct 14, 2013#18

SpecialKO

Where does crumble fall on this spectrum? I don't think its cake, but I'm not sure it counts as pie either.

Oct 14, 2013#19

GasBandit

I disagree. Pie crust is the equivalent of cake icing. Pie filling is the equivalent of the cake stuff that isn't icing.

Oct 14, 2013#20

SpecialKO

GasBandit said:
I disagree. Pie crust is the equivalent of cake icing. Pie filling is the equivalent of the cake stuff that isn't icing.

But shouldn't we be differentiating in this discussion between the layers of actual cake vs layers of non-cake within the cake (like in ice cream cake, layered chocolate cake, etc.)?

Oct 14, 2013#21

Hailey Knight

Pie, every time.

Oct 14, 2013#22

strawman

Why would we need to? Cake is cake. Pie is pie. Which one do you like better?

Oct 14, 2013#23

SpecialKO

Until I get clarification on the crumble question, I will defer.

However you define it, crumble wins.

Oct 14, 2013#24

Hailey Knight

stienman said:
Why would we need to? Cake is cake. Pie is pie. Which one do you like better?

PIE.

Oct 14, 2013#25

strawman

SpecialKO said:
Until I get clarification on the crumble question, I will defer.

However you define it, crumble wins.

It is neither. You may find it is better than both cake or pie, but this poll is merely asking you if you had one of each in front of you, which would you choose. Crumble is not in front of you.

Oct 14, 2013#26

PatrThom

Crumble is a sort of sweet casserole.

--Patrick

Oct 14, 2013#27

Shakey

Pie. Mainly because I'm not huge on sweet and can have a meat pie. If someone could make a meat cake I might be a bit more inclined towards cakes. As it is, I'm for pie.

Oct 14, 2013#28

GasBandit

Shakey said:
Pie. Mainly because I'm not huge on sweet and can have a meat pie. If someone could make a meat cake I might be a bit more inclined towards cakes. As it is, I'm for pie.

Wouldn't meatloaf be meat cake? I mean it's not really meat bread, despite the name.

Oct 14, 2013#29

Fun Size

Yes, and ketchup is the frosting.

Man, now I want meatloaf.

Oct 14, 2013#30

Shakey

GasBandit said:
Wouldn't meatloaf be meat cake? I mean it's not really meat bread, despite the name.

I was thinking that, but it's not made in a cake pan. Meat pies at least share both the same crust and pan as regular pies. Besides, meatloaf is as close to bread as it is cake. Neither share any of the same ingredients, but at least it shares the same pan as a bread loaf.[DOUBLEPOST=1381783203,1381783102][/DOUBLEPOST]I wonder if you could do a mashed potato cake with meat and veggies as the filling and ketchup as the frosting...[DOUBLEPOST=1381783329][/DOUBLEPOST]I would eat this...

http://www.blackwidowbakery.com/demo/meatcake/

Oct 14, 2013#31

GasBandit

Shakey said:
I was thinking that, but it's not made in a cake pan. Meat pies at least share both the same crust and pan as regular pies. Besides, meatloaf is as close to bread as it is cake. Neither share any of the same ingredients, but at least it shares the same pan as a bread loaf.

Actually, there is one common ingredient - egg.

Oct 14, 2013#32

Frank

stienman said:
Cheesecake are definitely not pie. They may not be cake either.

You might prepare a pie with a cheesecake filling, or a cake with a cheesecake layer, but as far as I can tell, and for the purposes of this poll, cheesecake is to be considered a material or filling, like chocolate, that could be prepared as either dessert, and isn't exclusive to one or the other.

There's arguments for placing it as a pie, as a cake or as a torte, folk just don't agree.

Either way, cheesecake is the best cake/pie/torte. ESPECIALLY when you make it with ricotta instead of cream cheese.

Oct 14, 2013#33

HCGLNS

Oct 14, 2013#34

blotsfan

Cake is better, but controversial opinion time:

The icing is generally the worst part of the cake (cream cheese frosting being a notable exception).

