Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes are a delightful twist on the traditional dessert, combining soft vanilla cake with a creamy pastry filling and topped with rich chocolate ganache. Perfect for any occasion, these cupcakes pack all the flavors of the original pie into a convenient, portable form.
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- 1 box yellow cake mix or homemade vanilla cake batter
- 1 cup water
- 0.5 cup melted butter melted but not hot
- 3 large eggs fresh for best results
Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk for richness
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch for thickening
- 1 pinch salt to balance sweetness
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract high-quality recommended
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate high-quality, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Prepare the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, water, melted butter, and eggs. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely.
Make the Vanilla Pastry Cream
- In a saucepan, combine 1.5 cups of milk, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 0.5 cup of milk, eggs, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly pour a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and butter.
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve, then cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Prepare the Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the heavy cream until it almost boils. Pour over the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
- Whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly until pourable but not runny.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- Using a piping bag with a large round tip, insert the tip into the center of each cooled cupcake and fill with pastry cream.
- Dip the tops of the filled cupcakes into the ganache or spoon ganache over each cupcake. Let set on a wire rack.
Notes
Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. For best flavor, let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
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