By Samantha Seneviratne
- Total Time
- About 1 hour, plus chilling
- Rating
- 4(1,292)
- Notes
- Read community notes
An American classic, Boston cream pie isn't a pie at all. Its base is an old-fashioned hot milk cake, a downy-soft, buttery yellow cake. How you whip the eggs and the sugar is critical, as the tiny air bubbles they produce add lift to the finished product.
This traditional version is best the day it's made, but will hold up in the fridge for a couple of days. You may just notice a slight change in texture. Slathered with homemade vanilla custard and a chocolate glaze, it hits all the right notes, but it would be just as lovely served with in-season berries or layered with chocolate or coffee custard instead of vanilla. Make it as is, or go rogue. Either way, it’s sure to please.
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Ingredients
Yield:10 servings
- 3large egg yolks
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- 2tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1cup/240 milliliters whole milk
- ¼cup/60 milliliters heavy cream
- 1tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter
- 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8tablespoons/114 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pan
- 1¾cups/224 grams all-purpose flour
- 1¾teaspoons baking powder
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾cup/180 milliliters whole milk
- 3large eggs, at room temperature
- 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
- 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼cup/60 milliliters heavy cream
- 4ounces/113 grams semisweet chocolate chips
- 1teaspoon neutral oil, such as safflower
- Pinch kosher salt
For the Custard
For the Cake
For the Glaze
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
461 calories; 23 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 39 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 279 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the custard: In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Whisk in cornstarch and salt. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in milk and then the cream. Add butter. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, just until it starts to thicken. Immediately whisk mixture until smooth, then continue to cook and stir custard until it has come to a very low boil for 2 minutes, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Strain custard through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a small spatula. Stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface. Chill for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
Step
2
Prepare the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round baking pan, generously greasing the sides, and line it with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
Step
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In a small saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a simmer over medium heat. When the butter is melted, remove pan from heat. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add the milk mixture and beat until combined. Then add flour mixture and vanilla and beat until combined.
Step
4
Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
Step
5
Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes. With a very thin knife, cut around the edge to release the cake from the side of the pan. Carefully flip the cake onto the rack, then turn it right-side-up to cool completely.
Step
6
Assemble the cake: Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the cake into two layers and place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Stir custard, and spread it onto the cut side of the bottom half. Replace the top half of the cake, cut side down.
Step
7
Prepare the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium-low, heat the cream to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and pour cream over the chocolate chips, oil, salt and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake.
Tip
- Leftover cake should be covered loosely and stored in the refrigerator. It will last about two days.
Ratings
4
out of 5
1,292
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Cooking Notes
Morna
...or use some dental floss wrapped/pulled around the cake's middle to "cut" the cake in half...
Blake
I had the same problem and searched the web ... the eggs should be whipped first and after 5 minutes then incorporate the sugar. Here's the info:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/bakingisascience.com/2014/07/11/hotmilk-cak...
Mo
Make sure to make the chocolate sauce at the very end, and use a knife big enough to cut the pie in half without it breaking
eleni
A couple of earlier reviewers asked why not make the 2 layers in 2 pans. I suspect I know why since I had to do it myself (my 9" cake pans are only 1.5" deep and not 2" as called for).If you make 1 cake, the 2 surfaces created by cutting in half are rougher and more absorbent which helps keep the pudding layer in place. The shinier/smoother surfaces of 2 separately baked cake layers makes it easier for the pudding and then the upper cake layer slide off the lower layer (as happened to me!)
Theo
Buttery - yes. Downey-soft? Not so much. The cake was denser & dryer than a Boston Cream Pie should be. If I make it again, I'll use care to bake it on the shorter end. The recipe was easy to follow & the finished product looked as good as the photo. The chocolate glaze was so easy that I doubted it would work, but it did & was delicious & glossy.
CJ
For anyone wondering how to cut a cake, from someone who took pastry classes in culinary school: Use a long serrated bread knife (with the teeth) and buy a cheap cake turntable; slowly cut through cake while turning it, until sliced through ;)
Steve
I make this desert a lot. For the cake I use a 1234 Cake. This is a yellow cake made with buttermilk. Recipe is on the web "richard sax 1234 cake" this blows away any other cake out there.
Susan
A healthy pinch of salt in the glaze gave it that wonderful sweet-salty finish. I will use this cake recipe for all sorts of fillings and frostings, all summer long. Summer fruit toppings, whipped cream fillings, all sorts of variations. Delicious.
