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Classic Boston Cream Pie From Scratch

A close-up of a thick slice of Boston Cream Pie featuring yellow cake, vanilla pastry cream, and dark chocolate ganache.
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Make the iconic Boston cream pie at home. This recipe yields soft vanilla cake layers, rich vanilla pastry cream filling, and a glossy chocolate ganache topping for a bakery-style dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Vanilla Cake:
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • For the Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the Chocolate Ganache Topping:
  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, for shine)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add the softened butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until just combined.
  4. Gradually add the milk and mix until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
  8. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly and begins to bubble. Continue to cook and stir for 1 minute more.
  9. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly whisking about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks.
  10. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens again and comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
  11. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
  12. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold.
  13. Prepare the Chocolate Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
  14. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.
  15. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it stand undisturbed for 5 minutes.
  16. Whisk gently until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in the corn syrup, if using. Let the ganache cool slightly until it reaches a thick, pourable consistency.
  17. Assemble the Pie: Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate.
  18. Spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over the first cake layer.
  19. Top with the second cake layer.
  20. Pour the slightly cooled chocolate ganache over the top center of the cake, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides.
  21. Chill the assembled Boston Cream Pie for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • For the fluffiest cake, make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing.
  • If you want a very thick, bakery-style filling, chill the pastry cream for longer than two hours.
  • Use high-quality chocolate for the best flavor in your chocolate ganache topping.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://alchemychef.com/boston-cream-pie-recipe-from-scratch/