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Nov 10, 2023

Boston Cream Pie Recipe

Boston cream pie is a misunderstood dessert — it is not actually a pie at all.

Boston cream pie is a misunderstood dessert — it is not actually a pie at all. Rather, it is a buttery, soft cake sandwiched with a layer of sweet vanilla custard and topped with shiny chocolate ganache. The recipe originated in (you guessed it) Boston and dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. Back then, the terms cake and pie were used interchangeably, mainly because they were usually baked in the same kinds of pans. This was before deep-dish pie tins and fluted tart pans came in every shape and size imaginable.

The cake for this recipe is a little more special than a usual vanilla layer cake. Start by heating butter and milk on the stove just until the butter melts and the mixture is warm. Then, beat the eggs and sugar (as opposed to creaming butter and sugar together) until the mixture is thick and pale in color. Finally, drizzle in the hot milk mixture and dry ingredients and mix to combine. The final result is a light, moist cake with a texture that is not too dense nor too delicate.

The custard filling is as simple as can be. It all comes together in one saucepan and is super smooth and thick. Same goes for the chocolate topping — two ingredients later, the ganache is ready to go. I used an 8-inch cake pan, but you can use a 9-inch pan if that's the size you have at home — start checking the cake about 10 minutes earlier to prevent overbaking.

Technique Tip: Pouring hot cream over chocolate and letting it slowly sit and melt will give you the smoothest and shiniest ganache.

Make the custard:

In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add egg yolks, milk and cream and whisk to combine. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly over the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until cold and stiffened, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter a 8-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter over medium heat, heating until butter melts; remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until lightened and pale in color, about 5 minutes. Transfer milk mixture to a container with a spout. On low speed, slowly drizzle in milk mixture, mixing until well combined. Add flour mixture and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl as needed.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula (it will be very full). Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

Using a serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into two even layers. Place the bottom layer, cut-side up, on a serving plate. Whisk chilled custard to loosen, then spread evenly over the bottom cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, cut-side down.

Make the glaze:

Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a bare simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute; stir until smooth and glossy. Spread ganache over the top of the cake.

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