When I was a kid we used to go Luby’s Cafeteria where they served a chocolate Boston Cream Pie. The cake was chocolate, the filling was vanilla custard and the topping was either a glaze or a frosting. I mostly just remember the crumb and filling for some reason, and being oddly disappointed that they didn’t have “normal” Boston Cream Pie. At any rate, that cake came to mind when Katrina mentioned she’d made an all-chocolate BCP. I decided to make one too!
Cake, Filling and Topping
So here’s the new cake! The cake part is a chocolate chiffon. The filling is one based on Murray Jaffe’s recipe and is great because it only has 2 egg yolks. And then there’s the glaze. It’s a ganache glaze from an old Cuisine at Home recipe — one which I noted was “perfect” the last time I tried it.
Overall, I was happy with this chocolate version of an old favorite, but I still have a couple of others to try.
Chocolate Boston Cream Pie Update
UPDATE: This is a time consuming recipe, but it’s not exactly difficult. I have revised it slightly over the years. For the cake, I use the chiffon recipe below, but you can use any good 1 layer chocolate cake recipe. A trick I use for splitting cakes is to put a long metal skewer through the cake, then guide a knife through the cake sideways, using the skewer as a level base.
The filling can also be changed, but I like this one since it’s made in one saucepan and makes just enough for the cake.
And I really love the chocolate ganache even though traditional Boston Cream Pie is topped with chocolate icing.
Recipe
Chocolate Boston Cream Pie
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge Cake:
- 6 tablespoons boiling water
- 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour 100 grams
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 170 grams
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 extra large eggs separated
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Vanilla Filling:
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon butter cut up
Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1/3 cup of heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup or honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×2 inch cake pan and put a round of parchment on the bottom to prevent sticking.
- Combine boiling water and cocoa powder in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together the cake flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Add the oil and stir with a heavy duty scraper so that it coats the flour, then add the egg yolks, vanilla and cooled cocoa mixture. Stir with the scraper until well mixed, but don’t use the electric mixer yet, the point being to keep your beaters clean for the egg whites.
- In another bowl, using your electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Set the whites aside, then go ahead and beat the flour/cocoa mixture on medium speed for about a minute or just until well blended. With a heavy duty scraper, fold in the whites 1/3 at a time.
- Pour into pan. Set the cake pan on a cookie sheet and bake on lowest rack at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert twice and let cool on a rack.
- Filling: Off heat, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 3 quart metal saucepan. Using a heavy duty heat proof scraper and a whisk, whisk in the egg yolks, scraping any of the mixture out of the corners of the pan with the scraper. Gradually whisk in milk, scraping as you go, then gradually whisk in the cream.
- Set mixture over medium heat and begin whisking (and scraping if you need to) until mixture boils and thickens. if you’re using a metal pan, this will probably take less than 5 minutes. When it starts to boil, continue whisking for for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour into a separate bowl. Whisk in the butter and vanilla. Lay a piece of parchment over the pudding so that a skin will not form. Let cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until you are ready to fill the cake.
- Assemble Cake. Split cake and spoon filling into center spreading it evenly.
- For the glaze, place finely chopped chocolate in a small bowl or large (2 cup) glass measuring cup. Boil cream and corn syrup (or honey), pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour glaze on top of cake, smoothing it with a spatula.
Anna
LOL! Thanks for the laught, Angie. I know the feeling.
angie
Thank you so much for posting this pic! People were begining to think I was a loon! Lubys HAD this dessert with pecans on top…I KNEW IT
Jen
Boston Cream Pie is my dad’s favorite. I wish it traveled well so I could send him this one.
Danielle
Boston cream pie is a favorite of mine- I’ll have to try this! It looks better than regular boston cream pies.
Hrishi
Can’t wait to try this one…yum 🙂
Jess @ Bakericious
looks sinfully delicious
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit
Boston Cream Pie is hubby’s favorite- I think I might like this chocolate version though! It looks scrumptious!
[email protected]
Looks great. I love Boston Cream Pie. I need to try the chocolate version.
Crustabakes
i am totally with you on the egg yolks issue for the custard. i usually get stuck with a couple of egg whites that i wouldnt know what to do with .
MaryMoh
Beautiful cake and beautiful cream. I love it! Thanks very much for sharing.
Camille
Ahh, I looove Boston Cream Pie! This looks amazing!
Therese B.
Looks yummy to me!
the blissful baker
mmm the more chocolate the better, in my opinion 🙂 i think i might like this chocolate version better!
jacqie
i would have never thought of doing boston cream pie like this. by the picture alone, i can already tell you that this is my new favorite dessert!
Kristin
Thanks Anna, if it works for you, then I will definitely give it a try.
Thanks for all the tips everybody!
Kristin
Anna
Kristin, I poured it on immediately after I made it. The way I did it, and this might be a little unorthodox but it works for me, is to pour the 1/3 cup cream into a big measuring cup (2 cup), add the honey, then microwave the cream/honey mixture for about 1 minute or just until it starts to boil. Depending on your microwave, it will probably take less than a minute to boil. Have your chopped chocolate ready, then quickly stir it into the scalding hot cream. Stir until it melts, then quickly pour the ganache on top before it starts to set. You can vary the consistency by using more/less cream and chocolate.
Katrina
Anna, I made ganache a lot, it’s our go-to frosting (not to sweet and buttery, which is what Kevin doesn’t like), I’m going to try adding a little corn syrup next time to see what it’s like!
Katrina
Hey, looks a bit like mine! Good stuff.
Thanks for the shout out!
Kristin, I do want to here Anna’s two cents worth, but with ganache, I have always made it and let it sit for an hour or so to thicken up, it is then perfect spreading consistency. So you could pour it over the can and let it drip down and that looks great, too. Let ganache sit half a day or whatever (out of the fridge) and it’s perfect for rolling in to truffles!
Kristin
Hi Anna,
This cake looks absolutley delicious! I can’t wait to make it myself but I was wondering something – your glaze is so nice and thick, how long did you wait to pour it on the cake? I would think it would be very liquid-y right away and would just drip down the cake instead of looking like it’s a frosting. Any tips would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Kristin
Emily
YAY! Boston Cream Pie! This looks amazing.
Sue
This looks like a Boston Cream Pie that I would like. For some reason I’m not such a fan of the traditional kind.
You could call it “Perfect” Chocolate Boston Cream Pie. 🙂
Darlene
It looks like you achieved a perfect balance – cake, cream filling, and ganache!