Looking for an impressive dessert? Boston Cream Pie is a classic choice. It’s a combination of tender sponge cake, silky vanilla pastry cream, and decadent chocolate glaze. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, or any special occasion, it’s sure to become a family favorite.
Dating back to 1856, Boston Cream Pie has a rich history from its debut at Boston’s Parker House grand opening.
Key Boston Cream Pie Ingredients & Why
Cake
Boston Cream Pie is a buttery layer cake made using a hot-milk method for maximum flavor.
Pastry Cream
It’s filled with silky pastry cream, a custard crafted from egg yolks, sugar, and often flavored with vanilla.
Chocolate Glaze
The cake is crowned with a chocolate glaze, which can be dark, bittersweet, or semisweet. Adding light corn syrup yields a glossy finish.
Vanilla
Flavor the pastry cream with vanilla extract or bean paste.
Eggs
Use room-temperature large eggs for the cake and pastry cream.
Cream
Craft the chocolate ganache with heavy cream for richness.
How Do You Make The Best Boston Cream Pie?
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease again.
- Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and fluffy (about 4 minutes). The mixture should leave a trail when the beater is lifted.
- In a glass measuring cup, microwave milk and butter in 30-second intervals until butter melts and milk steams.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture on low speed, just until combined. Stir vanilla into the hot milk mixture and slowly pour it into the egg mixture, beating until fully combined. The batter will resemble thick pancake batter with bubbles on top. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold the batter a few times for thorough mixing. Pour it into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan (about 33 minutes). Let it cool in the pan briefly, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro Tips For Making Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Measure flour accurately to avoid common mistakes.
Use room temperature large eggs for proper cake rising.
Follow directions closely for perfect pastry cream with a pudding-like texture.
Opt for hot milk sponge cake for fool-proof, flavorful results, even when chilled.
Enhance dessert with a hint of rum to complement vanilla and chocolate flavors.
Refrigerate Boston Cream Pie to preserve pastry cream and cake structure.
Chill cake for at least two hours (preferably overnight) before slicing and serving; allow it to come to room temperature if refrigerated longer.
How to Store Boston Cream Pie
- Wrap the cake to keep it fresh in the fridge.
- Chill the covered cake for 2 hours to overnight.
- If you prepared pastry cream in advance, give it a quick whip before serving.
- Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Boston Cream Pie?
- Cover the cake to keep it fresh.
- Chill the covered cake in the refrigerator for 2 hours to overnight.
- If you prepared the pastry cream in advance, give it a quick whip before serving.
- Keep any leftover cake refrigerated and covered.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boston Cream Pie
Why is it called Boston cream pie?
Back in the mid-1800s, cakes were commonly baked in pie tins, giving birth to this vanilla bean-speckled pastry cream-filled cake recipe.
What is Boston cream filling made of?
Savor our delightful cake filled with French pastry cream, a silky custard crafted from egg yolks, sugar, and a touch of vanilla.
Should you refrigerate Boston Cream Pie?
To maintain Boston Cream Pie’s quality, refrigeration is a must. The pastry cream is highly perishable and can lose its support for the ganache when left at room temperature for over an hour, especially after cutting into it.
Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large egs room temperature
- 1 cup cane sugar 200g
- ½ cup whole milk 120mL
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 70g
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, 140g
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 60mL
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
Pastry Cream
- 6 egg yolks room temp
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole milk 480mL
- 1 tbsp butter 15g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and re-grease.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, then set aside.
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl for a hand mixer, beat eggs and sugar on medium speed until pale, thick, and fluffy (about 4 minutes). The mixture should leave a trail when the beater is lifted.
- In a glass measuring cup, microwave milk and butter in 30-second intervals until the butter is melted and the milk is steaming.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture at low speed, mixing just until combined. Stir vanilla into the hot milk mixture, then slowly pour it into the egg mixture while beating until fully combined. The batter will resemble thick pancake batter with bubbles on top. Scrape the sides of the bowl and fold the batter a few times to ensure full integration. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for about 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow it to cool in the pan briefly, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
