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These Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes are to die for! Moist vanilla cake, pastry cream filling and a beautiful chocolate ganache topping make this one tasty cupcake you’ll definitely want to sink your teeth into.
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
So I guess today is the day that I will dispel the myth that I have always been an amazing baker – just in case you were under that impression. 🙂 The truth is, I grew up cooking with my mom, not baking. Sure, there was some baking around holidays, but day-to-day was all about the cooking. So when I started baking several years back, it was quite an effort to really learn what I was doing. Lots of hours have been spent in the kitchen. With cooking, I was used to being able to throw things in a dish and not have to worry too much that small changes to a recipe would ruin it. With baking, it’s a whole different ball game. Small changes can make a huge difference – and be incredibly frustrating.
So back around the time I started baking, I was taking a lot of the desserts I’d make into work. I’d ask co-workers what their favorite dessert or flavor was if what was their birthday and then I’d challenge myself to come up with a cake. It was a great way for me to try things I hadn’t tried before – the best way to learn! Even now, I still love unexpected requests that give me a challenge or get me to step out of the box.
Well one such request was for a Boston Cream Pie – and I had never even made pastry cream before. Ever. I had no idea what I was doing. But I found a recipe and went for it. I’d been fairly successful up until this point, so I figured it’d be all good.
I was wrong.
I had no idea what I did at the time and it’s been so long that I don’t even remember what recipe I used to look back and figure it out, but I remember wondering how in the word the pastry cream would thicken enough to hold up between cake layers. Ultimately the cream was much too thin and by the time the cake made it’s way to work, it was basically two layers of cake that used to have pastry cream between them, but was now in a puddle around the bottom. Major fail.
Well fast-forward about 5 years and that co-worker has moved on to another adventure. It was sad to see him go, but I was happy for him in his new path.
Of course to send him off, I had to redeem myself. Yes, he’s had many of my cakes since then, but the Boston Cream Pie had to be revisited. This time I went with cupcakes. 🙂
I find pastry cream to be much less intimidating these days. I now know that cornstarch and the egg yolks are what actually thickens the cream and I’ve made pastry cream more times than I can count. 🙂 It’s actually pretty easy to make and quite delicious.
Of course my old self is rolling her eyes at my current self for calling it “easy.” 😉
The pastry cream sits in the middle of one of my favorite vanilla cupcakes. It’s light, moist and has great vanilla flavor. Like many cupcake recipes you’ll find on here, making them starts with creaming the butter and sugar. I will say it over and over – be sure to fully cream the butter and sugar. This ensures a fluffy cupcake. Don’t skip it!
The cupcake is topped with the most delicious chocolate ganache. It has a little corn syrup added to it to keep the ganache looking glossy and fresh. Once the ganache is made, it’s set in the fridge to get firm, then can be piped onto the cupcakes. Even though roses aren’t super manly – and these were technically for a guy – I decided to go with the roses on top for these cupcakes. They are just so pretty!
And honestly, there were no complaints. Only happy moans as they ate the cupcakes. In fact, a few of them are going to be quite happy to finally see the recipe on the blog so that they can make them at home.
These cupcakes really are delicious. Fairly light and a fun mix of flavor and texture. I think, after 5 years, I’ve finally redeemed myself. 🙂
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”gUBAnXK6″ upload-date=”Fri Apr 28 2017 20:28:49 GMT+0000 (UTC)” name=”Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes” description=”Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes with a moist vanilla cupcake, pastry cream filling and beautiful chocolate ganache topping!”]
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Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes are to die for! Moist vanilla cake, pastry cream filling and a beautiful chocolate ganache topping make this one tasty cupcake you’ll definitely want to sink your teeth into.
Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- 6 tbsp (84g), unsalted butter, room temperature (I use Challenge Butter)
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 6 tbsp (86g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp (8g) baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (90ml) milk, room temperature
- 2 tbsp (30ml) water, room temperature
PASTRY CREAM FILLING
- 2 egg yolks
- 6 tbsp (78g) sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (270ml) milk
- 1 tbsp (14g) salted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 12 oz (338g) semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (30ml) light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (210ml) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the amount of creaming time.
3. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
4. Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine the milk and water in a small measuring cup.
6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
7. Fill the cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
8. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
9. While the cupcakes cool, make the pastry cream. Put the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
10. Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
11. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
12. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
13. 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.
14. Place the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
15. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
16. While the cupcakes and cream are cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Put the chocolate chips and corn syrup in a large bowl.
17. Bring the heavy cream to a boil, then pour over the chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
18. Place the chocolate ganache in the fridge until completely cool and firm, 1-2 hours.
19. Once everything is cooled and ready, cut out the centers of the cupcakes. I use a cupcake corer, but a knife would work as well.
20. Divide the pastry cream between the cupcakes and fill in the centers.
21. Top the cupcakes with the chocolate ganache. I used Ateco tip 844 (Wilton 2D or 1M would work as well) to pipe roses on top. To make the roses, start the piping in the center then create a swirl moving outward. Complete 2-3 rotations until the cupcake is covered, then release pressure and pull the piping bag away.
22. Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve and serve closer to room temperature. The chocolate ganache will be quite firm when cold. Cupcakes are best if eaten within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 364
- Sugar: 34.2 g
- Sodium: 82.5 mg
- Fat: 18.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.2 g
- Protein: 5.6 g
- Cholesterol: 58.3 mg
Filed Under:
Enjoy!
Love this recipe! Have made the custard and ganache parts a few times now (I cheat and use a boxed cake mix). Do you think your custard would work as a filling in a 9×13 cake? Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoy it! Yes, it should work.
