What Is Boston Cream Pie?
Boston Cream Pies are not pies, but rather yellow cakes with pastry cream filling and chocolate icing. The original cake was created in 1856 and made famous by the Parker House Hotel in Boston, but my introduction to Boston Cream Pie was via Mrs. Smith's frozen pies. I haven't seen the Mrs. Smith's Boston Cream in a while, but that's okay because I am obsessed with making them.
Mixing and Matching
I've always felt a little guilty about not having one perfect Boston Cream Pie recipe because I like to try different combinations of yellow, sponge and buttermilk cakes with pastry creams and toppings. I felt better reading the 2019 Joy of Cooking because they too took the same approach. Their recipe has you pick a cake from one page, sends you to another for the pastry cream and recommends a simple glaze of melted chocolate, water and butter.
Joy of Cooking 2019
So this recipe is adapted from the 2019 edition of The Joy of Cooking. It calls for a buttermilk yellow cake, a basic pastry cream and a simple glaze of chocolate, water and butter. All components worked. The cake was interesting in that it baked up with flat tops and a dense, moisty crumb, almost like pound cake. The pastry filling was just the right level of stiffness and the glaze was unlike any I've tried. The water lightened up the melted chocolate and then the butter was added back for richness. Once cooled, it was very easy to spread neatly all over the cake.
So this is just one more Boston Cream Pie recipe. You can follow it as written or take a component -- maybe try just the glaze or the pastry cream. If you need a cake that bakes up flat, consider the buttermilk yellow cake. I'm looking forward to trying this one again. I used powdered buttermilk and am wondering if it made any difference in the leavening action.
Recipe
Boston Cream Pie from Joy of Cooking
Ingredients
Buttermilk Layer Cake
- 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour, measure after sifting (235 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (170 grams)
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar (265 grams)
- 3 large eggs, bring to room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup buttermilk
FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM FILLING:
- 1 ½ cups milk, whole
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or a large vanilla bean, split
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE ICING:
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate. chopped or Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup water (or coffee)
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round pans.
- Whisk the sifted flour with the baking powder , baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Beat softened butter and sugar in bowl of a stand mixer until light in color, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one by one, and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into pans dividing evenly. If you have a scale you can put each pan on it, set tare to "0" and add 18 oz batter.
- Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. The two cakes will most likely bake up flat almost like pound cakes. This is actually helpful because you don't have to trim the domes. Let cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then carefully invert.
Pastry Cream Filling
- In a saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean (split and scrape) until simmering. If using vanilla paste, just heat the milk.
- While milk is heating, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks and egg together in a medium size bowl, preferably one with a spout.
- Once the milk is infused with vanilla, remove the bean and pour half of the hot milk over the egg mixture, stirring or whisking until smooth.
- Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium low heat until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. It may take longer, so just whisk until it is as thick as pudding and big bubbles break the surface. Once that happens continue whisking for another 30 seconds.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve set over a clean bowl, then whisk in the butter and vanilla paste (if using). If you used a vanilla bean, taste test and add a little vanilla extract or paste if needed.
- Let cool slightly, then cover directly with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming. Cool and chill.
Chocolate Glaze
- Combine the chocolate and water (or coffee) in a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over barely simmering water. Heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add salt, then stir in the butter, 2 pieces at at time. Let cool (I let it cool for about an hour), stirring often, until it is a pourable consistency
- Assemble: Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with thick layer of pastry cream. Top with second cake layer. Pour glaze over the top and let it drip down the sides. Chill until ready to serve.
Joy says
I tried this and used a pie crust on the bottom layer ( like Marie Callenders ) it came out great
Judy says
Agree with some of the previous comments -- Boston Creme Pie is best with spongecake. Hot milk spongecake is a good one for it. I used to make it all the time, but haven't made one recently. Easiest way to do the custard is dump everything in, whether it's the microwave or a pan on the stove. Somehow, when you add the butter with everything, you won't get any curdling; therefore, you can turn the heat up and get it done faster. I prefer not using the microwave whenever possible, so I do it on the stove usually.
Clumbsy Cookie says
http://tartelette.blogspot.com/2007/10/bostii-cream-pie-daring-bakers-take.html
Here's the link to Tartelette's version. It worked now!
Clumbsy Cookie says
I first heared of it a few months ago when the daring bakers made a dessert version of it (bostini cream pie), that was mentioned by Katy. It was back in Oct last year, I've tried to attach a link here on my comment but it's not working.
I've never tasted it, but I can imagine it tasting very good, like a comfort desert almost.
Anna you know you can do pastry cream in the microwave, by just dumping everything in a bowl. But don't tell anyone I told you! 😉
Anna says
It definitely needs some chill time to come together.
Emily says
one must - put in the fridge for like an hour before serving. Boston Cream Pie's always seem to taste better when cooler and since its summer it might be more pleasing!
Toni says
BCP is one of my favorite summertime dessert. I love the contrast of cool pastry cream with chocolate icing. Great picture. You've made me want a slice. I'll be interested to see the follow ups in this category. Thanks for making!
aTxVegn says
Bostom Cream Pie has always been my favorite dessert. Yours looks awesome!
Rina says
Anna, here is another one worth trying. It requires a lot of time, but the results are definitely worth the effort!
http://bakinghistory.wordpress.com/2008/01/20/boston-cream-pie/
p.s. Todd has great taste (with the exception of the peanut butter issue).
Anna says
Joe, there are some Boston Cream Pie Cupcake recipes out there. This particular cake probably wouldn't work well as cupcakes, but I know you can find some good ones with a search.
