• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Baking
  • About Tammy

Scotch & Scones logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Whisky
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Whisky
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Cakes & Sweet Rolls

    Published Jan 31, 2020 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Mini Boston Cream Pie from scratch

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Mini Boston Cream Pie on cake stand Pinterest banner

    With rich pastry cream sandwiched between two luscious hot milk & butter cakes draped in chocolate ganache, Boston Cream Pie is worth the effort!

    Boston Cream Pie on cake stand closeup this …
    [Side Note: a version of this post first appeared on my OutlanderCast column, April 3, 2019]

    It’s a special day (or maybe just a day you want to make special).

    You’ve got some time on your hands, and a yen for something rich, elegant, and incredibly yummy.

    I've got five words for you...Boston Cream Pie, from scratch!

    And if you don't want to have a big cake on hand, you can make a mini Boston Cream Pie. Perfect for a small group!

    Jump to:
    • Boston Cream Pie isn't pie
    • What goes into Boston Cream Pie
    • Hot Milk & Butter Cake
    • Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
    • Dark Chocolate Ganache
    • Assemble the Boston Cream Pie
    • One elegant dessert
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Boston Cream Pie isn't pie

    Before we go further, let’s get the name question out of the way. Boston Cream Pie is a descendant of earlier desserts called American pudding-cake pies.

    According to “All Things Knowledge” (aka Wikipedia), this dessert “acquired its name when cakes and pies were cooked in the same pans, and the words were used interchangeably.”

    The current name is because this combination of cake-pastry cream-ganache was created at the Parker House Hotel in Boston in the late 19th century.

    Thanks, internet!

    What goes into Boston Cream Pie

    There are three major components to a Boston Cream Pie recipe: the cake, the pastry cream, and the chocolate ganache.

    I adapted my Mini Boston Cream Pie recipe from King Arthur Flour, although the current recipe on their website has been changed from the one I use. It's a scaled-down version of their older recipe baked in two 6-inch round cake pans (yay, math!).

    For a full-sized cake, just double all the ingredients, and bake the cake in two 9-inch round cake pans.

    Hot Milk & Butter Cake

    The cake is a classic hot-milk-and-butter cake, so called because you use…uhm…hot milk and melted butter in the batter. This cake is a richly flavored sponge, moist and tall. 

    Boston Cream Pie hot milk cake ingredients
    Hot milk cake ingredients

    A Hot Milk and Butter cake recipe is made in four steps:

    1. Beat the egg and sugar until thickened, then add the vanilla extract.
    2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the egg mixture.
    3. Warm the milk and butter to a simmer, then remove from heat. Stir until the butter is melted. Slowly add to the cake batter (the batter will be thin).
    4. Divide into the cake pans and bake until the layers are a deep golden brown.
    making batter for Boston Cream Pie
    The batter for a hot milk cake is rather thin

    One trick to ensure the cake layers will be even is to use Bake-Even strips. They wrap around the cake pans and insulate the edges, allowing them to bake evenly with the center.

    Check out this Port Wine Chocolate Cake recipe to see the Bake-Even strips in action. No leveling needed!

    Allow the layers to cool completely before assembly. You don't want to melt the pastry cream.

    Hot milk cake before and after oven collage
    Before and after a trip to the oven

    Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

    Pastry cream (aka crème pâtissière if you want to get fancy) is just vanilla custard thickened with cornstarch. It's in the same family as ice cream, egg nog, bread pudding, and quiche.

    Pastry cream ingredients

    Use a fresh vanilla bean in your pastry cream

    This pastry cream is flavored with fresh vanilla bean seeds.

    Did I say vanilla bean seeds? No, flecks of flavor, more like! 

    I don't always use a fresh vanilla bean in my baking, but I do when the vanilla will be showcased, like in pastry cream or Magic Custard Cake. 

    To use a fresh vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape up the seeds with the back of a paring knife, then stir those flavor flecks into the milk mixture along with the spent bean (nothing goes to waste here!).

    You can always substitute one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for the vanilla bean, if you wish. Just add it in with the butter after you've cooked the custard.

    scraping a vanilla bean collage
    Splitting and scraping out the seeds from a vanilla bean

    How to temper eggs for custard

    What does tempering eggs mean?

    When you need to add the egg yolks to the hot milk, it's important to warm them first. This step helps avoid little pieces of cooked egg in your pastry cream. It's helpful to start with room-temperature egg yolks.

    After you bring the milk just to a simmer (little bubbles around the edges), take about a half cup and slowly add it to the yolks while whisking constantly. Do it a second time, again whisking.

    When the eggs feel warm to the touch, you can add the yolk mixture back in with the rest of the hot milk, still whisking. That's tempering the eggs.

