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Old-fashioned Boston cream pie is a best-loved classic cake, not pie, that is utterly decadent and delicious!
What’s Not to Love?!
Boston cream pie is an easy-to-make dessert that combines the best of a cream pie and cake. It was invented at Boston’s Omni Parker House Hotel in 1856 and has since become the official state dessert of Massachusetts.
We have always loved Boston Cream donuts and love the chocolate and custard combo. This classic cake is filled with homemade custard and topped with chocolate ganache that is to die for!
Enjoy this decadent dessert on holidays or any time you need a cake that feeds a crowd.
Why we love it:
- Decadent. The rich combination of creamy custard, tender cake, and luscious chocolate ganache creates a truly indulgent dessert experience.
- An even quicker prep time. Make this easy cake recipe even easier by using store-bought cake rounds!
- Change it up. Experiment with variations such as making Boston Cream Cupcakes or adding decorative elements like a chocolate web design (see directions below).
Ingredients
PREP TIME (more if you need to bake cake rounds): 25 minutes
ASSEMBLE TIME: 40 minutes
Cake
- 2 (8-inch) white or yellow cake rounds, baked and cooled – You will need two fully baked round layers of yellow cake, white, or Vanilla Cake. I prefer 8-inch rounds but 9-inch cake pans also work. Purchase at the bakery, use a box cake mix or your favorite homemade recipe.
Custard
- 4 large egg yolks – How to Separate Egg Whites from yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter – cut into pieces
Ganache
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Boston Cream Pie
- PASTRY CREAM FILLING. In a medium saucepan, whisk 4 large eggs, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon salt until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Whisk in 1½ cups milk until well combined. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk constantly.
- Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon vanilla. Add 2 tablespoons pieces of butter, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
- ASSEMBLE. Level 2 (8-inch) sponge cake rounds. Place one of the cake rounds on a serving plate, and gently spread the cooled custard evenly over the cake layer with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer on top.
- GANACHE. Add 1 cup chocolate chips to a medium bowl. Add ¾ cup heavy whipping cream to a separate microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, and heat one minute on high, or until boiling.
- Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate chips and let stand for one minute. Using a fork, stir the ganache until it is smooth and the chocolate has melted completely.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over room temperature cake, spreading evenly. Let stand 30-60 minutes, until the ganache has cooled and set.
add a web design to the top of the cake
Many Boston cream pies showcase a pretty web design in the ganache. Make the chocolate ganache listed in the recipe as well as a white ganache or white icing:
- Pour the chocolate ganache onto the cake as directed in the recipe then use white icing to pipe on a spiral design that starts in the center and extends to the edge.
- Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to pull the white icing out every few centimeters along the entire spiral.
- Be sure to stop before you touch or connect your pulled icing with the line of icing in the spiral.
More like this
- More layered cakes: Strawberry Cake, German Chocolate Cake, Coconut Cake Recipe, Lemon Raspberry Cake, Vanilla Cake
- More cream-filled desserts: Chocolate Eclairs, Cream Puff Recipe, Cream Puff Cake
More collections: Cakes that Feed a Crowd, Easy Cake Recipes, Chocolate Cake Recipes
Boston Cream Pie
Old-fashioned Boston cream pie is a best-loved classic cake, not pie, that is utterly decadent and delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 (8-inch) white or yellow cake rounds, baked and cooled
for the custard:
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
for the ganache:
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Custard
- In a medium saucepan, whisk eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Whisk in milk until well combined. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk constantly.
- Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Add pieces of butter, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
Assemble the cake
- To assemble the cake, level 2 (8-inch) cake rounds using a serrated knife or cake leveler.
- Place one of the cake rounds on a serving plate, and gently spread the cooled custard evenly over the cake layer. Add the remaining cake layer on top.
Ganache
- Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl. Add heavy whipping cream to a separate microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, and heat one minute on high, or until boiling.
- Pour the hot whipping cream over the chocolate chips and let stand for one minute. Using a fork, stir the ganache until it is smooth and the chocolate has melted completely.
- Pour the ganache over the cake, spreading evenly. Let stand 30-60 minutes, until the ganache has cooled and set.
Video
Notes
Make ahead of time. Freeze the cake layers up to a month ahead of time. The custard can be made ahead but only 24 hours in advance. I do not recommend freezing the cake to serve later. The cornstarch in the cream filling will compromise the texture when it thaws.