Tex
Agree with others:
- The quantities of custard and chocolate are sparse - I doubled both for the second try.
- Whip the eggs for the cake alone for a few minutes before adding the sugar slowly - makes the cake fluffier.
With those edits this was perfect.
Matt
I can.
Doc
With a house for the kids it's a wonder you can bake it all. I'm sure those children would rather U use a shortcut then have no Boston cream pie at all.
jane
I feel like the custard directions might need some fleshing out. I may just be a custard novice, but I’m having a hard time getting the consistency right (mine is too runny) and I think a little extra guidance on temperature or tips on what to look for in the consistency at each step would be helpful.
nicole
You need to make sure that the egg yolks and sugar become pale and fluffy. I don't use a whisk but rather an electric hand-mixer.
Sheri
Thank you. I made the 1234 recipe after the other failed. It's perfect!
Martha
I was nervous about custard especially, i put extra vanilla. Almond a tablespoon. It tasted great! I'm so happy to be able to make true boston cream pie! I don't have to cheat with pudding. I did use duncan hines butter golden cake mix to make it easieron me with a house full of kids i felt this necessary. Lol *Great Recipe* #Greatful#AMAZED#My family is going to LOVE!!!
essa
The came came out perfect! If you’re not happy with ur custard, genach or cake density, then you’re doing something wrong, either something wrong with ur weight measurements or ur baking techniques.
Joan
A few tips:Beat yolks until very thick and lemon colored and then add sugar and beat until fully incorporated and thick and lemon colored.- Don’t over cook the cake. After 20 minutes check it; after 5 more minutes check it; then check it every 2 minutes. When a cake tester comes out reasonably dry and the edges of the cake have retreated, remove it for the oven. I substituted butter for oil and added 1 T of strong coffee for the icing.The cake was an award winner.
Kim
I made this yesterday for my son's birthday and it was fantastic. I have wanted to make a Boston Cream pie since forever and finally got the chance. It came out exactly the way I hoped. I made a bit more ganache and custard, and added extra vanilla to the custard. The cake was lovely. I'd never made a hot milk cake before and was nervous after reading comments. I didn't have parchment paper but just generously buttered and floured the bottom of the pan and it popped right out. Everyone loved it!
Baker Mama
I agree with others that this cake was super dense. The custard and glaze came out well. I will try again with a different cake recipe next time.
CindyB
Double the filling and maybe also the topping.
SewOblio
I did make extra glaze- I always do because I never know for the first go around. The cake was moist and a great equal to the custard, which set overnight and had a great consistency. Thicker, than thin, it spread like frosting. I like that the cake is less sweet than most recipes. I served it to a group of Boston Cream Pie lovers and it was a two thumbs up, all around
Susan Spitzer
Delicious! One of my favorite deserts ever. Made by a neighbor and served at our neighborhood Gourmet Group, established 2000. Cake is definitely almost pound-cake density, which I love. When I make it, it will have double the glaze recipe, and I will use darker chocolate, just because…chocolate.
MF
Do not make this custard again! It just tastes like cornstarch and didn’t thicken properly.
shruti
The cake is a bit dry yes. But one needs it for the custard filling I agree the custard filling quantity should be 1.5 times Otherwise it’s very simple to make and it tastes fantastic
Jose
I would not make this again, the only redeeming quality was the chocolate finish (I’ll use on other recipes).The cake is dense, dry, and sits on the tongue like white bread. The custard too simple, lacking a defining feature: sweet, creamy, vanilla, other?
Home Baker
Epic fail of the cake following the recipe as written. Almost inedible.
Ari
Made this for dessert for a lobster bake - absolute perfection. I used a 9” springform pan, cut the cake into layers using dental floss, simmered a vanilla bean with the custard, piped it onto the cake to get an even layer, and made the ganache right before serving.
Sarah
I doubled the custard and chocolate glaze alike, based on comments here. Double is too much - the custard should be 1.5x at best (not that I minded having extra custard to eat on its own), and the chocolate could stay exactly as it is in the recipe, unless you really want it thick.
JH
Hard to cut. Maybe cupcakes better?
Janice H
Having made this very carefully after reading the notes, I must agree that this cake is too dense. Next time I’ll use a different cake recipe. The custard and glaze, however, came out perfectly. I made 1.5 x custard, and it was just enough to cover the cake. Next time, I would double it. I would also do 1.5 x glaze amount next time. All in all, worth trying again.
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