Boston Cream Pie is a classic dessert! Two layers of yellow cake are filled with pastry cream and topped off with a chocolate glaze. It is sure to be a favorite!
You can always use the short-cut version of boxed yellow cake and instant pudding, but there’s nothing quite like a Boston Cream made from scratch with spongey yellow cake, decadent pastry cream, all topped with a simple ganache. It is breathtaking.
Why is it called a Boston Cream Pie?
This cake gets its name from a time period when cakes and pies were cooked in the same pans so the names were used interchangeably. Nowadays, we might call this a Boston Cream Cake, but the “pie” part has stuck to this classic dessert.
Do I have to use buttermilk?
The buttermilk in this cake interacts with the baking powder to help the cake rise. If you substitute milk, your cake will not be as fluffy. If you don’t have buttermilk available, it is very easy to make a buttermilk substitute by adding either white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk. For the full substitute instructions, please see the link.
Pastry Cream Shortcut:
If you don’t have time to make pastry cream from scratch, you can also use 2 small boxes of vanilla pudding mix. The pastry cream is worth the extra effort of making, but if you are short on time, this shortcut will definitely work.
Storage Instructions:
This cake needs to be stored in a refrigerator due to the pastry cream filling. Once it has been sliced into, you’ll need to cover the exposed portion of the cake to keep it from drying out. Plastic wrap is perfect for this.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these other cake recipes:
- The Most Amazing Chocolate Cake
- The Most Amazing White Cake
- Funfetti Birthday Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
Thanks for the recipe!
I baked this cake last evening and I followed the instructions to the letter, however- when I added the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in the bowl, my batter curdled terribly. I thought my batter was ruined and wanted to give up, however when I added the dry ingredients, the batter was creamy again. I am curious as to what caused my batter to curdle? How long do you keep the buttermilk out to reach room temperature? On a side note, my pastry cream turned out to be delicious and was a success. Overall, my cake assembled well but it did seem a bit dense after I refrigerated it to set. Can you also advice on whether and how muc can I lower the sugar in the cake and maintain the texture? Thanks a lot for this recipe!
Thanks for sharing your recipes, are delicious and easy to follow and make!
I love it !
So excited to make this gluten free! Thank you for the recipe!
I just made the yellow cakes and my cream is cooling in the fridge. It has been a success so far and we can’t wait to try it! I’m sure my husband is going to love it. Since corona is not allowing us to go out and celebrate his birthday, we will do just great at home with this cake and a good steak! Thank you for the recipe!
Oh my, this cake is Amazing!!! The yellow cake is good on it’s own. Adding the pastry cream and ganache takes it to a new level. This recipe is a keeper and I look forward to making it again soon.
yumm my favorite
Can this be turn to cupcakes?
Yes it can!
Easy to follow directions for a perfect cake. The only addition is that I just lightly brushed my cool layers with a simple syrup as I always do. Thank you for the recipe!
My cream never thicken , I did the 1st batch , threw that out made a 2nd and it still didn’t thicken , I did everything as you said , I just don’t get it how can I do it just like yours ? Now I have 2 cakes , the panache and no filling , I just wanna throw it all away …. smh
Are you sure you are using cornstarch? Cornstarch will cause it to thicken even if you were somehow using the wrong liquid so I’d look at the cornstarch. Is it a fine, white powdery substance?
It took mine a bit longer than a minute to thicken, I think maybe I did not make the milk hot enough. But with more stirring, it did thicken and then everything looked good. Just like in the video.