Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake

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This Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake recipe has vanilla cake, homemade chocolate ganache filling, creamy vanilla cheesecake, and it’s topped with more chocolate ganache & pastry cream! An upgraded version of classic Boston cream pie!

Keep the Boston cream pie happiness going with my classic Boston Cream Pie recipe or with this fun twist, Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes.

Easy Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake Recipe

An Easy Twist On Boston Cream Pie

Similar to my Kahlua Coffee Brownie Cheesecake, this cheesecake took a little work to get it just right. There are several different elements going on and since baking a cheesecake takes a little time, it took several versions and several days to get this just how I wanted it. I am thrilled to say the final cheesecake is SO DARN GOOD!

As with most cheesecakes, I spread the work out over time. I usually make the cake and cheesecake part one day, let it firm up overnight, then finish it off the next day. That’s how I roll, but feel free to do it all in one day, if you prefer.

How To Make Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake

To get started, you’ve got to make the cake layer. It’s a delicious vanilla cake that should be fairly straight forward – just be sure to not skimp on the creaming time. It helps ensure a nice, fluffy cake! Bake the cake right in the same springform pan you’ll use for the full cheesecake, so that the size is correct. Believe it or not, not all 9 inch pans are created exactly the same size. Once the cake is baked, set it aside to cool.

The next step is one that I found to be very important for a pretty looking final cheesecake. Before adding the cheesecake on top of the baked and cooled cake, you’ll want to remove the springform pan sides and re-spray them with a non-stick spray. I re-washed it and everything, then gave it a good, healthy spray. Because some cheesecake squeezes down between the sides of the cake and the sides of the pan, that thin little layer can easily get stuck to the pan after you bake the cheesecake. While it still tastes great, it kind of messes up the look of the sides of the cheesecake, so greasing it well will help that not be a problem. You can also give the cheesecake a little jiggle right before you remove the pan sides to loosen it from the sides.

Fun Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Boston Cream Pie Idea

Homemade Chocolate Ganache

Next up is the filling. I wanted to leave a lovely place atop the cheesecake for the pastry cream, so I added some of the chocolate ganache – essential to a boston cream pie dessert – to the center of the cheesecake. I am totally in love with the way it turns out. The chocolate incorporates beautifully and breaks up the vanilla of the cake and cheesecake. It also ends up just a bit thick and fudgy and I love the fudgy texture between the soft cake and thick and creamy cheesecake. Pure heaven.

And as if the cheesecake itself wasn’t good enough, it gets better. While the cheesecake cools, go ahead and put together the ganache that’ll be used for the topping, as well as the pastry cream. The ganache for the topping uses an extra ingredient that it doesn’t use in the filling – corn syrup. Adding a touch of corn syrup to the ganache helps it stay just a bit less firm when refrigerated and completely cooled. It makes it easier to use it for piping. If you end up finding that your ganache is still a touch firm, microwave it for maybe 5-10 seconds. I wouldn’t suggest more than that. You really want it to stay firm enough to stay in place while you pipe it and I know I prefer working with it a bit firmer.

Once you’ve piped the ganache around the edges of the cheesecake, add the cooled pastry cream (one of the best parts!) to the center. And then you’ve got it – a fabulous Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake!

You guys. This cheesecake. I can’t even describe how good it is, I can only tell you there wasn’t nearly enough of it to go around. I could’ve eaten the whole thing myself. The moist cake on the bottom, the thick and fudgy chocolate layer, the thick and creamy cheesecake and the wonderful pastry cream. So many textures that are just awesome together. You want to make this. You need to make this. It’s totally worth it.

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Easy Homemade Cheesecake Recipe


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A slice of Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake on a small white plate.
Recipe

Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake

  • Author: Life Love and Sugar
  • Prep Time: 35 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 8 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 Slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake has vanilla cake, chocolate ganache filling, creamy vanilla cheesecake, and a topping of more chocolate ganache & pastry cream! It’s an upgraded classic.


Ingredients

VANILLA CAKE

  • 1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (58g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 3/4 cups (98g) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) milk, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) water, room temperature

CHEESECAKE FILLING

  • 6 oz (169g | 1 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup (207g) sugar
  • 3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
  • 1 cup (230g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING

  • 9 oz (254g | 1 1/2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 9 tbsp (135ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp corn syrup
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

PASTRY CREAM TOPPING

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 6 tbsp (78g) sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 cup (240ml) milk
  • 1 tbsp (14g) salted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CAKE LAYER:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper in the bottom and grease the sides.
2. To make the cake batter, beat the sugar and butter together until light in color and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Don’t skimp on the creaming.
3. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.
4. Add the egg whites and mix until well combined.
5. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl, then add half of the dry ingredients to batter and mix until well incorporated.
6. Add the milk and water and mix until well incorporated.
7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated and smooth.
8. Spread the cake batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
9. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs. Set the cake aside to cool.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:

10. While the cake is cooling, make the cheesecake filling. Add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.
11. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips and add the vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to sit for 3-4 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Set aside.
12. Add the cream cheese, sugar and flour to a large mixer bowl and beat on low speed until completely combined and smooth. Be sure to use low speed to reduce the amount of air added to the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
13. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract mix on low speed until well combined.
14. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly to combine after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
15. When the cake layer has cooled, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (148°C). Remove the sides of the springform pan and clean it off, the respray it with non-stick spray. You want to be sure it’s well done so that they cheesecake doesn’t stick to the sides after baking.
16. Reset the springform pan edges around the cake, then pour the chocolate mixture on top of the cake. Spread it into a fairly even layer, keeping it about a half inch or so away from the edge of the cake so that it stays in the center.
17. Add the cream cheese filling to the pan, beginning with the edges where the gap between the chocolate and the edge of the pan is, then fill in the center. The pan will be fairly full.
18. Prepare the pan for a water bath (see my method for preventing your water bath from leaking here) by wrapping the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, then place the springform pan inside another larger pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. The water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
19. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly.
20. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 30 minutes. The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool as well.
21. Crack the door of the oven for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake to continue to cool slowly. This process helps prevent cracking.
22. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath wrapping and refrigerate until firm, 5-6 hours or overnight. Once completely cool and firm, remove from the springform pan.

TO MAKE THE TOPPINGS:

23. While the cheesecake cools, make the toppings. To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.
24. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips and add the corn syrup and vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to sit for 3-4 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Set in the fridge to cool completely.
25. To make the pastry cream, put the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
26. Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
27. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
28. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
29. Add a little bit of milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add egg mixture to milk mixture. This process ensures that you don’t cook the egg yolks.
30. Place the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
31. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, then cover and set in the fridge to cool completely.

TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:

32. Remove the chocolate ganache from the fridge and put it into a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip. I used Ateco tip 849. If it seems a little firm, microwave for 5-10 seconds, just until it’s soft enough to use for piping.
33. Pipe the ganache around the edge of the cheesecake.
34. Add the pastry cream to the center of the cheesecake and spread evenly.
35. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cheesecake is best for 2-3 days.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 592
  • Sugar: 52.5 g
  • Sodium: 263.9 mg
  • Fat: 32.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 64.9 g
  • Protein: 13.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 134.3 mg

Categories

Enjoy!

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Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake - a vanilla cake bottom, fudgy chocolate ganache filling, thick and creamy cheesecake and pastry cream topping! So good!

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49 Comments
  1. Kerry

    I have this cheesecake in the oven. Not sure what I did wrong but the ganache ran over the sides of the vanilla cake. I don’t care because this is my first time making it. Next time I make it I will make the ganache the day before. Either way I cannot wait to try this chesecake!

    1. Lindsay

      I hope you enjoy it! It sounds like maybe you just needed to let the ganache cool a little bit so that it firmed up a touch and stayed in place.

    1. Lindsay

      That should be fine. Just flash freeze it for a couple hours, then wrap it well. Thaw it in the fridge before serving to avoid too much condensation forming and making the cake layer soggy. I would also wait to add the toppings prior to serving.

  2. Lisa

    I love your recipes Lindsay! I’m not much of a baker, but I find I can easily follow and complete your recipes. I have so far made your bananas foster cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, gingerbread cheesecake, eggnog cheesecake, the triple chocolate mousse cake. and now this Boston cream pie cheesecake. I am however always failing with the recipes that have cake. When I made the triple chocolate mousse cake, my cake was very flat. Everyone still loved it and I was hoping it was just a fluke. Now just taking the springform pan sides away to clean them before adding the ganache and cheesecake filling for this recipe, I find my vanilla cake is literally about 1 centimetre high. If you have any insight as to what I’m doing wrong please tell me! Your website has inspired me to want to make cakes. I even got a cake decorating kit, but I have no idea what I’m doing wrong. Other cakes I have made in the past are not flat like this. Please help.
    Thank you
    Lisa






    1. Lindsay

      Hmmm, it’s hard to say from a distance. Have you checked that the baking powder and baking soda you’re using are still good?

      1. Lisa

        Actually I think it may be the baking powder. It is indeed expired. Thank you for pointing that out, I’ll make sure to keep an eye on those things for the future. Everyone loved this cheesecake as well It was actually my favourite, so I’ll be making it again at some point and hoping for a higher cake. Your recipes are amazing and are all my family wants now for birthdays and special occasions!