STORE. Cover leftovers loosely with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 555kcal, Carbohydrates: 91g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 715mg, Potassium: 183mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 52g, Vitamin A: 420IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 243mg, Iron: 2.9mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
How do I keep the cake from sticking to the pan?
- If baking your own, Line the Cake Pans with Parchment Paper before adding the batter. Once removed from the oven, allow the cakes to fully cool on wire racks before adding the Boston cream.
How to decorate the cake?
- The chocolate ganache is a simple classic, but you can also add a dusting of powdered sugar, toasted coconut, sliced almonds, and dark or white chocolate shavings.
Why is my Boston cream pie runny?
- The Boston cream should thicken significantly during the 2-4 minutes of cooking time. If the cream is still too runny after 4 minutes add more cornstarch.
- Using low-fat milk will cause thinner custard. Using whole milk will also help make a thicker and creamier custard.
- Stir constantly so that the bottom of the cream doesn’t burn.
How do I make smooth Boston cream?
- Despite your best efforts, the egg mixture might scramble a little. To ensure a smooth custard, pour the cooked cream through a fine-mesh strainer to catch any small bits of egg that may have scrambled.
How to cut and serve?
- The ganache topping can thicken and make it tricky to cut clean slices. Use hot water to heat the blade of a large kitchen knife, wipe it dry, and slice. The hot blade should cut right through all the layers.
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
- Prepare the different elements of the cake ahead of time and assemble the cake before serving.
- Freeze the cake layers up to a month ahead of time.
- The custard can be made 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
How to store Boston cream pie?
- Cover the leftover Boston cream pie recipe loosely with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- I do not recommend freezing the cake as the cornstarch in the cream filling will compromise the texture when it thaws.
For More Cakes:
Thank you Alicia from The Baker Upstairs.
I’ve made this twice and it’s so incredibly delicious. My husband now begs me to make it!
This was fabulous, it’s probably one of my new favorite deserts now.
This recipe is beyond amazing! I cannot wait to make it again!
I used milk chocolate chips because it’s all I had and the ganache is very liquid. Is this the reason?
Yes, probably. Milk chocolate has more sugar and so it liquefies when heated and will stay liquid, creating a thinner ganache. So typically you want to use less cream for sweeter chocolates. But, even if it’s thin, it should thicken as it cools. So give it a little time and it will probably be just fine. You could try putting it in the fridge for a minute to quicken the thickening process too.
Wow!! This pie is incredible! It was so easy to make and everyone in my house absolutely loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Holy smokes. I’m obsessed. I have no words. LOVE IT!
Boston Cream Pie is a favorite in our house! The layers of cake, custard and ganache are so delicious together. Loved this recipe.
The custard is good but mine is not thick at all!
Is says to use 2 8-inch white or yellow cake rounds baked and cooled. Then later it says to cut in 1/2. So is this recipe for two cakes? Will there be enough custard and ganache for two. Or can you not cut the cake rounds in 1/2 and just layer two rounds?
Good question! We probably need to tweak the instructions in the post. The cake is baked in two rounds. You will want to level them off (so you’ll cut some off the top, but not necessarily half). And then layer the first cake, the custard, the second cake and top with the ganache. The recipe yields one full cake. Hopefully that helped! There is also a video on the post that shows how to make it.
I made this and my family/ neighbors loved it. My question is what is the best way to cut the cake once refrigerated? The ganache was so cold it bends.
I’d recommend running your knife under hot water before cutting it. Be sure to dry the knife thoroughly, then cut your slices while the knife is still slightly warm to the touch.
I so not see the recipe for the cake only the custard and ganache // Can you email me where I can find the cake recipe for the Boston cream pie
use a recipe for yellow, white, or vanilla cake or a boxed mix you will need two 8 or 9 inch,
Yes, I would recommend using a box cake mix (either white or yellow). You can also make one from scratch. Here’s our recipe for vanilla cake. You’ll just need two 8-inch round cakes. https://lilluna.com/vanilla-cake/
Such a yummy cake recipe. The ganache is perfect and the cake and custard filling are amazing. Love this!!
Delicious but I fell like the filling is so thick, that it makes it hard to smooth out and there is no way you would use all of that chocolate! So much of it just pours off, that it will end up all over the place. You would need a very deep serving dish for all of that. I probably used about half of the chocolate.
Other than these 2 things it’s very delicious but the presentation is not as pretty as the picture above.
