Are you a fan of traditional Boston Cream Pie? I AM!!!! Boston Cream Pie is my ALL time favorite dessert. And it is relatively easy to make using simple pantry ingredients, yet appearing beautifully elegant. The moist tender cake filled with rich vanilla pudding and then topped with a silky chocolate ganache is completely irresistible!

Every year since my cousin passed away in 1998 her sister and I make cakes on her birthday. With the passing of their father this past spring we will now also do it on his birthday. The day I made these would have been his 81st birthday and Boston Cream Pie was one of his favorites.

Traditional Boston Cream Pie was a dessert that grams made frequently for Sunday dinners so it has a status of not only a favorite recipe, but also one that evokes fond memories of family long lost. These made as individual cakes are a wonderful modern twist to a beloved classic that allows for individual indulgence in smaller portions. I’ve been making Boston Cream Pie for years in honor of grams, but must admit it never occurred to me to make them as individuals. These layered individual beauties are perfect in the new small bite format and bring a flavor symphony to your mouth!

Now all of that said, next time I will be assembling them differently. I found that there wasn’t enough custard doing it this way and having followed her recipe exactly also found that her ganache was too runny and not chocolatey enough. I will take pictures at that time and update this post to the changes.

BOSTON CREAM PIE CUPCAKES  Adapted from Recipes by Clare

Clare offers dairy free and gluten free versions of her Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes at her site Recipes by Clare.

CUPCAKES

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 LARGE eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract

1/2 cup WHOLE milk

• Preheat oven to 350° and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray well with non-stick baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mix in vanilla extract.
• In a 3rd larger bowl combine the wet and dry ingredients alternately adding the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until JUST combined. DO NOT OVER MIX!!!
• Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners.
• Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

CUSTARD FILLING

1/3 cup sugar

scant 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cup WHOLE milk
3 JUMBO egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Combine the cornstarch, sugar, milk, eggs, cream, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
• Bring the custard to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, let the custard boil for two minutes.
• Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter. Set custard aside to cool, continuing to whisk occasionally.
• Once the cupcakes are cool, cut a small circle out of the center of each cupcake and fill with vanilla pudding.

GANACHE

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream JUST until it begins to simmer.
• Remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips.
• Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
• Spoon the ganache over each cupcake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
• Let the ganache set before serving.

NOTES WORTH CONSIDERING

• 
Ensure that all ingredients are at room temperature to make a smoother batter.

• Use a piping bag to fill the cupcakes with pudding for a cleaner result.

• Enhance the flavor by adding a teaspoon of espresso powder to the chocolate ganache.

• Serve these cupcakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of cold milk.
• You can use a box pudding and it will work wonderfully, we just prefer homemade.

• Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
• They freeze well before the ganache. Add ganache after thawing.

My version that I have made for many, many years!

BOSTON CREAM PIE
CAKE
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 JUMBO egg
1 1/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup WHOLE milk

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Butter and flour a 9 1/2-inch spring form baking pan OR line cupcake tin. I use a square spring form pan when I make a whole cake to make pieces easier to cut.
• Combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and cream together using an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each one.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.
• Combine the dry ingredients with the creamed mixture and add the milk.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.

CUSTARD

1/3 cup sugar
scant 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cup WHOLE milk
3 JUMBO egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Combine the cornstarch, sugar, milk, eggs, cream, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan, whisking until smooth.
• Bring the custard to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, let the custard boil for two minutes only.
• Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter.
• Set custard aside to cool, continuing to whisk occasionally.

GLAZE/GANACHE
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water

• In a double boiler, melt together the chocolate and butter until smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Stir in hot water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.

BUILDING THE PERFECT PIE

• Remove the cake from the pan and cut it in half horizontally with a long serrated knife.
• Place one half of the cake on a plate with the cut side facing up.
• Top with custard.
• Place the other half of the cake on top, with the cut side down.
• Coat the top of the cake with glaze allowing it to drip down the sides.

NOTE: The traditional custard substitutes in this recipe for a pineapple custard which is what we like to do.