Boston Cream Pie Cake
A classic Boston cream pie cake with soft vanilla sponge, silky vanilla custard filling, and glossy chocolate ganache. Three simple components that come together into a bakery-worthy, crowd-pleasing dessert.
- Total Time8 hours 5 minutes
- Yield8 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 500 g whole milk (not skim, warmed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 40 g cornstarch
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 80 g unsalted butter (cubed and cold)
- 330 g all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs (55g each, room temperature)
- 310 g caster sugar (superfine)
- 245 g milk (full fat)
- 90 g unsalted butter (cubed)
- 50 g vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 14 g vanilla extract
- 135 g dark cooking chocolate
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 10 g brown sugar
- 10 g glucose syrup (or corn syrup)
- 85 g heavy cream
Instructions
- Warm the milk gently. In a heavy-bottomed pot, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt, then whisk in the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly add the warm milk a quarter cup at a time, whisking after each, and add the vanilla.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly without stopping. After 3-4 minutes it will thicken; once it bubbles, whisk 3 more minutes, then remove from heat. Whisk in the cold butter a quarter at a time until smooth.
- Push the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill at least 5 hours, ideally overnight. Whisk smooth before using.
- Preheat the oven to 340°F (300°F fan). Grease the bottoms of two 8-inch tins and line with baking paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- Beat the eggs until frothy, then add the sugar a spoonful at a time on medium-high. Keep beating about 6 minutes until pale, thick, and tripled in volume. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low just until combined (a few lumps are fine).
- Heat the milk and butter until about 140°F or small bubbles form (don’t boil). Add half with the oil and vanilla, mix on low, then add the rest and mix until smooth and ribbony. Divide between the tins (about 600g each) and tap to release air bubbles.
- Bake 30 to 32 minutes, until golden and springy and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the tins 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
- Combine the chocolate, butter, brown sugar, glucose, and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth (or melt over a double boiler). Cool about 20 minutes, until thick enough to spread but still able to drip.
- Place the first cake layer on a plate and spread the chilled custard over it, neatening the edges. Add the second layer and press gently. Chill 1 hour. Pour the cooled chocolate over the top, spreading gently and letting some drip down the sides. Chill 1 more hour before slicing.
Notes
Start with the custard, as it needs at least 5 hours (ideally overnight) to set. Whisk the custard constantly while cooking so it doesn’t go grainy, and add the butter slowly so it doesn’t split. Whip the eggs and sugar the full 6 minutes for the sponge’s lift, and follow the mixing speeds to avoid a tough cake. Use weight measurements (a scale) for accuracy. Don’t rush the chill times — they hold the assembled cake together. Make-ahead: custard and sponges can be made a day before, then assembled. Stores up to 3 days refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving. Undecorated sponges freeze up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 781
Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/boston-cream-pie-cake/