Oct 14, 2013#35

GasBandit

blotsfan said:
Cake is better, but controversial opinion time:

The icing is generally the worst part of the cake (cream cheese frosting being a notable exception).

I agree, there's usually too much icing on a cake for my taste and I end up scraping most of it off.

Oct 14, 2013#36

Bowielee

Pie. Always pie.

Oct 14, 2013#37

Cheesy1

Bowielee likes pie?! Color me surprised!

Oct 14, 2013#38

Ravenpoe

Frosting is usually just a mass of sugary goop meant to hide a sub-par cake.

Good cake needs very little (or no) icing. And -good- icing needs very little of itself to be wonderful.

Oct 14, 2013#39

Shakey

Also, whoever invented fondant needs to be shot. That stuff tastes horrible.

Oct 14, 2013#40

Siska

Shakey said:
Pie. Mainly because I'm not huge on sweet and can have a meat pie. If someone could make a meat cake I might be a bit more inclined towards cakes. As it is, I'm for pie.

Smörgåstårta (Sandwich Cake)

As far as American style icing goes, I don't like it, AT ALL. I use whipped cream (and lotsa fruit) instead.

Oct 14, 2013#41

figmentPez

Tremble in fear! The lines between a cake an a pie aren't quite as clear as one might hope.

Oct 14, 2013#42

Shakey

Still pie! If it has a crust and made in a pie tin, it's pie.

Oct 14, 2013#43

figmentPez

Shakey said:
Still pie! If it has a crust and made in a pie tin, it's pie.

So, what are the defining characteristics of a cake then? Is that shoo fly pie both a pie and a cake?

Oct 14, 2013#44

strawman

Shakey said:
Still pie! If it has a crust and made in a pie tin, it's pie.

Nope. If it is over 50% cake by volume or weight then it's cake.

Oct 14, 2013#45

Gilgamesh

I don't understand what's so hard about:
Crust = Pie
Frosting = Cake

So yeah, Cheesecake = Pie

Oct 14, 2013#46

Shakey

figmentPez said:
So, what are the defining characteristics of a cake then? Is that shoo fly pie both a pie and a cake?

Baked in a cake pan and frosted. I think the name of it says it all.

Oct 14, 2013#47

GasBandit

You don't have to have frosting to have a cake. Coffee Cake. Pound cake.

Oct 14, 2013#48

strawman

Gilgamesh said:
I don't understand what's so hard about:
Crust = Pie
Frosting = Cake

So yeah, Cheesecake = Pie

A cheesecake pie is a pie. Cheesecake doesn't have to be prepared with a crust to be cheesecake, though, so it doesn't necessarily have to be a pie.

Oct 14, 2013#49

Cheesy1

Steak is best well-done!
(Oh, sorry. Got caught up in the moment. )

Oct 14, 2013#50

AshburnerX

You only need to ask yourself one question for this: How many guys have you heard that have... violated a cake?

How many have you heard of that have violated pie? I rest my case.

Oct 14, 2013#51

E

Eliwood

How did this thread go this far without this being posted?

Oct 14, 2013#52

figmentPez

GasBandit said:
You don't have to have frosting to have a cake. Coffee Cake. Pound cake.

Angelfood cake, pancake, etc.

Also, why limit pies to those baked in pie tins? Hand pies are perfectly valid, and I think there's a better argument for calling a cobbler made with a completely enclosing crust a pie than there is for calling a crumb-topped apple dessert a pie, even if it's baked in a pie tin and has a bottom crust.

Oh, and here: Tarte Tatin a tart that's baked like a cake, turned upside down and becomes a tart.

Also, where do we draw the line? A pasty is obviously a pie. Thus, so is an empanada. However, is a potsticker a pie? Ravioli? What about a baozi? They're filling completely enclosing in a wrapper, but they're not made with pastry. However, a crumb crust doesn't completely enclose, and it's still counted as a pie.