This is seriously the best cupcake recipe I’ve ever made! Absolutely delicious!!!Taste even better the second day after being on the refrigerator over night. I did use a 10oz bag of Ghirardelli dark chocolate baking chips instead of chocolate chips and it was amazing. If you you don’t like dark chocolate try the Ghirardelli milk chocolate.
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Can the cake batter be made 1-2 days ahead and refrigerated then brought to room temperature before filling the pan and baking?
I wouldn’t recommend that. I don’t think they’d rise quite the same.
I had never had Boston cream pie as didn’t think I would care for it. I made it for a friend for a special occasion. This recipe was absolutely delicious! My friend was thrilled and everyone else that tasted them was as well. Thank You for another great recipe.
I’m so glad they were a hit!
Would it be okay to make the pastry cream a day before assembling cupcakes? (And two days before party?) Or is it best to make on the day of assembling?
Yes, definitely. You can make them ahead.
he probado esta receta y es deliciosa, gracias
The yield says 12-24 cupcakes. That’s a wide range! How many standard size cupcakes is the recipe supposed to make?
I think maybe you misread it. It says 12-14.
Can you use box cake mix for the recipe?
Sure, that’d be fine. I believe a full box mix will give you about 24 cupcakes and this recipe is for 12. So you may need to double the filling and chocolate ganache if you make that many cupcakes.
Can you freeze these?
The cupcakes and ganache would do well. Not totally sure about the cream filling. It might be ok.
I found the ganache was very hard to ice the cupcakes.
If you take it straight out of the fridge, it could be a little firm. Just stir it up and give it a few minutes and it should be fine.
I’ve made this recipe four times and every time I get to the add eggs part the batter curdles. All of my ingredients are room temperature so that’s not the issue. Every time I’ve tried to save it and end up with a very tough cupcake. I do not recommend adding eggs in two parts. It doesn’t give the batter enough time to emulsify the eggs into the fat.
Holy moly! You didn’t mention to Ganche would be hard as rock when I took it out of the fridge
Have you ever doubled this cake
I haven’t doubled this particular cupcake recipe, but I have doubled the vanilla cupcake base and used it for a cake. Does that help?
Ganache was too thin after 2 hours and didn’t hold its shape. Adding powdered sugar to it might have been a save or less milk,
It should hold it’s shape just fine. I would just be sure that you used semi sweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream. If you used a different kind of chocolate, it would’ve made a thinner ganache. If you used regular whipping cream or something like half-and-half, those would also make it thinner. That said, if you used the correct ingredients, you could certainly reduce the cream a little bit next time. But you don’t want it to get too hard to pipe either.
After cooling the ganache is it difficult to pipe it? Do you need to allow it to come to room temperature first? This recipe looks wonderful
It may be a touch difficult to pipe straight out of the fridge. But you don’t want it to get too warm either. I will sometimes microwave it for maybe 10 seconds, stir it up and see what the consistency is like. That’ll usually take the edge off of the cold and help it be a little easier to pipe without thinning out too much.
Do you think this could be done in a mini muffin pan? If so how long to bake?
Yes, bake time should be around 8 minutes.
Could a vanilla boxed pudding mix work just as well for the filling? Thank you.
I suppose it would be fine.
Do you beat the egg whites first before you put them in?
I don’t.
Just made these. When I filled the liners half way, the cupcake was short and it didn’t rise. So I filled the rest almost to the top and it rose a lil to the top. Just curious why mine didn’t rise. I followed recipe closely.
It’s really hard to say from a distance but some possibilities are that your baking powder needs to be replaced or that the butter and sugar weren’t fully creamed. You want to be sure to beat them together for about two minutes or so.
My pastry cream seemed to be good and thick when cooking but then after I took it out of the fridge, whipped it with a whisk and filled the cupcakes it turned runny once inside the cupcakes. Not sure what happened.
Hi; How do you EXACTLY do HALF?? We are two people and things like this dry out.
Pls respond today 6-19-22. Much thanks
It’s going to require some math and you would likely need a food scale for things like the eggs.
Hi this has happened to me also and I’m wondering if I should add more content flour
Can I make the ganache the night before and store in fridge?
Sure!
Hello! Trying to make this recipe and noticed 11/4 cup flour as 136 grams. Isn’t 1 cup 136 grams? Which measurement is correct? Thank you 😊
It’s listed as 163. I measure a cup of flour as 130g.
These look amazing! Can the pastry cream be made a day or two in advance? How should it be stored?
Yes, pour it into a bowl and press the top with clear wrap to keep a film from forming on top. Stir it up before using it.
Is the 11/4 and 11/2 measurements supposed to be 44 and 22 or 1/4 and a 1/2? Like u said that would make a huge difference when I make these!!
It’s one and a fourth and one and a half.
I made these today but my ganache came out thin and runny. I followed the directions and left it in the fridge for 2 hours.
Any suggestions? I want to make these for the holidays.
Thank you.
It shouldn’t be runny. There are two options I can think of – either the measurements were off or maybe you used a different kind of chocolate (like milk chocolate) or a different type of cream. Heavy cream has a higher fat content, which will make the ganache thicker. Something with a lower fat content will make it thin out.
Using this recipe for wedding cupcakes😄 if I were to use milk chocolate chips & its runny can I add powdered sugar to thicken it up?
You could try it but I’m not really sure if that would work out as well.
Definitely “moan”-worthy! But I almost had a fail because the “total time” listed did not include the ganache chilling time. I was late to the event and it was a drippy glaze (no roses). But delicious! I will try again – please adjust the total time on the recipe? Thanks.
I followed the recipe exactly, except I used a 1 to 1 gluten free flour mix and these turned out amazing!
