This 6" cake recipe for Boston Cream Pie features pastry cream sandwiched between two light layers of chiffon cake, finished with a topping of chocolate ganache.
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What is a Boston cream pie?
Boston Cream Pie is not a pie, but actually a sponge cake filled with thick pastry cream, topped with chocolate ganache.
It is an American dessert, created by an Armenian-French chef in 1856.
Boston cream pie was referred to as chocolate cream pie and Parker House chocolate cream pie in the past.
Taiwanese Boston Cream Pie is a variant that does not include chocolate on the top.
What is pastry cream?
Pastry cream (also known as crème pâtissière) is a cooked custard of egg yolks, milk, sugar and starch (similar to making ice cream).
The consistency of pastry cream can vary from a thin pouring sauce (over pavlova) to a thick cream for filling cream puffs.
What is ganache?
Ganache is a filling or glaze of (usually) equal proportions of dark semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream.
Chocolate ganache is versatile and can be used to make glazes, truffles, and frost Bûche de Noël (yule log) cake.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe for Boston Cream Pie is:
Worth the effort: the cake is not actually hard to make, and only consists of 3 components: cake, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache -- with my how-to steps, it's an easy process.
Light and tender: using chiffon cake keeps the overall cake light and not too rich or heavy.
Not too sweet: each element from the cake, pastry cream, and ganache are lightly sweetened, so the entire cake isn't overly sweet.
Ingredients you'll need
Pastry cream:
- egg yolks: save the egg whites for pavlova or meringues
- granulated sugar: for sweetness
- sea salt: balances out the sweetness
- cornstarch: a thickener that keeps the pastry cream silky and smooth
- all-purpose flour: thickens the pastry cream
- vanilla extract: use a high quality vanilla extract for the best flavor
- whole milk
Cake:
- eggs: egg whites and yolks separated first while cold from the fridge, and left at room temperature to warm up
- cream of tartar: an acid that stabilizes the meringue mixture; you can substitute with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness
- vegetable oil: adds moisture
- whole milk: keeps the cake moist
- vanilla extract: for flavor; use a high-quality vanilla extract for the best taste
- cake flour: cake flour contains less protein and lower gluten than regular all-purpose flour; keeps the cake light and tender; if you don't have cake flour hand, use all-purpose flour, remove 1 teaspoon of flour and substitute with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
- baking powder: a leavening agent
Ganache:
- heavy cream: preferably 36% milkfat or higher
- dark chocolate: chopped; I like using a bittersweet/semi-sweet chocolate about 72%
Where to buy?
You can find these ingredients at your local supermarket or grocery store.
How to make Boston cream pie
Make the pastry cream
Add egg yolks, sugar and salt into a small heat-safe bowl.
Whisk in the cornstarch, all-purpose flour and vanilla extract.
In a small saucepan, heat up whole milk until scalding hot (don't let it boil).
Temper the eggs by gradually pouring the warmed milk in a stream, while constantly whisking, until all the milk is added to the egg mixture.
Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over low heat, until thickened and reaches a temperature of 175F.
Remove from heat and strain through a sieve into a clean container.
Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the cream.
Cool completely, cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the cake
Preheat oven to 325°F/163°C.
Line two 6" round cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Separate egg whites from egg yolks while cold from the fridge.
Add the egg yolks to a large mixing bowl, and whisk in 20g sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
Sift cake flour and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture and mix until just incorporated. Set aside.
To a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, add in the egg whites and being whisking until bubbles form.
Add in cream of tartar and continue whipping until foamy.
Gradually pour in remaining 20g sugar and increase the speed, whipping until the meringue reaches soft peaks.
Transfer about ⅓rd of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture and fold it in with a spatula.
Continue to fold in the egg white meringue mixture into the egg yolk mixture until all of it is incorporated, with no trace of white streaks.
Use a kitchen scale to divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
Give the pans a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake at 325°F/163°C for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed (or a toothpick inserted comes out clean).
Remove the cakes from the oven and immediately drop them onto the counter from a height of about 1' to prevent the cake from shrinkage.
Use a knife to release the edges of the cake.
Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the ganache
Add chopped dark chocolate to a heat-proof measuring cup.
Pour heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl or jar.
Heat heavy cream in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until warm.
Pour the warmed cream over the chopped dark chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
After 5 minutes, stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted.
Assemble
Place a layer of cake on a cake board or plate.
Use an offset spatula to spread a thick layer of pastry cream over the surface of the cake.
Add the second layer of cake over the pastry cream.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the top surface of the cake, using an offset spatula to smooth it to the edges.
