A creamy cheesecake is obviously a cake. It says so in its name, right? But TODAY's Savannah Guthrie isn't convinced.
On Tuesday, Savannah was asked to name what she thinks is the best type of pie, since Thanksgiving is coming up on Nov. 22. To everyone's surprise, the TODAY anchor said that a cheesecake is her favorite "pie."
She then mounted a passionate argument about why cheesecake should be to be considered a pie.
TODAY's Craig Melvin started the discussion by pointing out an obvious flaw in Savannah's argument.
"Cake is in the title!" he said. "It's called cheesecake!"
Savannah brushed that minor detail aside and put her Georgetown University law degree to use by laying out the case for cheesecake to be considered a pie.
"It's round like a pie,'' she said. "You slice it like a pie. It has filling like a pie. It has a crust. I think it has far more in common with pie than (cake). I think I've made an argument here."
The anchors then deferred to a judge in the studio audience for a verdict.
"It is a cake,'' he said.
"What about all the factors I listed that have much in common with a pie?" Savannah said in her closing argument.
She then took to Twitter to continue her plea for people to be less strict about dessert labels.
"All I ask — be open minded,'' she wrote. "Don’t be fooled just because it has 'cake' in its name. When push comes to shove, cheesecake has far more in common with pie than cake."
Actress and comedian Mindy Kaling thought that maybe Savannah was really reaching on this one.
Dictionary.com also weighed in, asking Savannah to check out the definition of cheesecake.
"A cake having a firm custardlike texture, made with cream cheese, cottage cheese, or both, and sometimes topped with a jamlike fruit mixture,'' the definition reads.
But Savannah did have some supporters bolstering her argument.
After Craig, Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones all disagreed with her that a cheesecake is a pie, they decided to clear the air (and their plates).
"Let's take a break, let's have some pie,'' Craig said.
"And cake,'' Savannah added with a smile.
In the end, whether it's considered pie or cake, cheesecake is delicious any way you slice it.