Thanks for posting about gluten free worked.
Glad you found a helpful answer! Enjoy them!
Can you freeze these cupcakes?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would be fine.
Can this recipe be adjusted for mini cupcakes?
In theory, yes. It might be hard to fill mini cupcakes though. Otherwise, everything should work in mini form.
Looks delicious! Just wondering on the range of cupcakes – 12-24…does this recipe make 24? Trying out for a birthday party and want to make sure I have it right!
The recipe yields 12-14 cupcakes.
I just made these last night after a friend posted this on her FB page. The cupcakes themselves came out perfectly!!! The pastry creme was easy to make. If I make these again, I will cut the vanilla in half. Also – I have never like a ganache made from chocolate chips. I followed the recipe, but if I make these again, I will make my own. I had no trouble with consistency after leaving the ganache in the refrigerator (as you said) for a bit over an hour. As another commented, my ganache was really dark – perhaps it is the lighting. My pastry bag skills are sorely lacking. I put the wrong tip on (because I don’t know what my tips are!!) and filled the bag. I gave up and just frosted. While the dark ganache is truer to Boston Creme Pie, I was hoping for a lighter chocolate frosting. So, next time, that is what I will make. Your recipe and instructions are really well articulated.
So glad to hear that you enjoyed them!
I tried them and they are bomb! <3
So glad you enjoyed them!
I made these for my husband’s birthday because he loves Boston cream pie. They were really good. The cupcake part…a very light cupcake. Very good flavor and not dry. I probably had to bake 10 min longer than recipe. I used vegan sour cream and almond milk for the cupcake just as a way to cut down on the dairy.
So this is probably human error because I’ve never made pastry cream, but it turned our weirdly lumpy and gross… I threw it out and attempted it again using a different recipe. In my second attempt I used regular milk, not almond milk, came out perfect.
For the ganache I used one cup heavy cream, 12 oz bag of chocolate chips and no corn syrup… came out perfect and the thickness was great because they went on top of the cupcake like frosting. The flavor was awesome…
Overall they were great. Thanks for the videos and pictures. Pastry cream is hard!
Everyone in my family loves these cupcakes! Was wondering if they can be frozen would like to make ahead for Thanksgiving dessert. Thanks you
So glad you enjoyed them! As for freezing, I’m not entirely sure how the pastry cream would do after thawing it. But you could try it.
Just wondering whether these need to be refrigerated at all times until eaten? I made them for my family so we slowly eat them over a few days. Usually I just keep my cupcakes on the counter in Tupperware containers, but I was wondering whether the pastry cream or ganache makes it so that they have to be refrigerated.
Yes, they should be stored in the fridge. But I do prefer eating them closer to room temperature, so you may want to let them sit out a bit before eating to soften.
These were fun to make and easy but takes a bit of extra time with all the steps and chilling the cream & ganache. Well worth the effort though. hey turned out delicious and were a big hit! I’ll most definitely be using this recipe again.
So glad you enjoyed them!
Can the filling be made and refrigerated for 1-2 days before using?
Yes, that would be fine. Just keep in mind that it will firm up in the fridge. You may need to stir it well prior to using it.
Love this recipe thanks so much for sharing! I’ve linked it in my blog here: http://bitchesthatbake.home.blog/2020/02/14/boston-cream-cupcakes/
Would love it if you could take a quick peep! 🙂
OH MY GOSH. YOU GUYS. THESE ARE AMAZING!!!! The cupcake is perfectly fluffy, and the ganache is soooooo good :))))) I needed up not using the full amount of corn syrup because i ran out but it was still delicious 😋. I love how pretty the frosting is on top and it was so easy to make them look good! Hint! I cited the cupcakes and saved the middles , which i dipped in the extra ganache. 10/10!!!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
LOVE THEM!!
Could I use this recipe to make a cake?
Thanks for the recipe, esp because it includes weights. The cupcakes were light and fluffy, the filling was rich and tasty, and the ganache nice and chocolatey!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I made these for the first time yesterday, at a friend’s request, and they were AMAZING!!! Very time consuming with all the different components involved and with cooling time, but well worth the effort! My friend couldn’t stop raving about the light, airy texture of the cupcake itself. She said it was the best vanilla cupcake she’d ever tasted.
Thank you for sharing this incredible recipe! I’ve bookmarked it and will definitely be making them again!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Love this recipe!!
Could I make a cake with this recipe?
These were delicious but I would rearrange the recipe to make the ganache FIRST, since it has to chill for 2 hours. I also had a lot of ganache left over (I got 17 cupcakes out of the batter) so I’ll dial the quantity way back on that next time. Definitely a keeper recipe though, thank you!
I made these the other day and they were delicious! I have a Question–Since this is my first time making the custard, it turned out thick and wonderful until the next day. The custard was very runny. I even put them in the fridge to see if this helps, it did not. Any suggestions on how to get my custard to stay thick after several hours?
Thanks!
That seems strange. It should actually get even thicker as it cools. From doing some reading though, it sounds like that can happen if the egg yolks don’t get heated enough after tempering them. So that’s a possibility. Otherwise, I’m not sure. I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes though!
Hi, is there any replaceable ingredient for sour cream???
You could try plain yogurt or additional milk.
These were amazing! The only change I did was use milk chocolate chips and cream to make the ganache. This batch made 15 cupcakes and wow! Delicious! I took them to work after a night in the refrigerator and set them out. They were all gone within 10 minutes! And people keep telling me how amazing they were. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
This is now my go to for vanilla cupcakes. The sour cream makes all the difference. (I had never baked cake with sour cream before!) I am from Boston living in AZ and have a neighbor from MA. I made these for his birthday and they were a huge hit! I snacked on the cupcake cores with my coffee that week. I wish I could post a couple photos, because they were beautiful!
