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Boston Cream Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 104 reviews

This classic Boston Cream Pie features a moist, fluffy cake layered with rich, creamy pastry cream and topped with a smooth, glossy chocolate ganache glaze. Perfectly balanced in sweetness and texture, this dessert combines tender sponge cake with luscious custard and a decadent chocolate finish, making it a timeless treat for any special occasion or indulgent everyday dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Pastry Cream

  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar (130g)
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup cornstarch (30g)
  • 6 egg yolks (at room temperature)
  • 2 cups whole milk, divided (510g)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (40g)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (spoon and sweep method) (185g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (7g)
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt (4.5g)
  • 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (6.5g)
  • ¾ cup milk (180g)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g)

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • ½ cup heavy cream (120g)
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup (41g)
  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (142g)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pastry Cream: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and ¼ cup whole milk, whisking until combined. Set aside.
  2. Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat remaining 1 ¾ cups whole milk over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat.
  3. Temper Egg Mixture: Slowly pour about ½ cup hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then, whisk the tempered eggs back into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan.
  4. Cook Pastry Cream: Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes.
  5. Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat. Stir in unsalted butter and vanilla extract. For smoothness, strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  6. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line bottoms with parchment rounds, and spray again.
  7. Mix Dry Ingredients for Cake: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
  8. Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs and granulated sugar for 4 minutes until the mixture ribbons off the beater slowly.
  9. Add Vanilla: Mix in vanilla extract.
  10. Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture using low speed until combined.
  11. Heat Milk and Butter: In a microwave-safe container, heat milk and butter until butter melts and milk steams. Gradually add this hot mixture to the batter on low speed until just combined; the batter will be runny.
  12. Bake Cakes: Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  13. Cool Cakes: Cool in pans 20 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely (at least 1 hour).
  14. Assemble Cake: Remove pastry cream from fridge 20 minutes before assembling. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread pastry cream onto center, leaving about ½ inch edge free. Place second cake layer upside down on top and gently press to spread cream evenly.
  15. Refrigerate Cake: Chill assembled cake while preparing ganache.
  16. Make Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream and corn syrup in microwave until steaming (~1 minute), stirring every 20 seconds. Add chopped bittersweet chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
  17. Glaze Cake: Pour ganache onto cake center, spreading evenly and allowing some to drip down sides. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
  18. Serve: Remove cake from fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow to come to room temperature. Use a warm, wiped knife to slice for clean cuts. Enjoy!

Notes

  • When making pastry cream, straining through a fine mesh requires patience but results in a velvety smooth texture.
  • Be sure to temper the eggs carefully when combining with hot milk to avoid curdling.
  • Use room temperature eggs and butter to ensure proper mixing and texture in the cake batter.
  • Allowing the cake to cool fully before assembly prevents the pastry cream from melting.
  • Warm the knife blade before slicing and wipe between cuts for the neatest slices of cake.
  • This cake tastes best served closer to room temperature rather than cold out of the fridge.
  • The ganache thickens as it cools; if needed, gently rewarm for easier spreading.

Keywords: Boston Cream Pie, classic dessert, pastry cream, chocolate ganache, sponge cake

Find it online: https://topreci.com/boston-cream-pie-recipe/