Trying to categorize food is pretty damn futile.

Oct 14, 2013#53

Ravenpoe

figmentPez said:
Angelfood cake, pancake, etc.

Also, why limit pies to those baked in pie tins? Hand pies are perfectly valid, and I think there's a better argument for calling a cobbler made with a completely enclosing crust a pie than there is for calling a crumb-topped apple dessert a pie, even if it's baked in a pie tin and has a bottom crust.

Oh, and here: Tarte Tatin a tart that's baked like a cake, turned upside down and becomes a tart.

Also, where do we draw the line? A pasty is obviously a pie. Thus, so is an empanada. However, is a potsticker a pie? Ravioli? What about a baozi? They're filling completely enclosing in a wrapper, but they're not made with pastry. However, a crumb crust doesn't completely enclose, and it's still counted as a pie.

Trying to categorize food is pretty damn futile.

Shut up and post some pie.

Or cake, if you roll that way.

Oct 14, 2013#54

bhamv3

Clarification: Are we talking about eating, or about throwing at people's faces? Because pies are better for throwing.

Oct 14, 2013#55

Cajungal

As much as I loooove cake, when I assess the entire experience, I have to say pie. It's delicious, it's more fun for me to make, and I feel less "gross" after pie. Cake just makes me want to nap forever. Also, crawfish hand pies are beautiful things.

Oct 14, 2013#56

Terrik

Go pie or go home.

Barbarians.

Oct 14, 2013#57

Gared

I can make my favorite pie, and have done so several times. I cannot make my favorite cake, therefore, cake.

Oct 14, 2013#58

Sparhawk

Cake, because.

Yeah, just because.

Okay, so I'm basing this on being a dessert option. Meat Pies, though called a pie, are a savory and considered a meal in itself, not a dessert. I love meat pies, of a Natchitoches variety.

Oct 14, 2013#59

klew

Pie, and if Alton Brown says cheesecake is a pie, it is a pie (go to 1m15s).

Oct 15, 2013#60

DarkAudit

If The King says it's pie, it's pie.

Oct 15, 2013#61

LordRendar

Cakes all the way. Pies are for peasants.

Oct 15, 2013#62

Fun Size

Shakey said:
Also, whoever invented fondant needs to be shot. That stuff tastes horrible.

You know, I felt the same way, but my wife, in an effort to keep us rated as the coolest parents my kids know, started to figure out how to make it so we could further fancify cakes, and the vegan stuff she makes when used with a thin crumb coat of frosting is way better than the inch of frosting I see on most cakes.

That said - pie is still better. :awesome:

Oct 15, 2013#63

drawn_inward

I certainly won't turn down some cake, but I'd rather have pie. Pie a la mode is better than cake a la mode so pie is better.

Also, chicken pot pie is great, and so are empanadas (portable pie in my book).

Oct 15, 2013#64

Eriol

klew said:
Pie, and if Alton Brown says cheesecake is a pie, it is a pie (go to 1m15s).

To summarize what Alton said, cheesecake is a custard pie (or cream pie if you prefer), with a bit different structure as most of the dairy. It is by no definition cake. Still good, but not cake.

Cake's more versatile. Pie is awesome too, but cake trumps it.

Oct 16, 2013#65

filmfanatic

drawn_inward said:
Pie a la mode is better than cake a la mode so pie is better.

That's why there's ice cream cake.

Another point towards the superiority of cake (not that pie's bad or anything, it's good, but it's not cake).

Oct 16, 2013#66

Fun Size

You know what the best kind of cake is?

Boston Creme Pie. :troll:

Oct 16, 2013#67

GasBandit

Fun Size said:
You know what the best kind of cake is?

Buck cake?

(nsfw)

Oct 16, 2013#68

Cajungal

Relevant:

Oct 16, 2013#69

Eriol

Cajungal said:
Relevant:

Scroll up. Same page.