(Pay no attention to the negative comments! You can’t please everyone!)
Thanks so much Jean! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I can’t wait to try these out! I love custard and cake so what a perfect combination. I don’t think we sell any cakes like this in the UK. I do have once question where did you buy your cake scoop from? And what size is it as mines to big which makes me overfil my liners 🙁
It was actually a wedding gift 11 years ago. The size of it holds 1 3/4 oz or 52ml. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!
Baked these cupcakes today and they are just delightful. Got 14 beautiful soft tasty vanilla cupcakes. The pastry cream was thick, creamy and delicious. The chocolate ganache was a great semi sweet compliment to the cupcakes. The only thing I did differently was to whip the chilled ganache to make piping a bit easier. My cupcakes looked exactly like your pictures and tasted scrumptious. Thank you thank you!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Hi!! I made these cupcakes for myself and my co-workers.They were so so good.The best I have ever had.Everyone went for seconds.Very light texture, just perfect.The recipe was very easy to follow also.
My daughter and I made these cupcakes yesterday and they are the BEST cupcakes we have ever made. Thank you for a delicious recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
made this recipe and the end result was delicious, and extremely easy to make!!!!
So glad you enjoyed them!
i love this recipe!!!! one question though! can i substitute sour cream for yogurt? unfortunately, sour cream isn’t a product that is used and found easily in supermarkets in greece
So glad you enjoy them! You can use yogurt. It’ll change the texture and flavor just a bit, but it’ll be fine. You could also use a little more milk.
Hello! I have been dying to make these cupcakes for some time now and I am finally going to try them out today! I just had a quick question before I start. I noticed in the recipe that you have both the milk and the water at room temperature, is there a specific reason why? I’m not a big cupcake or cake maker so I was curious to know if the temperature had some kind of effect on the cupcakes as opposed to using cool or cold. Thank you and I look forward to making these!!
Generally speaking room temperature ingredients incorporate better and evenly. But, if they are cold they should be fine.
Hey! I’m just wondering do I have to use corn syrup for the ganache? And do you know a substitute for sour cream? Thanks!
You don’t have to, but I’d recommend it. It’s going to make it easier to pipe. You could try replacing it with honey. Or you could leave it out, but it will affect the texture. As for the sour cream, yogurt would be fine.
Thank you!
I made these for a school bake sale fundraiser that my daughter’s school holds each week. They were a huge hit and I was asked to make them again! I didn’t have any corn syrup so I just skipped it, I’m used to making ganache without it anyway and it worked out just fine.
Thank you for sharing this!
Wonderful! So glad they were such a hit!
Made these and they turned out wonderfully! However, did anyone have an issue with the ganache? Followed the recipe EXACTLY and it’s so runny i can’t frost the cupcakes=/
I’ve had some people experience both too thin and to thick frosting, as well as having it just right. It’s hard to say what the issue is, but one question would be did you use semi-sweet chocolate chips or another chocolate? Different kinds of chocolate use different amounts of cream, so that could cause a thinner ganache potentially.
I have not made these yet, but based on all of your other recipes and how big of a hit they have been, I am going to give it five stars! Everything I have made using your recipes has gotten rave reviews so thank you ❤️
Thanks Meghan! So glad you’ve enjoyed all the recipes!
I followed this recipe to a T. The custard to to die for. I could have sat down with a spoon and gone to town. The ganache was waayyy to heavy & strong for me – I couldn’t really taste the actual cupcake and custard because the ganache was so overpowering. I, like others, ended up with a very dense cupcake. Also, 2 hours for the ganache in the frig was too long, I could hardly get it to pipe. Maybe an hour & half would be better. Thank you for the recipe . If i ever need custard – this would be my go to recipe!
I made the cupcakes with cake flour and they turned out heavenly, light, fluffy, moist, reminded me almost of angel food cake, best from scratch cupcake recipe I’ve come across.
The ganache was another story, it was way too runny and didn’t hold the flower form at all. let the mixture sit overnight and then for good measure, put it in the freezer for an additional 4 hours. As soon as I piped, it began to melt and caused a large mess. I will play with the cream amount next time. Otherwise, the cupcakes were divine. Thanks!
I’ve tried these a couple times and I and my family really like them. I follow the recipe to the letter (right down to setting a kitchen timer for 3-4 minutes so sugar and better get creamed properly)
My big issue is that both times the cupcakes came out REALLY Dense. Almost like mini Pound Cakes.
Do you have any suggestions on how to fix this? Otherwise we love the Pastry Cream but the Chocolate Ganache is just a tad strong for our tastes.
Your help is much appreciated.
Hmmm, strange. Normally I’d suggest the creaming, but it sounds like you’ve got that covered. It’s hard to say, but potentially over mixing at the end. It can over develop the gluten and make a dense cake. Do you weigh your ingredients? It’s possible that if you use cups, something is a little off. I’m not sure from a distance, but those are a couple possibilities.
Thanks for the reply. No I don’t weigh out my ingredients, but I do measure them out using “Cups and teaspoons/Tablespoons”. Just a thought. Would it help if I beat the Egg Whites first? Get them up to soft peaks and then mix them into the rest of the cake batter? I’m assuming you tested the recipe including alternate methods, so can I try this or just watch the mixing times on the recipe as is.
Thanks Again
It’s been quite a while, but I do believe I’ve done that and found it didn’t make much difference to the final result and wasn’t worth the extra steps. You could certainly give it a try though.