Thank you for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Hi!!! I want to try this recipe but I am making a tiered cake.. would the top tier be too heavy for the boston cream? do you have any tips before I attempt this? LOL
I have never tried this one as a tiered cake before… so I’m not totally sure. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out doing it as a tiered cake!
My kids are huge custard fans – they absolutely loved this cake!
This was so hard to resist!! My whole family enjoyed it!
Just a regular vanilla cake?
Yep! I typically use a yellow or white cake, but vanilla works too. You can do boxed or homemade.
Not the best recipe for flavor or consistency. Needs better directions when it comes to the custard.
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
needing help with making the custard thick, its wanting to stay runny and I’ve also had it in the fridge for 2 hours. how long does it need to be in the fridge before using it on the cake?
I want to use this recipe but I’m making a 10 inch. How would I alter to make a bigger cake?
I’m not exactly sure. I would probably 1.5x or double the recipe and then just fill with the amount of custard preferred (you can always use the photos as a guide) and top with the ganache similarly. You might have extra of the custard/ganache doing it that way, but better safe than sorry I guess! 🙂
This was easy and delicious, our guests were full of compliments!
Thankyou
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that you all enjoyed the recipe!!
I’m gluten free and lactose intolerant, so I used King Arthur gluten free yellow cake mix and Lactaid whole milk. This cake was outstanding! Have made it 4 times since February. My sister asked for a Boston Cream pie for her birthday and since it has been years since I have even baked a yellow cake, I panicked. But I found this recipe and adapted it to my food allergies and was hugely surprised. It was so easy to create and tasted great! The second time I made the cake I reduced the vanilla in the custard by 1 teaspoon as I thought the flavor was too strong, but that’s my preference. If using gluten free cake mix, DON’T use Betty Crocker gluten free. No taste and very gritty. Everyone keeps asking me to bring this cake! Best cake ever and a showstopper!
Thank you so much for sharing!! I love that you found the recipe and tweaked it to work for you. And it sounds like it has been a success!! I’m so glad you all enjoy the cake!
Hi,I’m making this soon,one question,after cake is all assembled,I put it back in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before serving,right ? It says to let stand,I’m assuming I put it in fridge for this.
Thankyou,
I know it will be a hit!
Yay! You can let it set out at room temperature to set. You could also put it in the fridge. It would definitely set quicker if put in the fridge. I hope you enjoy it! You’ll have to let us know how it turns out.
Can I use a lactose free milk for the custard? and a dairy free heavy whipping cream for the ganache? Please let me know, I’m looking forward to trying this out soon. thank you.
Yes, both of those substitutions should yield a similar result. I have never tried it using the dairy free options, but I imagine they would work fine. You’ll have to let me know how it turns out!
Do I stir or wisk the filling while it’s being heated?
I whisk it. The whisk helps to create a much smoother custard.
I made the boston creme cake for my daughTer’s bIrthday and Everyone raved about how delicious the cake was. It was messy to cut but the guests didn’t mind one bit. It was all gone in a matter of minutes. She said it was better than Nana’s, and Nana’s was her favorite until now.
Woohoo!! Love to hear things like this! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Boston cream Pie is a favorite of my husbands. the picture you took of the cake slice looks sooo yummy! What recipe do you use for your cake?
Love Bostom cream flavor! This recipe is from Alicia at http://www.thebakerupstairs.com/. I am not sure if she used a store bought cake or made from scratch. But, you can always leave her a comment regarding the recipe.
Making this for my son’s birthday party!
Boston Cream Pie is an ABSOLUTE favorite of mine! So simple to make and amazingly DELICIOUS!
we took this to a family party and i didn’t come home with any left overs. I would say everyone loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
A family favorite!! Can’t wait to try your version 🙂
We loved this Boston Cream Pie cake! Thank you.
I love BostOn Cream Pie! This was delicious!
This is one of my favorite donuts, so I know I will love this cake! It looks so soft & that creamy middle looks so good!
Such a great classic dessert. Thanks for sharing!
Especially love the chocolate ganache!
A special dessert for that special someone! The combined flaVors are sooo good.
So i DIDN’T know BOSTON cream pie was actually a cake- a delicious one at that. THANKS for sharing the recipe!
Can you use almond milk instead of regular milk
I have never tried, but I imagine it would work fine. If you do give it a try, you’ll have to let us know how it turns out!