  3. Jennifer Meers

    Any advice for making this cupcake size for individual servings. Making for a large group of City Animal Control Officers and need individual servings for covid safety.

    1. Lindsay

      Hard to say for sure without testing it. As written, the recipe should make about 24 mini cheesecakes. I’d make the cake batter and divide it between two cupcake pans to evenly distribute it. Then do the same thing with the other layers and make more of something, if needed. I hope that helps!

  4. Stacie P.

    Yet another cake I can’t wait to try. I think maybe I’m missing something in your instructions though. You said the cake has two different ganache recipes. One for the filling and one for the topping; with the only difference being the filling doesn’t include the corn syrup. However, in the instructions, there are only amounts for the topping. Do you use the same amounts for the filling, but just leave out the corn syrup; or should filling recipe be doubled since you need to cover the whole cake?






  5. Brent Thomas Myrand

    If I wanted to make this with a chocolate chip cookie bottom instead of cake, would I want to bake it before the cheesecake or bake them both together?

  6. Sandra Rooney

    Hi Lindsay
    I’m making this as I type! I’m a little nervous that I ruined it during the water bath part. I had to fold 2 foil sheets together in order to get it around the pan. Unfortunately it looks like water got in.
    It doesn’t look like it cooked all the way or maybe water got in and watered it down?
    I also only had an 8.5″ pan, not a 9″.
    I’m at the step where it goes in the fridge to set. Any thoughts or concerns? I hate that it might be ruined after all the work.
    thanks
    Sandra

    1. Lindsay

      You don’t have to use corn syrup, but you could try using honey instead. However, if you leave both those out all together it might be a little more difficult to pipe the ganache on top.

  7. Raizy

    So excited to try this recipe. Thanks for making the instructions so clear. However, i’m wondering about the cream cheese. Do you mean brick-style or whipped?

  8. AyshM

    This looks and sounds amazing!!! I am definitely going to have to try it! Just one question, does it freeze well? And if so, how long do you reckon it will freeze for?

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t tried freezing it. I think it would be ok for the most part for about a month or so – just not sure about the pastry cream on top. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out.

  9. RACHEL

    I’m sure this will be great but both ganache recipes are off.   Both are too runny and I’ve never had an issue with ganache before.  I would suggest following another recipe.  Also HAD to make pastry cream twice as it was too thick  cut down on cornstarch second time around.  

  10. RL

    Although I enjoyed making this dessert and i found the recipe easy to follow and execute, i found the cake layer to be over-baked and oddly rubbery. The first time I pulled the cake out of the oven to cool ,before the cheesecake, it looked fluffy, golden -esque and delicious. But that didn’t hold up in the last bake. Every other element in this cake though is perfect and spot on.

  11. M

    I didn’t realize some of the ingredients needed to be at room temperature until I started to make it. Will not having them at room temperature jeopardize the recipe and outcome of the taste in any way?

    1. Lindsay

      Room temperature ingredients primarily help with the way things incorporate into the batter. The butter is most important in this recipe and definitely needs to be room temperature.

  12. Taylor

    I want to make this for my birthday! Do you think I could bake the cake ahead of time and freeze it? I would thaw it the night before i put the rest of it together. I’m just not sure if you can take it in and out of the spring form pan. Trying to simplify life with a 7 month old!

    1. Lindsay

      I think that would be fine. Cakes are always fresher when not frozen, but it should be fine. It shouldn’t be an issue to remove it from the pan.

  13. Stephanie

    I know cheesecakes typically freeze well. How about pastry cream? I’ve never worked with it. Wondering if I could make the whole thing ahead and freeze, or at least do the cake and cheesecake and then freeze and top before serving with the pastry cream and chocolate? Have you ever tried to freeze a cheesecake with pastry cream? Looks fabulous. My dad will love this for his birthday next month. So happy to have found it!

  14. Winslet

    Wow this cheesecake is looking stunning. The decoration is also awesome as its simple way which I like the most. I will definitely try it for my son’s birthday coming next week. Thanks for sharing this cake recipe.

  15. Vera

    Lindsay, I love your recipes and tips. I have done some and more and more love your website. I would like to thank you because it encourages me to improve myself more and more. Kisses. A Brazilian fan and follower.

  16. Vivian | stayaliveandcooking

    Being a Dutchie, I’ve never had a pie like this before… but man, I think I’m going to have to give it a shot! Looks superb!

    – quick sidenote: I’m reading this on my phone, And I can’t close the “like us on Facebook” popup :/

    1. Lindsay

      Thanks Vivian!

      You should be able to – I see it on my phone as well and there’s a little downward arrow in the top right corner (sometimes it’s hard to see) that allows you to close it.

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29