I followed this recipe to a T and didn’t have any issues with the filling or ganache; not only did the cupcakes look beautiful but they tasted amazing!!! your directions were very easy to follow. I Made these for my mom for Mother’s day cuz she loves Boston Cream stuff and she had 2 cupcakes (which is unheard of for her) Thanks for helping to make Mother’s day extra special!
So glad to hear you enjoyed them!
I made these for Mother’s Day today for my mom and she LOVED them. My only complaint is that the chocolate ganache can be a bit overpowering to the other flavors, which is a shame considering how good everything is. Definitely will make again. /////////////////////////////////////////////////// I have some tips that i found useful:
(1) If you end up refrigerating the ganache too long and it gets thick, put it on a double boiler for like, 20 seconds. Go ahead and have the water boiling nice and hot and then put your ganache bowl on top, just long enough to only really warm the bowl. Take it off and stir until everything is one smooth consistency. Repeat if needed. (2) If like me, you had a good bit of cream left and a lot of ganache left, make cake balls. I just used the bits of the cupcake I cored out and mixed some of the cream in (about 50/50). Freeze until firm. Then melt the ganache using the double boiler method and coat the cake balls with it and freeze again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing your tips!
I made these yesterday for my husband’s birthday. They were a huge hit. There are a lot of steps but you made this so easy to follow. I have never made pastry cream before – and I have always been too intimidated to try. This all went together so much easier than I expected. And each part was delicious. I am new to your site but it is an instant favorite, just like these cupcakes. Back online to write a review and find the next recipe to try. Thanks!
Awesome! So glad to hear they were easy to make and that you enjoyed them! Thanks Kristine!
I made these this weekend for my husbands birthday because Boston Cream Pie is one of his favorite desserts. These are seriously delicious, the cupcake recipe alone is now my new go to one! Only issue I had was with the ganache. I followed the ingredients and method exactly but when I pulled it out of the fridge to top the cupcakes, it was way way too thick. Even letting it sit out for a while didn’t help. I ended up having to mould little chocolate ganache “discs” to top the cupcake with! Could you possibly shed some light on where I could’ve gone wrong? Despite the little mess up, they were still delicious and my hubby is still a happy camper!
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Ganache can be a little tricky sometimes. Did you use semi sweet chocolate, or another kind? They all have different amounts of fat that can affect the consistency.
Yes I used Costco brand semi sweet chips.
And heavy whipping cream, instead of heavy cream? Again, it’s a fat content thing. The amount of fat affects how soft the consistency is. Beyond the fat being an issue, it’s hard to say. It’s a balance of the liquid and the chocolate that gets the right consistency. If you try the cupcakes again, you could always try adding another tablespoon of cream.
Thanks for sharing! The frosting looks amazing! How soon before serving can I frost them?
You could frost them right before serving, if you like. They should be fine.
This looks so good! I can’t wait to try it!
I hope you enjoy them!
And can I make them a night before and store them.in fridge?
Yes, you can.
What would be the ratio of ingredients for 24 cupcakes please? thank you?
You can just double the recipe.
Hi. What do you do for high high altitude 8000?
I’m sorry, I’m not really familiar with high altitude adjustments.
Is there a way to print this recipe – it sounds delicious, but I don’t really want to write out the entire recipe?
Yes, there’s a little teal “print” button within the pink recipe card.
Hi there! I have always struggled with figuring out what to do for high-altitude as well. I came across this video on YouTube, and it has saved me!!! This is, I think, part 2 of the explanation, but the white board he’s showing has the adjustments on it. If you have time, I recommend watching the first one as well – it explains the “why” behind it.
Hope this helps you as much as it’s helped me!
https://youtu.be/ypiSP-dyBpI
Hi! I really enjoyed making these, and they taste great but I have a question. I found the cake has a slightly different texture to regular vanilla cupcakes. I’m not sure if it’s something that I did wrong or if it’s meant to be like that. they had an almost spongy/chewy texture, but somehow the texture works well with the flavors. but is it meant to be like that?
also there were lots of little air holes throughout the cupcake, is that normal or did I maybe mix it at too high speed? any advice would be appreciated 🙂
We made these and reviewed them in Episode 51 of our baking podcast, Preheated. Sooooo good!
https://www.preheatedpodcast.com/episode-51-cupcakes-cheesecakes-and-listener-favorites/
Greetings! I’ve made these now twice in a row and the second turned out much better than the first as I really took heed in following the directions as precisely as I could. They’re such a hit with everyone, thank you! I do have a question I’m hoping you can help with. Your photos and video make the ganache look thick and light in chocolate. I use Nestle semi- sweet chocoalate chips, light corn syrup and the boiling heavy cream. The ganache looks great, with the nice glistening from corn syrup. And it comes out great tasting but it appears softer in texture than yours and fairly dark. I mean, it looks like Boston Cream Pie, but yours looks more like a thick frosting to me and I would like to achieve that if possible! Thanks for your web site, I love it!
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the cupcakes. It would be hard for me to say about the difference you see in the photos. I use the same ingredients you mention, including Nestle semi sweet chocolate chips, so I’d expect the color to be the same. It could be something about the lighting of the photos that might make it look a little different to you. If you think the ganache should be firmer, you could reduce the heavy whipping cream slightly.
Hi Lindsay! I’d like to try this cupcake recipe but I don’t have sour cream as of the moment. Do I replace them with buttermilk or plain whole milk? Or should I just leave it out?
I would suggest replacing it with additional milk. The batter will be thinner.
Hi there! Do you think I could make the filling pink with food coloring for a breast cancer awareness bake sale?
Thank you!
Sure!
Hi..
I want to try these because they look amazing! Can i use maple syrup for the ganache?