Oct 16, 2013#70

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
I agree, there's usually too much icing on a cake for my taste and I end up scraping most of it off.

SO. MUCH. BROFIST.

--Patrick

Oct 16, 2013#71

Cajungal

Eriol said:
Scroll up. Same page.

D'oh!

Oct 17, 2013#72

Fun Size

Another point: when have you ever laughed because someone got a cake to the face? Not even at weddings is that funny.

Oct 17, 2013#73

Sparhawk

Fun Size said:
Another point: when have you ever laughed because someone got a cake to the face? Not even at weddings is that funny.

I don't know, not do I care, where that "tradition" of cake to the face started, but it has always struck me as demeaning to the person that you just married. My wife agrees with me on this, and it's not something that we did at our wedding.

Oct 17, 2013#74

Necronic

My god there are a lot of monsters on this board. 50% of you made a choice of evil.

Oct 17, 2013#75

Jax

Can't decide.. :aaah:

they're both so.. delicious!!

Oct 17, 2013#76

filmfanatic

Jax said:
Can't decide.. they're both so.. delicious!!

Though both are delicious, it's an easy decision. Cake.

Remember, it's not pie or death, but cake or death. Cake is so good that it's a valid option to death. Do you hear that about pie?

Oct 17, 2013#77

PatrThom

--Patrick

Oct 17, 2013#78

PatrThom

I chose these two because they sound like they would make a sweet mashup.

SOMEONE PLEASE DO THIS.

--Patrick

Oct 17, 2013#79

linglingface

This was such a hard decision!! I went with pie since I can eat more pie than cake, unless it's a sweet tooth kind of day where I could eat an entire cake on my own. NOM

Oct 17, 2013#80

Dei

Sparhawk said:
I don't know, not do I care, where that "tradition" of cake to the face started, but it has always struck me as demeaning to the person that you just married. My wife agrees with me on this, and it's not something that we did at our wedding.

So I didn't smash cake in my husband's face, but I definitely wiped my frosting covered hand all over his nose. It was a compromise.

Oct 22, 2013#81

GasBandit

Oct 22, 2013#82

DarkAudit

GasBandit said:

Oct 22, 2013#83

Dave

I had to vote cake. Pies are okay, but a good cake is like bathing your tastebuds in the nectar of the gods themselves.

Oct 22, 2013#84

PatrThom

I would just like to say how amazed I am at how evenly divided we seem to be on this particular issue.

--Patrick

Oct 22, 2013#85

filmfanatic

PatrThom said:
I would just like to say how amazed I am at how evenly divided we seem to be on this particular issue.

--Patrick

Well, it's a pretty split issue any way you slice it.

Oct 22, 2013#86

strawman

Icing what you did there.

Oct 22, 2013#87

filmfanatic

stienman said:
Icing what you did there.

The pun was a piece of cake, of course.

Oct 22, 2013#88

PatrThom

stienman said:
Icing what you did there.

You have your take, and he did, too.

--Patrick

Oct 23, 2013#89

Jax

Ended up choosing pie, because the cake is a lie.

Oct 23, 2013#90

filmfanatic

Another proponent of cake: it led to the creation of cupcakes, which are first recorded in a recipe from 1796.

You certainly don't hear about cup pies, now do you?

Oct 23, 2013#91

Eriol

filmfanatic said:
You certainly don't hear about cup pies, now do you?

I voted cake long ago, but to be fair, those would be called "tarts". Good, but messier than cupcakes.

Oct 23, 2013#92

Cajungal

Eriol said:
I voted cake long ago, but to be fair, those would be called "tarts". Good, but messier than cupcakes.

Hand pies are easier, and they have a sweet, wholesome look to them. AND hand pies can be sweet or savory.

Oct 23, 2013#93

Bubble181

Eh, we call the exact same thing you call a birthday cake a birthday pie here....