    To finishing cooking the pastry cream, bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until it's thickened and the whisk leaves a trail. Remove from the heat and quickly add in the butter.

    You'll want to make the pastry cream while the cakes are in the oven to give it plenty of time to chill before assembly.

    making pastry cream collage
    Heat the milk, temper in the eggs, cook until thickened, then strain. It's that easy!

    Pastry Cream tips

    I like to strain the finished cream through a fine mesh strainer, just in case there's any cooked egg. It's also easier to remove those spent vanilla beans.

    Don’t toss the vanilla bean after you've finished making the pastry cream. Instead rinse the bean, then place it in a jar and cover with vodka to make your own vanilla extract.

    You'll be rewarded with vanilla extract that's both free and better than what you can buy.

    By the way, if you'd like to make vanilla pudding, use this pastry cream recipe, just reduce the cornstarch to two tablespoons. Making chocolate pudding uses the same technique. Both are guaranteed to be much better pudding than anything you can get out of a box!

    Dark Chocolate Ganache

    Chocolate ganache is, well, fudgy chocolate nirvana, especially if you use dark chocolate. ‘Nuff said. 

    It can be used to glaze cakes (as it is here) or as the filling for tarts and truffles. The corn syrup helps to give the ganache stability and a beautiful sheen.

    To make chocolate ganache, you start with equal parts chocolate and heavy cream, by weight. A kitchen scale is helpful here.

    Chocolate Ganache ingredients
    Just two ingredients go into this wonderful dessert sauce (ok, four if you count the vanilla and corn syrup)

    Making a recipe for chocolate ganache is incredibly easy.

    Just warm the heavy cream, then pour it over chopped chocolate. Cover and let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes, then stir until smooth. Finally, add the corn syrup and vanilla extract.

    There's nothing to it!

    Making chocolate ganache collage
    Making ganache is as easy as chop, heat, wait, and mix in

    Assemble the Boston Cream Pie

    You'll want to give yourself plenty of time (several hours or overnight) for the cake layers to cool and the pastry cream to be thoroughly chilled.

    When you're ready to assemble, that's when you'll make the chocolate ganache recipe.

    Once you've glazed the assembled Boston Cream Pie, let the ganache set for a few minutes before serving.

    Assembling the Boston Cream Pie Components collage
    Assembling all the components to make one impressive dessert

    One elegant dessert

    Boston Cream Pie is one of those desserts that take a little time and patience to make, but the result is so incredible that it’s well worth the effort.

    The hot milk and butter cake is moist and light, offset by the rich pastry cream. The dark chocolate ganache adds a luxurious counterpoint that tempers the sweetness while adding body to the cake.

    Yes, this is truly an elegant dessert.

    Boston Cream Pie slices collage
    Luxury on a plate!

    Whether you make a small Boston Cream Pie or the full-sized version, you’ll be rewarded with a rich, elegant, and oh, so yummy dessert.

    It’ll make any day special!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Recipes

    Custards come in many forms, but the method is similar across the board. Luckily, the technique is easy to master, and you'll be able to make a whole range of treats!

    • Caramel Swirl Almond Gelato
    • Traditional Creamy Homemade Eggnog
    • Mini Boston Cream Pie from scratch
    • Foolproof Slow Cooker Crème Brûlée (Vanilla Custard)

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a comment further down the page.

    I'd love to hear from you! Stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and please tag me using the hashtag #scotchandsconesblog. You can also sign up for my mailing list. I can't wait to see your creations!

    Recipe

    Boston Cream Pie on cake stand closeup

    Mini Boston Cream Pie

    Tammy Spencer
    With rich pastry cream sandwiched between two luscious hot milk & butter cakes draped in chocolate ganache, Boston Cream Pie is worth the effort!
    Adapted from King Arthur Flour
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 40 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Cooling Time 4 hrs
    Total Time 5 hrs 15 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 slices
    Calories 434 kcal

    Equipment

    • 6-inch round cake pans (2)
    • baking spray
    • stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer
    • sifter
    • Bake-Even strips
    • fine mesh strainer
    Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the cake

    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg, at room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 cup cake flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ cup milk
    • 3½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

    For the pastry cream

    • 1½ cups milk
    • ½ vanilla bean, split (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar plus 1 Tablespoon, divided
    • 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
    • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1½ Tablespoons unsalted butter

