Boston Cream Pie Cake
A delightful dessert that combines the best of cake and pie with layers of fluffy cake, rich pastry cream, and a glossy chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
For the Pastry Cream
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 130g
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch 30g
- 6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 2 cups whole milk, divided 510g
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 40g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 8g
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spoon and sweep method 185g
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 7g
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt 4.5g
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 300g
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 6.5g
- ¾ cup milk 180g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85g
For the Glaze
- ½ cup heavy cream 120g
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup 41g
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 142g
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry Cream
- In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks and ¼ cup of whole milk.
- Heat the remaining 1 ¾ cups of whole milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it just simmers.
- Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of hot milk while whisking constantly. Add the tempered egg mixture back to the saucepan with the remaining milk.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Bake the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar for 4 minutes until thick and ribbon-like. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Gradually add dry ingredients while mixing on low speed until combined.
- Heat milk and butter in the microwave until melted and steaming, then gradually mix into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Assemble the Cake
- Remove pastry cream from the fridge 20 minutes before assembly. Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
- Spread pastry cream over the cake, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Place the second cake layer bottom-side-up on top, pressing gently. Refrigerate the assembled cake while preparing the glaze.
Prepare the Glaze
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat cream and corn syrup on high until steaming, about 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds.
- Add chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Pour glaze onto the center of the cake and spread evenly, allowing some to drip down the sides.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to set.
Serve
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Slice using a warm knife for clean cuts and serve.
Notes
Make sure your eggs are at room temperature for better mixing. Don’t rush the cooling process; this helps the layers hold their shape. When spreading the glaze, start from the center and let it naturally drip down the sides for a nice look. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.