Here’s a clear, classic Boston Cream Pie recipe. Despite the name, it’s actually a cake with custard filling and chocolate glaze—deliciously retro!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup whole milk
For the Pastry Cream Filling:
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
1. Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly between pans and bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.
2. Make the Pastry Cream:
- In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until it begins to steam (don’t boil).
- In a bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly pour hot milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Cool slightly, then chill in the refrigerator until firm.
3. Assemble the Cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread chilled pastry cream evenly over the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top.
4. Make the Chocolate Glaze:
- Heat cream in a small saucepan until just simmering.
- Pour over chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Pour glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip slightly over the edges.
5. Chill & Serve:
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors set.
💡 Tip: For extra smooth chocolate glaze, you can gently microwave cream and chocolate in 15-second bursts, stirring between, instead of using the stovetop.
If you want, I can also give you a simpler, one-bowl version that skips making pastry cream from scratch and uses pudding—it’s faster but still tastes amazing.
Do you want that quicker version too?