You could just leave out the syrup and add an additional tablespoon of heavy cream. Otherwise the maple syrup shouldn’t hurt anything.
Hi Lindsay, greetings from Singapore! I made your cupcakes and they tasted so good esp the cream filling. The cake is very soft not dry at all. Why do you use all egg whites? Do you think i can put in 3 whole eggs? My ganache is abit wet, the 1M tip I used didnt quite pipe out the nice floral swirls. How do I ensure the consistency is right to pipe? Thank you!
Hi ???? I haven’t made these yet but they look delicious! I’m just curious as to why you use a mix of milk and water in the cupcakes and not all milk please? Thanks ????
I find that it produces a lighter cupcake.
Thank you ????
Have a question. Why does the video show adding heavy whipping cream to the cream filling while the recipe and directions calls for milk? thanks
The video I’m looking at just above the recipe shows milk, not heavy whipping cream. If you’re referring to the one on Facebook, it’s an error but FB videos can’t be updated. The written recipe and video in this post are correct.
these cupcakes where a complete disappointment, my first batch was horrible, the custard was runny and the chocolate was too overpowering, I tried again, and once more I followed step by step directions measuring the ingredients to the core and still. ???? dissatisfaction.
These cupcakes were unbelievable! Just ask my boyfriend who ate 6 in 2 days haha perfect recipe!!! He said they might be the best cupcakes I have ever made. Had rave reviews at the office as well! Well done on an amazing recipe!
Awesome to hear! So glad you enjoyed them!
Thee look delicious….if I have any leftover can the whole cupcake be frozen?
That should be fine if they’re well wrapped.
I’m so disappointed!! ???? Is it possible that there was a typo on the amount of powder? 2 tsp sounds like a bit much for such a small amount of flour. My cupcakes rose beautifully but fell and shrunk away from the sides of the pan while cooling. I followed the recipe to the letter (including weighing the ingredients) and I’m really sad to have wasted the ingredients. My pastry cream is divine, however, so I’ve popped it in the fridge and will retry the cakes again tomorrow. Maybe with 1/2 the amount of powder and just a pinch of soda.
No, the baking powder is correct. I’ve actually made these quite a few times. Are you sure you fully creamed the butter and sugar together? I find that’s often the issue.
What brand of vanilla did you use?
My cupcakes always look an unappetizing shade of tan, instead of the pretty white or yellow that I always see in people’s blog posts?
I typically use McCormicks.
I just made the Boston cream cupcakes & they are UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!! This recipe it’s a keeper! Soooo yummy!!!!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
I am shocked no one else commented on this, but I didn’t see anywhere how long to put them back in the oven after you fill the holes with the creme. Don’t you tip them with more cupcake mix before the chocolate? Please answer asap!
The filling is added after the cupcakes have been baked.
I WILL TRY THIS!!!!! Looks absolutely fantastic. Thank you!!
Hello Lindsay. Thank you for this. Could you please tell me if you use milk or heavy cream for the filling. In the recipe it says milk but on the video it say heavy cream. Thanks.
Sorry about that – I will get the video fixed. It’s milk, as per the written recipe.
In the video it says baking soda but in the recipe it says baking powder which one is it please.
Follow the written recipe. I thought the video had been fixed, but it seems the wrong one was uploaded. Thanks for letting me know so I can fix it.
These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them myself!
can i use salted butter instead of unsalted? or will it change the recipe texture and flavor?
Yes, you can use salted, just don’t add the extra salt in the recipe or it’ll be too salty.
I was just curious how many cupcakes this recipe makes.
12-14 cupcakes. You should be able to find that info just underneath the title of the recipe. 🙂
Hi can I make these into a two layer cake instead?? Thanks
I made these cupcakes this morning. I think they turned out well but I can’t pipe the ganache. I tried 3 different times with different piping tips. It was way too thick and tough. I tried to microwave it. I tried to thin it out with milk. I have no idea how you did it but I ended up just spreading it on the cupcakes. I’m so upset and dissapointed. I made sure I followed your recipe exactly and doubled and triple checked before I did anything.
Hi! Firstly, thanks for posting this recipe! It looks soon yum!
One question I had is if you used powdered sugar or granulated sugar for the cake?
Thanks.
I use granulated sugar in the cake and powdered sugar in the frosting.
can i make the ganache the day before and just refrigerate until I’m ready to apply it the next day?
You can make it ahead, you just might need to reheat it a bit so that it’s pipe-able again.
I can’t wait to try these! We are living in Germany and I miss good ole Boston Cream Pie! I really love that your recipe has English and Metric units…thank you. I feel it is much more precise when I can use my kitchen scale and use metric units to measure everything out. Baking is so much more precise than a skillet or crockpot meal! I’ll post back after we try them out! Thank you for all the variations too!!! Looking forward to trying them all!
Thank you thank you thank you! Your directions are impeccable and the cupcakes turned out fabulous! They are beautiful as well as delicious! My Dad turned 93 this week and Boston Cream Pie is his favorite. I thought cupcakes would be fun this year. He will be thrilled and I am so excited! Thank you! I will be trying more of your recipes! 🙂
Awesome! 🙂 Thanks Amy! So glad you enjoyed them!
I was so happy to see that these are actually made from scratch, not cake mix and cool whip. Can’t wait to try them!
Thanks alot
But the ganach became dry and hard as soon as i added corn syrup.i use belcolade chocolate.its belgium..it is a very nice brand .
At what point did you add the corn syrup? From the way you wrote the comment, it sounds like you added it separately from the warm cream. The corn syrup and cream should be heated together and the poured over the chocolate. If you add the corn syrup separately and it’s cool, it can cause the chocolate to seize/harden.