Place the cake into the fridge to set, about 2 hours.
How to serve
Pair Boston Cream Pie with mixed berries, coffee or tea, or a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
How to store
Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don't recommend freezing this particular cake, as pastry cream does not freeze well and will weep and change texture.
Expert tips
Pastry cream:
You can make the pastry cream ahead of time (about 1-2 days prior).
Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Pastry cream does not freeze well and will change texture. Do not freeze pastry cream.
Cake:
You can also bake the cake layers a day or two ahead of time.
Wrap the cake up in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature if using the the next day.
Otherwise, wrap the cake in a second layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Ganache:
If the ganache is too warm/liquid, chill it in the fridge in 5-minute increments until it reaches a slow-pourable consistency.
If the chocolate drips all over the cake, it's OK -- that just means the ganache was still a bit too warm. Still tasty though!
Other dessert recipes you may like
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Boston Cream Pie (6" cake)
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For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Pastry cream:
- 3 egg yolks
- 45 g granulated sugar
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 ml whole milk
Cake:
- 2 egg whites
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 20 ml vegetable oil
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 20 ml whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 40 g cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Ganache:
- 45 ml heavy cream
- 60 g dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
Make the pastry cream:
- Add egg yolks, sugar and salt into a small heat-safe bowl.
- Whisk in the cornstarch, all-purpose flour and vanilla extract.
- In a small saucepan, heat up whole milk until scalding hot (don't let it boil).
- Temper the eggs by gradually pouring the warmed milk in a stream, while constantly whisking, until all the milk is added to the egg mixture.
- Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over low heat, until thickened and reaches a temperature of 175F.
- Remove from heat and strain through a sieve into a clean container.
- Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the cream.
- Cool completely, cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F/163°C.
- Line two 6" round cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Separate egg whites from egg yolks while cold from the fridge.
- Add the egg yolks to a large mixing bowl, and whisk in 20g sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Sift cake flour and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture and mix until just incorporated. Set aside.
- To a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, add in the egg whites and being whisking until bubbles form.
- Add in cream of tartar and continue whipping until foamy.
- Gradually pour in remaining 20g sugar and increase the speed, whipping until the meringue reaches soft peaks.
- Transfer about ⅓rd of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture and fold it in with a spatula.
- Continue to fold in the egg white meringue mixture into the egg yolk mixture until all of it is incorporated, with no trace of white streaks.
- Use a kitchen scale to divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
- Give the pans a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake at 325°F/163°C for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed (or a toothpick inserted comes out clean).
- Remove the cakes from the oven and immediately drop them onto the counter from a height of about 1' to prevent the cake from shrinkage.
- Use a knife to release the edges of the cake.
- Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the ganache:
- Add chopped dark chocolate to a heat-proof measuring cup.
- Pour heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl or jar.
- Heat heavy cream in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until warm.
- Pour the warmed cream over the chopped dark chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
- After 5 minutes, stir the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted.
Assemble:
- Place a layer of cake on a cake board or plate.
- Use an offset spatula to spread a thick layer of pastry cream over the surface of the cake.
- Add the second layer of cake over the pastry cream.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the top surface of the cake, using an offset spatula to smooth it to the edges.
- Place the cake into the fridge to set, about 2 hours.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your gorgeous Boston cream pie looks absolutely heavenly. Thank you for sharing the awesome step by step photos, this makes recreating this recipe for myself so easy!
Michelle
Thank you so much Heidi! This cake is not too hard to make -- just need to have all the components ready 🙂
Raymund | angsarap.net
Your Boston Cream Pie recipe sounds like a dream come true for dessert lovers! The combination of light chiffon cake, rich pastry cream, and decadent chocolate ganache is simply irresistible. Now wheres my slice? 😁
Michelle
Thanks Raymund, the cream, cake and chocolate really is such a delicious combination paired together!
David @ Spiced
Ah, the pie that's really a cake! This one has always confused me, but it's still delicious. I love anything with a good homemade pastry cream!
Michelle
Thanks David! It sure has a funny name for a pie being a cake, but nonetheless still so delicious!
Tasia
Your photos are beautiful Michelle and this was delicious! Love the light cake with the luscious pastry cream, thanks for another winner!
Katie
I doubled this recipe and stacked the layers for my husband’s birthday cake and we ate the whole thing in one night! Highly recommend for all Boston cream pie lovers - the chiffon cake is so light and balances the ganache beautifully. I will definitely be making this again!
Michelle
Hi Katie, thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your creation with me on Instagram! Glad to hear that it was a hit for your husband's birthday! 🙂