Anyway, pie - but not the big fat cream versions, but the thin ones with just prune- or cherry jam on them and possibly baker's cream.

Oct 23, 2013#94

figmentPez

Bubble181 said:
and possibly baker's cream.

What is "baker's cream"?

Oct 23, 2013#95

Cajungal

figmentPez said:
What is "baker's cream"?

Date a baker, and you'll find out.

Oct 24, 2013#96

Cheesy1

Oct 24, 2013#97

Terrik

They call it "Pizza pie" don't they? I think the choice is clear.

Oct 24, 2013#98

Bubble181

figmentPez said:
What is "baker's cream"?

Since I have no idea what the actual English name is, I'll give a recipe.

1 l of (full) milk
50 gr of flour
30 gr of maizena
8 egg yolks
250 gr of white sugar
1 stick of vanilla
2 dl of cream (full)

Mix 1 dl of milk, the flour, maizena, the egg yolks and 50 gr of sugar to a paste
Stirring, boil the remainder of the milk, 200 gr of sugar and the vanilla. Let it simmer for a while so the vanilla can give off its taste.
Pour the hot milk-sugar mix on the cold sludge while stirring, keep stirring while the whole's on the stove until it thickens.
Let it boil through for a while, than allow it to cool while stirring.

It's a fairly basic part of a lot of typical Beglian pastry - filling or lower layers. It can be used both warm and cold.

Oct 24, 2013#99

bhamv3

Bubble181 said:
It can be used both warm and cold.

Oct 24, 2013#100

Bubble181

bhamv3 said:

If made properly, it's too thick to be really useful as edible lube, sorry. Bit sticky, too.

of course, feel free to experiment; just be sure to provide photographic evidence.

Oct 24, 2013#101

PatrThom

Bubble181 said:
Since I have no idea what the actual English name is, I'll give a recipe.

1 qt of whole milk (3.25% milkfat)
1/4c of flour (all purpose?)
2 tbsp of corn starch
8 egg yolks
1c of white sugar
1 vanilla bean
7/8c of heavy whipping cream

Translated for the non-metric, non-Belge folks.

--Patrick

Oct 24, 2013#102

Bubble181

PatrThom said:
Translated for the non-metric, non-Belge folks.

--Patrick

Vanilla....Bean? Seriously? You guys are aware they're not beans, right?

Also, 1/4c, 1qt (which is technically a bit too much

), 7/8ths...Boy you* make things easier

*generalized "you" as "people who use odd measurements", not you, the Guerilla Tutor. I'm sure you actually did make things easier for those weird-counting folk in backwards countries, who haven't quite mastered the decimal system yet**

**I'm joking, I don't honestly care about metric vs imperial, it's something to poke fun at the Anglosaxons. Chill.

Oct 24, 2013#103

PatrThom

Yah, I know it's actually a fruit. But we have almost 250 years of goofy names for stuff to uphold.
And 1l is actually about 1.06qt, so a quart is actually a bit less, not more.

--Patrick

Oct 24, 2013#104

Bubble181

PatrThom said:
Yah, I know it's actually a fruit. But we have almost 250 years of goofy names for stuff to uphold.
And 1l is actually about 1.06qt, so a quart is actually a bit less, not more.

--Patrick

...huh. I thought a gallon was 4.28 liters, but apparently it's 3.78? Oh well.

Oct 24, 2013#105

strawman

Bubble181 said:
...huh. I thought a gallon was 4.28 liters, but apparently it's 3.78? Oh well.

Yeah, it's always been annoying figuring out my fuel costs whenever I go to Canada. I can do most length measurements in my head (cm, mm, m <--> inches, feet; km <--> miles) but volume measurements are more annoying. To be fair, I still have to think a bit even when going from, for instance, tablespoons to gallons, so volumes aren't my forte anyway. Though having dealt with a pool this year has forced me to practice that bit.

"Yes, Gideon, you could empty the pool with a spoon, but it'll take you 1.5 million spoonfulls..."