I think where the directions are confusing is they say to add choc chips and corn syrup to a bowl and then heat up cream and pour over choc chips. Does not say heat up cream and syrup together. Here is what directions say:
16. While the cupcakes and cream are cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Put the chocolate chips and corn syrup in a large bowl.
17. Bring the heavy cream to a boil, then pour over the chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
I see what you’re saying Erin. I’ve added the syrup both to the chocolate chips before adding the cream, and added the syrup to the cream when heating it. Either will work. The issue is if you add the syrup after combining the cream and chocolate chips. The syrup will not be at a warm temperature, like the cream and chocolate, and will therefore cause things to seize.
I was so excited to make these for my son because he LOVES Boston Cream Pie. Followed the recipe to the letter snd was quite disappointed. The chocolate ganache was soooo overpowering! Tasted bitter also!
It’s possible that you used a chocolate with a different amount of cocoa – like a dark chocolate? Mine was semi sweet chocolate chips, which I prefer.
I’m sorry to be negative, but these were the worst tasting cupcakes I’ve ever tried. The ganache is so thick and to sweet, the cupcakes are very bland. This taste nothing like what Boston Creme Pie is supposed to taste like. I’ve never been so disappointed in a recipe. It was a lot of work for a batch of cupcakes I had to throw away. I followed the recipe exactly. The cupcakes were moist the custard was perfect but the taste of all like three was just very bad.
Does the recipe make mini cupcakes or regular sized one ??? <3
Thanks
The recipe is written to make regular sized cupcakes, but I’m sure you could make minis.
Thank you for the recipe! I tried these and they taste great! The only thing is the chocolate was runny. To be honest though I didn’t let it cool completely my boys really couldn’t wait, next I’ll try the banana cupcakes!
I’m planning on making these, but I’m a little short on cream for the ganache. Would it be okay to use half cream and half whole milk? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it but I’ve heard you can use butter and whole milk instead of the cream.
If I use butter and whole milk instead of the heavy cream, how much would I need?
Are you talking about for the ganache? I honestly don’t know. I haven’t made ganache with butter and whole milk. It’d be difficult to say how to substitute it and get the same consistency.
Gosh I tried the cupcakes and they tasted absolutely horrible , it had an after egg taste even the second day the egg taste still didn’t go away. However the cream filling was good and didn’t taste at all as eggy as the cupcake.
I’m 16 and i made these for my family and friends! I finally got to use my new stand mixer that i got for my birthday. When mixing i noticed the sour cream looked clumpy, but i stood it out and after i added the flour mixer, it looked beautiful! The custard i made was a bit runny but i re-heated it again over the stove for about 2 minutes, i realized i probably didn’t cook it long enough. Overall 5/5, i loved these, my family and friends loved these, and i will definitely make these again! Thanks for the recipe!
Are we supposed to beat the egg whites before in incorporating in to the recipe it put it raw. Please as advise.
No, they are not beat before adding.
I made the cupcakes without the filling. They are unfrosted. Can they be frozen, and for how long? The party I made them for was cancelled indefinitely.
Thanks!
Tari
Yes, they can frozen. Just be sure to wrap them well. I’d recommend defrosting them in the fridge when you’re ready. Not sure how long is best, probably a month-ish.
Hi! I’m going to make the recipe tonight and I’m not sure for the ganache. Here in Greece for ganache, we put for example 200 ml semi sweet chocolate and 200 ml heavy cream with a bit of honey. Yours recipe it’s full of chocolate and I don’t know what to do…
Hi I never bake from scratch usually because I’m time poor but I’m also not very confident.
I made these cupcakes as a test – entering a baking competition at work this week and thought I’d find something different….they turned out great!!!!
Thanks for the receipe I’ve turned a corner, look out more baking to come ????
Awesome! I’m so glad you are happy with them! Good luck in the competition! 🙂
Do you have any suggestions on the filling, I thought I had corn starch but it’s corn meal that I had. Is there any other way to make it?
Hi Lindsay, I came across your site while searching for a Boston Cream cupcake recipe. I tried yours and we all loved it! Jus a couple of questions:
* They were perfectly domed when I took them out of the oven, but started to get flat while cooling, is that normal?
* Can I possibly use the cupcake recipe for cake?
Thank you so much, and thank you for sharing great recipes 🙂
Warm regards from Canada!
Hi Anna, they may become a little flatter when cooling but it shouldn’t be drastic. And yes, I usually double it for an 8 inch three layer cake.
So just to confirm, you do not beat egg whites before adding?
Correct. I do not.
Going to post The Good, The Bad, The Best, and The Worst….
The Good: This cupcake had a great flavor overall. The Bad: The cake part was kind of dry, the custard was runny, the chocolate was too thick. The Best: My 15 year old made them, mostly by herself. It was the most complicated recipe she has done baking wise, she normally sticks to box mixes. She learned how to temper an egg and many more things. It also gave us several ideas to go with this (white chocolate instead of chocolate, different custards in the middle, etc.) We also had a great time exploring what we would do next with this recipe (not letting the chocolate sit so long in the fridge, letting the custard sit in the fridge, etc) It was a super great time! The Worst: We have a whole line up that we want to make, more of these, more of your others, ideas to expand on this one…I started a diet 2 weeks ago, and had been doing so well until today (and possibly in the future 🙂 )
I’d have to agree with you on the negatives. Just finished putting these together, following the recipe to a T. I found the cupcake to be a bit bland and it was a tad dry. The custard was runny, and i found it very, very sweet; I’d probably cut the sugar down to 3-4 tbsp at most, and reduce a little milk/add a little more cornstarch/add another yolk, and I would also cut the vanilla in half (if you’re using a pure vanilla for sure). The ganache was VERY thick and put my carpal tunnel to the test, haha. I think I would omit the corn syrup and maybe do half semi sweet and half milk chocolate for the future.
