Here’s a classic Boston Cream Pie recipe — light vanilla cake, creamy custard filling, and rich chocolate glaze on top. Despite the name, it’s actually a cake 🎂
🍰 Boston Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
For the Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for shine)
Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk, mixing just until combined.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely, then slice horizontally into two layers.
2️⃣ Make the Pastry Cream
- Heat milk in a saucepan until just simmering.
- Whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a bowl.
- Slowly pour warm milk into egg mixture while whisking.
- Return to saucepan and cook over medium, whisking constantly, until thick.
- Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
- Cool completely (cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin).
3️⃣ Make the Chocolate Glaze
- Heat cream until just simmering.
- Pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit 2–3 minutes.
- Stir until smooth; mix in butter if using.
4️⃣ Assemble
- Spread pastry cream evenly over bottom cake layer.
- Place top layer on.
- Pour chocolate glaze over center and gently spread to edges (let it drip slightly down sides).
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour before slicing.
Tips for Best Results
- Chill the cake before glazing for cleaner slices.
- Don’t overbake — the cake should stay soft and tender.
- For a shortcut, use instant vanilla pudding (but homemade custard tastes much better!).
If you’d like, I can also give you a Maryland-style version, a cupcake version, or a small 6-inch cake version.