Duh, just read Katy's post. Yes, try Cooks' Country!
Katy, thanks for letting me know about that BCP on Food TV. I will skip it. I posted another link to a Recipezaar Boston Cream Pie. Everyone gave it 5 stars, so maybe I'll try that one.
Sarah, I don't have a formula, but what I'd probably do is use Cake Mix Doctor's red velvet cake recipe (the one which starts with white cake mix) and make it in a 15x10 inch pan. The bars would still be cake-like and soft, but they would be be thin like bar cookies. If you don't have that Cake Mix doctor recipe, here's a link.
http://www.recipezaar.com/24561
Sarah says
This looks really good 🙂 Anna - I have a question (a bit off topic from cream pie, sorry!) I thought you might have some knowledge about. I'm trying to make a red velvet bar cookie (husband's request) and I think using a mix in this case might be the best way to go. Do you know of any 'formula' for turning a cake mix into a bar? - Thanks!
Katy says
Great post! Boston Cream Pie is truly an american classic. The Food Network recipe is disappointing. The cake is dry and not sweet enough. The Cook's Illustrated recipe is a good one. Very similar to one I make from Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts. The cake really needs to be a sponge cake for the perfect textural combination, which is what the cake is all about. I omit the rum in the pastry cream and use a combo of vanilla and almond extracts. Cook's Country came up with a fun recipe for Boston Cream cupcakes.
http://www.cookscountry.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=3484
If Todd finds himself in San Francisco one of these days, he MUST go to Scala's Bistro on Powell right off Union Square and try their legendary "Bostini Cream Pie".
They bake a small individual sponge cake in an oversized porcelain ramekin,fill it to the brim with pastry cream and drench the entire thing in chocolate glaze and shaved chocolate. It comes to the table looking like a big tartufo. It was voted the number one restaurant recipe of 2006 by the SF Chronicle.
(And the restaurant serves good italian for lunch or dinner)
Joe says
I've never made this but I've wanted to for awhile. I wonder if these would be good in cupcake form!
Anna says
If you have a fear of making pastry cream, this is a good recipe to try. It's made with a double boiler which helps prevent scrambling. At first I thought using the double boiler (or in this case, metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmer water) would be a hassle, but it really wasn't a big deal and it made a very nice smooth cream.
I whisked the egg yolks, flour and sugar together in the bowl first, then got the water going over in the saucepan. One it was boiling, I just set the bowl on top, gripped it with a hot pad to keep it in place and keep from burning my fingers, then whisked.
The metal bowl I used was pretty deep, so it kinds of sinks into the saucepan and ends up being about an inch or so higher than the simmering water. If the cream mixture doesn't seem to be getting hot enough, you just increase the heat of the water underneath.
Pastry cream is really kind of fun once you have the proper tools in place. If you actually own a double boiler, then it should be a piece of cake.
Steph says
This is one recipe I've always wanted to try, but have a real problem with making pastry cream. I always manage to scramble the pastry cream instead of thickening it!
Anna says
I've had kind of a rough morning and am really happy to come back to these positive comments. I like Boston Cream Pie too. It's under-rated!
This recipe was good, but there are a few more I want to try. Cook's Illustrated has a version that starts with a hot milk sponge cake. However, the one that sounds really good to me is this one from Food TV. I think it will be next.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_16080,00.html
Sue, yes! I do have the Mrs. Fields book. I may make something out of it today. I'll check the butter cookie recipe too. Sounds good.
I have baked with Baker's Ammonia. There's a recipe on-line called Swedish Dream Cookies. They have a very crisp and light texture thanks to the ammonia. That's the only recipe where I really, really loved the results. The cookies give off an ammonia smell while baking.
Lara says
This looks delicious!! I might have to make one!
Karen says
I love Boston Cream Pie and have made a few. I like to use a hot milk sponge cake, baked in one pan and split. Martha Stewart has a good one. I tiny hit of almond extract in the pastry cream is nice. Can't wait to see what you do next!
Sue says
Boston Cream Pie is a dessert that I've never made. This one looks very tasty.
On a different subject. Do you own the Mrs. Field's Cookie Book? I made my son's all time favorite cookies out of there yesterday. They're called Cinnamon Sugar Butter Cookies. I think of you everytime I make cookies, even if I didn't get the recipe or inspiration from your blog.
We've liked all of the cookies I've made from that book.
http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Fields-Cookie-Book-Recipes/dp/0809467127
Another question regarding leavening. I was reading the King Arthur baker's blog yesterday when I was supposed to be working. They talked about using baker's ammonia and vinegar as leavening in a recipe. I've never done that and wondered if you have? I wish I could remember which entry mentioned it. I'd link you right to it. They seemed to suggest that it imparts a different texture than other leaveners.
Catherine says
I can't TELL you how happy I am to see this recipe AND that it passed muster with your husband! My Dad has been begging for me to make my Mom's Boston Cream Pie, but I've been avoiding this particular pie mission, since her version was...ah, how shall I say? NOT GOOD! I am sure he will be happy with this!
sharon says
Oh.My.God. Boston Cream Pie is one of my favorite desserts...one that no one else seems to have ever had. I haven't seen it in many restaurants either so I'm left to dream. Yours looks so tasty!
VeggieGirl says
Glad you chose that recipe!! Sounds great!!
Sarah says
That looks so tasty! My grandma always used to make me Boston Cream Pie and everytime I have it now it makes me think of her.