americandessert
Boston Cream Pie
Vanilla cake with pastry cream filling and chocolate glaze.
Prep
30 min
Cook
40 min
Servings
12
Difficulty
Medium
★★★★★
4.8(2,900 ratings)#cake#boston#cream#chocolate#dessert
About This Recipe
Massachusetts' official state dessert — light vanilla sponge cake filled with silky pastry cream and topped with dark chocolate glaze. A showstopper dessert that's easier than it looks.
Ingredients
Serves 12
- 200 gflour
- 1 tspbaking powder
- ¼ tspsalt
- 120 gbutter
- 200 gsugar
- 2eggs
- 120 mlmilk
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 500 mlwhole milk(for cream)
- 100 gsugar(for cream)
- 4egg yolks
- 40 gcornstarch
- 2 tspvanilla
- 200 gdark chocolate
- 2 tbspbutter
Instructions
- 1
Make cake
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Alternate milk and flour mixture. Pour into 23cm cake pan. Bake 35-40 min at 175°C until golden.
- 2
Make pastry cream
Heat milk. Whisk yolks with sugar and cornstarch. Temper yolks with hot milk. Pour back into pot, cook until thick. Add vanilla.
- 3
Cool
Cool cake and pastry cream completely.
- 4
Make glaze
Melt chocolate with butter. Cool slightly.
- 5
Assemble
Slice cake in half. Fill with pastry cream. Top with chocolate glaze. Chill.
Pro Tips
- →
Room temperature ingredients help with better crumb.
- →
Cool pastry cream before assembling to prevent melting the cake
- →
Use a serrated knife dipped in hot water for clean cake slices
Variations
- •
Add Grand Marnier to pastry cream.
- •
Make a lighter version with whipped cream instead of pastry cream.
- •
Try a chocolate-bourbon variation with bourbon in the glaze.
- •
Top with fresh berries for added elegance.
Storage
Keep refrigerated. Best within 2 days.
History & Origin
Boston Cream Pie became Massachusetts' official state dessert in 1996, though it was created much earlier at the Parker House Hotel in 1856. This iconic American dessert represents the evolution of colonial American baking traditions combined with French pastry techniques, making it a true cultural treasure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a 'pie' if it's a cake?
The name comes from the Parker House Hotel's original pastry chef, who likely used 'pie' in the French pastry tradition. It's become iconic enough that nobody questions it anymore.
Can I make the pastry cream ahead of time?
Yes! Make it up to 2 days ahead and store covered in the refrigerator. Just make sure it's completely cool before assembling.
How do I prevent the cake from breaking when slicing?
Use a long serrated knife, dip it in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts. A cake leveler can also help create clean, even layers.
Can I use store-bought cake?
Yes! While homemade cake is superior, store-bought vanilla cake works fine. Just assemble and glaze fresh.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (120g) · 12 servings total
Calories380kcal
Protein4g
Carbohydrates52g
Fat18g
Fiber1g
Protein4g
Carbs52g
Fat18g
Time Summary
Prep time30 min
Cook time40 min
Total time70 min
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