I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe turning out. Maybe I can offer a few suggestions. The cupcake should definitely not be dry. I’ve made it no less than 30 times and haven’t ever had that problem. Two of the most common culprits are over baking and inaccurate measuring of ingredients. To test for doneness, use a toothpick to stick in the center. They’re done when a few moist crumbs stick to the toothpick when pulled out. For measuring, the best way to ensure accuracy is with a scale. It’ll never be wrong. 🙂 If you’re using cups, be sure to stir your flour and loosen it before scooping. Too much flour will definitely dry out a cupcake. 🙂 For the ganache, it definitely shouldn’t be too thick, but it’s simply a matter of the amount of heavy cream vs chocolate chips. If you found it too thick, you can heat the ganache back up in the microwave and add a little more cream until you are happy with the consistency. The custard is harder for me to diagnose without being there, but these sat outside in the heat for about 1 1/2 hours before people ate them (it was a lunch for someone and dessert came at the end – we were outside) and the custard still held up fine. It’s possible that the custard wasn’t cooked quite long enough. You are right though that if you want to play with it the amount of milk (liquid) and cornstarch/egg yolks(thickeners) would be the place to do it. I hope that helps!
If you need someone to take bites out of your cupcakes before you photograph them, I’m cheap and available. My Grandma use to make the most amazing Boston Cream Pie. Haven’t had it in years. I’m anxious to try these. They look so good!
Can you substitute milk with almond or coconut milk?
I haven’t tried it to be sure. I would think it’d bake ok, but the difference in fat content would probably change the cupcake texture a bit.
These look so delicious! I would like to make them for my son’s birthday this week, but have a quick question: How can the “Light corn syrup” be substituted? Maple syrup? Any other ideas? TIA!
You can actually just add some additional heavy cream or leave it out all together. The main purpose of it in this ganache is to give the ganache topping a glossy appearance that doesn’t fade.
I’m always looking for great treats to make that my wife can eat. Here’s the bottom line… NO corn products of any kind. So, no corn starch, corn syrup, corn oil.
I have solutions for baking powder (25% corn starch so I make my own easily) and corn syrup (agave syrup) I usually use guar gum to replace corn starch as a thickener, but would like to know whether flour or mashed potatoes would be a better choice.
My husband is gluten and corn free as he’s allergic! I use potato starch as a replacement for corn starch and flour works great too…. even gluten free flour
Made it! Fun recipe! My partner is worried he will not get any lol! To bad!!
Ha! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Love this recipe and make the perfect amount of cupcakes but I was wondering is there a substitute for the source cream like yoghurt or something else?
I haven’t tried yogurt, but I think using additional milk would work ok.
Hi, great recipes as usual. Pls I need to ask if I skip the light corn syrup what alternative can I use (healthier version)?
Thanks
You could try using honey.
These look amazing!! I’d love to make this as a two layer cake…have you tried this?
Thanks Kim! I haven’t tried it with this recipe.
I love your recipes. Most of my banking is done with your recipes. For some reason I cannot get the print button to work on the Boston cream pie cupcake recipe. Maybe there something you can do to fix that. Praying for you on your baby journey. I hope things are going well for you. Thank you.
Thanks Kelley! 🙂 I just tried the print button and it worked for me, so I don’t know what’s wrong. Maybe try a different browser?
Lindsay, I’m sure everyone was thrilled with these beauties! Glad you conquered pastry cream. I love filling cupcakes with pastry cream. Though I’m not a huge chocolate fan, I slather on the chocolate for the sake of my guests and just scrape it off mine — someone is always happy to take my “scrapings”!
your desserts are so delicious just one question why cant i print your recipes
Thanks Marilyn! You should be able to print all the recipes. Each one has a print button right within the recipe.
Hi Lindsay….I want to make these, but I would like to make them into mini cupcakes …do you see a problem w/this and if not, how long should I bake them? Please reply. Thanks.
My only concern is adding the filling – mini cupcakes may be a bit small for adding much filling. Other than that, they’d probably be fine. I haven’t baked this recipe as minis, but would assume the bake time should be around 8-10 minutes.
What brand of cupcake corer do you have? I can’t wait to make these.
Mine look this these, but I actually got my set at Home Goods. I hope you enjoy them!
Wow, these are gorgeous. Just curious…..do you have a certain brand of chocolate chips you use?
Thanks Joanna! I usually just use Nestle chocolate chips that I get at the grocery store. 🙂
Redemption definitely is yours, Lindsay! Beautiful cupcakes, and you cannot go wrong with Boston Cream Pie! Unless, of course, the pastry cream doesn’t quite work out. Ha ha. I just figure that fails are how we learn and get better, and you’ve certainly done that! 🙂
These look SO good!
xo Jessica
My Style Vita
Thanks Jessica!
Hi,
Am I able to halve the ingredients to get half the amount of cupcakes? This recipe looks amazing btw!
As long as you’re able to evenly divide the ingredients in half, it should be fine.
I love your recipes and this one is another fabulous creation. I can’t wait to make your recipe!
Thanks so much Marcellina!
Is there a way to make these with a store bought cake mix?
Sure, just use a vanilla cupcake mix.
You have more than redeemed yourself. Honestly, we all have massive baking fails early in the game, and in my case, every month or so. 🙂 You never know when something is just going to implode in the kitchen. Fun times!
These cupcakes are perfect. I’m sure your coworker is super grateful for the cool sendoff!