    For the ganache

    • 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (½ cup), see Recipe Notes
    • ⅓ cup heavy cream, see Recipe Notes
    • 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
    • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two 6-inch round cake pans with baking spray, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment.
    • Make the cake: Beat the sugar and egg together at medium-high speed using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or hand mixer) until very thick, about 3 to 4 minutes (butter will fall from the paddle in thick ribbons). Beat in the vanilla extract.
    • Using a sifter, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Add to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until combined, about 1 minute.
    • In a saucepan set over medium heat, bring the milk and butter just to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir the mixture until the butter is completely melted.
    • With the mixer going, slowly add the hot milk mixture to the cake batter, mixing until everything is well combined. Scrape the bowl and mix briefly, just until smooth. The batter will be very thin.
    • Wrap the cake pans with Bake-Even strips, if desired (you won't be a need to level the cakes later). Divide the batter into the prepared pans, checking carefully for lumps of flour (smash or remove them as you spot them).
    • Bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until they're a deep golden brown and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.
    • Remove the cakes from the oven, run a table knife around the edges, and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn them out onto a rack to cool completely.
    • Make the pastry cream: Bring the milk, vanilla bean (if using), and half of the sugar just to a simmer in a large nonreactive saucepan.
    • Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and gradually add the remaining sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch to combine.
    • Take about a ½ cup of the scalded milk and slowly add it to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the yolk mixture to the pan and cook, whisking vigorously, until the cream boils and is well thickened. Allow the pastry cream to boil approximately 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Don't overcook the pastry cream to avoid overcooking the eggs.
    • Remove the pastry cream from heat. Fold in the vanilla extract (if using) and butter; stir until the butter melts. Do not overmix, as this will thin the custard.
    • Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean mixing bowl, removing the vanilla bean. Chill in an ice bath, then refrigerate until needed, covered with plastic wrap on the surface of the custard (this prevents a buildup of “skin” on the surface of the custard).
    • Assemble the cake: Level the cakes (if needed). Place one of the cakes, right side up, on a cake plate. Top with a good amount of the pastry cream, spreading it right to the edges (you want at least ½-inch of filling inside when the cake is assembled). Place the top layer, upside down, on the filling.
    • Prepare the ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer either on the stove in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes, then stir together until smooth and lump free. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and stir well.
    • Pour the ganache over the filled cake and let set for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Since chocolate ganache is just equal parts by weight of chocolate and heavy cream, a kitchen scale is helpful here.
    Chop the chocolate with a serrated knife. It cuts it cleaner than a chef's knife.
    Tempering the eggs (bringing them slowly up to temperature by slowly adding the hot milk mixture) helps to avoid little pieces of cooked egg in your pastry cream. If however you do see some egg pieces, straining the cream through a fine mesh strainer will take care of them.
    Don’t toss that spent vanilla bean…instead rinse the bean, then place in a jar and cover with vodka to make your own vanilla extract.
    You can make the cakes a day ahead and chill wrapped in plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before assembling the cake.
    Store any leftovers in the fridge, wrapped in plastic.
    For a full-sized cake, double all the ingredients. Bake the cake in two 9-inch round cake pans for 35 to 40 minutes.

    Your Notes

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 434 kcalCarbohydrates: 57 gProtein: 7 gFat: 20 gSaturated Fat: 12 gCholesterol: 133 mgSodium: 252 mgPotassium: 197 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 40 gVitamin A: 593 IUCalcium: 133 mgIron: 2 mg
    Share on Facebook Pin Recipe
    « Sourdough Naan Bread
    Easy Kahlua Chocolate Fudge »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ella says

      January 31, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      I'll take that ganache and pastry cream with a spoon please!

      Reply

    Let's Talk Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Profile picture - Tammy, July 2019 square

    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

    More about Tammy →

    Get ready for summer cookouts!

    As the weather warms, it's time to head outdoors for picnics, cookouts, and evenings under the stars. Chocolate cookies and brownies are a great way to end a cookout because they're pre-portioned and hand-held. No knives or plates needed!

    • Mocha Chocolate Truffle Cookies
    • Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    • Rich & Chewy Cake Brownies from scratch
    • The Best Triple Chocolate Brownies
    • Whiskey Marshmallow Topped Brownies
    • Double Dark Chocolate Bourbon Fudge Brownies
    • No-Bake Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
    • Almost Authentic Easy Nanaimo Bars (No-Bake)

    What's Popular with Readers

    Here's what my readers' are viewing...

    • Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake (Eggless & Dairy-free)
    • Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse (no coconut & pareve)
    • How to make Scottish Bannocks from Outlander
    • Homemade Marshmallow Creme (Marshmallow Fluff)
    • Italian Meringue Macarons step by step
    • The Best Homemade Sourdough Bagels
    • How to braid challah like a pro
    • Creamy Homemade Vanilla Pudding (no eggs)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Disclosures

    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Ingredient Measurement Unit Policy

    Subscribe

    Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Let's Talk
    • About Tammy
    • Shop Scotch & Scones

    Copyright © 2022 Scotch & Scones