Oct 24, 2013#106

Bubble181

stienman said:
Yeah, it's always been annoying figuring out my fuel costs whenever I go to Canada. I can do most length measurements in my head (cm, mm, m <--> inches, feet; km <--> miles) but volume measurements are more annoying. To be fair, I still have to think a bit even when going from, for instance, tablespoons to gallons, so volumes aren't my forte anyway. Though having dealt with a pool this year has forced me to practice that bit.

"Yes, Gideon, you could empty the pool with a spoon, but it'll take you 1.5 million spoonfulls..."

I always have trouble making conversions from ml to dl, cl or l as well. Complicated as all....no wait. :trolol:

Oct 24, 2013#107

figmentPez

Bubble181 said:
Vanilla....Bean? Seriously? You guys are aware they're not beans, right?

Actually, no, I wasn't. Thank you.

Strawberries aren't berries (but tomatoes are).

Walnuts aren't nuts.

Wild rice isn't rice.

"Yams" in the US are usually sweet potatoes.

Oct 24, 2013#108

PatrThom

stienman said:
volume measurements are more annoying.

And how! When trying to follow a recipe, there's fluid or dry ounces. Are they measuring by weight or volume? I MUST KNOW.

figmentPez said:
Walnuts aren't nuts.

Neither are cashews, I believe.

--Patrick

Oct 24, 2013#109

Bubble181

PatrThom said:
And how! When trying to follow a recipe, there's fluid or dry ounces. Are they measuring by weight or volume? I MUST KNOW.
Neither are cashews, I believe.

--Patrick

By the amount of phlogiston present in the ether.

Oct 24, 2013#110

PatrThom

Bubble181 said:
By the amount of phlogiston present in the ether.

Silly. Fire can't burn in Space.

--Patrick

Oct 24, 2013#111

Bubble181

PatrThom said:
Silly. Fire can't burn in Space.

--Patrick

This "Space" is unscientific dribble. The movement of the planets can be adequately explained by ether pushing them in circular motions; the fifth element and all that. Tsk. Space. What a crazy person you are. Next you'll tell me the Spheres don't orbit the Earth!

Oct 24, 2013#112

Eriol

figmentPez said:
"Yams" in the US are usually sweet potatoes.

Other way around in Canada, and much of the USA. "Yams" are sold as sweet potatoes.

Alton of course has already addressed this with Debbie:

People often put "sweet potato" in a recipe, but mean a yam, since they are often sold as the same thing, and some people don't even know that there IS a difference.

Here's the easy way: Sweet potatoes have yellow flesh, Yams have orange flesh.

Oct 24, 2013#113

strawman

Spoiler: they both taste good with sufficient butter and brown sugar. Maybe some cinnamon.

Oct 24, 2013#114

PatrThom

stienman said:
Spoiler: they both taste good with sufficient butter and brown sugar. Maybe some cinnamon.

We glaze ours with maple syrup.
They are delicious.

--Patrick

Oct 24, 2013#115

DarkAudit

Alright! Which one of you knuckleheads said, "nutritional anthropologist?"

Oct 24, 2013#116

figmentPez

Eriol said:
Other way around in Canada, and much of the USA. "Yams" are sold as sweet potatoes.

Alton of course has already addressed this with Debbie:

<SNIP video>

People often put "sweet potato" in a recipe, but mean a yam, since they are often sold as the same thing, and some people don't even know that there IS a difference.

Here's the easy way: Sweet potatoes have yellow flesh, Yams have orange flesh.

Actually, real yams are not sold very commonly in the US. The orange fleshed sweet potatoes called "yams" are not really yams at all, but they are variety of sweet potatoes. By USDA standards, such "yams" cannot be sold without the labeling that they are sweet potatoes.

Also, sweet potatoes come in a lot more flesh colors than just yellow and orange. They also come in red, purple and white flesh varieties, with different skin colors and combinations as well.