Phew—birthday season is finally over. I cooked, decorated, celebrated, wrapped gifts, and found the perfect present for each child. Three of the five kids requested their dad’s specialty—extra crispy fried chicken—so that helped. But I still had plenty to do: pig tails (my kids’ name for pretzel-wrapped smoked sausages), French fries, coleslaw, and an assortment of sides. Above all, there were the cakes to make. Yes, those cakes.
Last year my delightfully eccentric second-born asked for a three-dimensional TARDIS cake. I have a rule: when a child requests a specific cake, I deliver—no matter what. So I wrestled with fondant (ugh), cake dowels, edible prints, and other cake-engineering tricks. After a three-day food-coloring-fueled extravaganza, I silently hoped for simpler requests this year.
When Aidan told me his choice, I breathed a sigh of relief: “I want a Boston Cream Pie!” No bright dyes, no structural shenanigans—and one of my all-time favorite desserts. Win.
I asked him why he chose it, more out of curiosity than anything. He ran out of the room shouting, “Because it’s called a pie but it isn’t one. Isn’t that great?”
Yes. Yes, it is.
Boston Cream Pie is not a pie at all; it’s a rich, buttery cake filled with vanilla-speckled pastry cream and finished with a glossy chocolate glaze. It’s playful and surprising—just like my son: charming, irresistible, and easy on the eyes.
He’s deep,
irresistible, surprising, charming, and easy on the eyes.
Aidan and Boston Cream Pie—two great things that go great together.
Happy Birthday, little fire. You are strong, loyal, hilarious, and loving. You fill my life with joy.
Boston Cream Pie
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 large egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons cold butter plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
For the Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
To make the pastry cream:
- In a heavy saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups milk, sugar, salt, and the vanilla bean with its scrapings. Heat over medium until it comes to a boil.
- In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
- Temper the egg mixture by whisking in some of the hot milk, then return it to the saucepan. Bring to a boil for 30 seconds while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in 4 tablespoons butter (and vanilla extract if using) until smooth. Smooth the surface, rub the remaining butter over it, cover directly with plastic wrap, and chill until completely cold.
While the custard chills, prepare the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Beat together the sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in the oil, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Alternate adding about one-third of the dry mixture and one-third of the milk to the batter, scraping the bowl after each addition, until smooth.
- Grease and flour an 8″x8″ square pan or a 9″ round pan. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake 38–45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the edges pull away. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
While the cake cools, make the chocolate glaze:
- Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan. Pour it over the chopped chocolate, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Let rest 5 minutes, then stir gently until smooth and glossy. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
To finish and assemble:
- Fold the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream and set aside.
- Level the cake if needed and split it horizontally. Place one layer cut-side down on a serving plate, spread the pastry cream to within 1/2″ of the edges, then top with the second layer cut-side down so the smooth top is ready for glaze.
- If not serving immediately, refrigerate before glazing—the glaze firms up in the fridge. Just before serving, pour the glaze over the center of the cake and let it spread and drip over the sides. Slice and enjoy.
We have one more birthday post coming, even though Aidan’s birthday wrapped up our season. It’s out of order but the dessert is spectacular and worth saving for last—stay tuned for a tale of mama pride and a gorgeous finish.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using your actual ingredients and preferred calculator.