Description
Classic Boston Cream Pie featuring three layers of moist sponge cake, rich vanilla pastry cream, and decadent chocolate ganache, perfect for an elegant dessert occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Sponge Cake
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pans
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare Pastry Cream: In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until chilled.
- Make Sponge Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Bake the Cake: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Smooth tops and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare Chocolate Ganache: Chop bittersweet chocolate if using bar. In a small saucepan, heat cream, corn syrup, and salt until just boiling. Pour over chocolate and let sit for a minute. Stir until smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly until thickened but pourable.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a thick layer of chilled pastry cream over it. Top with the second cake layer. Pour ganache over the top, spreading evenly to cover the top and sides. Refrigerate to set ganache before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to cover the pastry cream surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming while chilling.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs for better cake batter texture.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, pure vanilla extract is a perfect substitute.
- Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring to ensure proper consistency.
- This dessert is best served chilled but brought to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving for optimal flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 475 kcal
- Sugar: 46.6 g
- Sodium: 297 mg
- Fat: 22.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.1 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 7.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
