Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes (Printable Version)
Vanilla cupcakes with creamy custard filling and decadent chocolate topping capture the essence of the beloved Boston cream pie in bite-sized form.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
→ Pastry Cream Filling
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 2 large egg yolks
11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Chocolate Ganache
16 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
17 - 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
03 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
04 - Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale and smooth. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and chill until cold.
05 - Heat cream in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Allow to cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.
06 - Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake about 1 inch deep using a small knife or cupcake corer. Fill each with chilled pastry cream, about 1 to 2 teaspoons per cupcake. Replace the cut-out piece of cake on top. Spoon or dip the tops of the cupcakes in chocolate ganache. Let set before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You get all the nostalgic flavors of the classic diner dessert without wrestling with a whole cake that might collapse during slicing
- The portable cupcake form means you can sneak one for breakfast and nobody will judge your life choices
02 -
- Pastry cream must be completely cold before filling, otherwise it'll melt into the cupcake and you'll lose that distinct creamy layer
- The ganache needs to cool slightly but still be pourable, too thick and it'll look gloppy, too runny and it'll slide right off the cupcakes
03 -
- A warm knife dipped in hot water cuts cleanly through these without squishing the pastry cream out the sides
- Chill your filled cupcakes for 30 minutes before glazing, the cold cake helps the ganache set faster and look more professional