My dad was not a fancy baker, not by a long shot. But he had exactly one dessert that made everyone shut up and pay attention: his Boston Cream Pie. I decided to turn that legendary dessert into cupcakes, and honestly, they might be even better.
This recipe breaks down how to make the fluffiest vanilla cupcakes, a silky pastry cream filling, and that shiny chocolate ganache on top. I promise, you can totally do this, even if baking scares you a little. We’re going to take it one step at a time, and you’ll end up with something seriously amazing.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the full shopping list. Don’t skip the cake flour if you can help it—it really does make a difference in getting that super soft texture.
For the Vanilla Cupcakes
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cake flour | 1 ½ cups |
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| Granulated sugar | 1 ¾ cups |
| Baking powder | 2 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Unsalted butter | ¾ cup (softened) |
| Whole milk | 1 cup (room temp) |
| Large eggs | 4 (room temp) |
| Vanilla extract | 1 Tbsp |
For the Pastry Cream Filling
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whole milk | 2 cups |
| Granulated sugar | ⅔ cup |
| Cornstarch | ¼ cup |
| Salt | ¼ tsp |
| Large egg yolks | 5 |
| Unsalted butter | 2 Tbsp (cold) |
| Vanilla extract | 1 ½ tsp |
For the Chocolate Ganache
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Semi-sweet chocolate | 4 oz (chopped) |
| Heavy cream | ½ cup |
| Light corn syrup | 1 tsp (optional) |
Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need a ton of fancy equipment. Most of this stuff is probably already in your kitchen.
- Muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Electric mixer (stand or hand mixer)
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Medium saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Piping bag or a Ziploc bag
- Apple corer or a small knife (for hollowing cupcakes)
My Top Pro Tips
I’ve made these a hundred times, and I’ve learned a few things. These little tricks make a big difference.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you add the flour, mix it just until it’s combined. If you beat it too much, the cupcakes will be tough and dense instead of light and fluffy. Stop as soon as you don’t see any more flour streaks.
- Strain Your Pastry Cream: This is the secret to a perfectly smooth, silky filling. Pouring the cooked custard through a fine-mesh sieve catches any little bits of cooked egg. It feels like an extra step, but it’s worth it.
- Let Everything Cool Completely: I mean it. The cupcakes must be totally cool before you fill them, or they’ll fall apart. The pastry cream needs to be cold before you pipe it. And the ganache needs to cool down a bit so it’s thick enough to sit on top without running everywhere. Patience is key here.
How to Make Daddy’s Boston Cream Cupcakes
We’ll do this in three parts: cupcakes, cream, and ganache. It’s easier than it sounds.
Part 1: Bake the Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Just get it all mixed up.
Step 3: Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until it looks like wet sand.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract together.
Step 5: Pour about half of the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 6: Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Don’t go crazy here; stop as soon as it comes together.
Step 7: Fill your cupcake liners about two-thirds full. They’ll rise quite a bit.
Step 8: Bake for 18-22 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Part 2: Make the Pastry Cream
Step 1: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until it just starts to simmer around the edges. Don’t let it boil over.
Step 2: While the milk is heating, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. Then, whisk in the egg yolks until the mixture is pale yellow and smooth.
Step 3: Here’s the important part. Slowly, very slowly, pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This warms the eggs gently so they don’t scramble.
Step 4: Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
Step 5: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens and starts to bubble. This takes about 3-5 minutes. Once it bubbles, keep whisking for one more full minute.
Step 6: Remove from the heat and immediately strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
Step 7: Whisk in the cold butter and vanilla extract until the butter is fully melted and everything is smooth.
Step 8: Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream (this stops a skin from forming) and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or until completely cold.
Part 3: Ganache and Assembly
Step 1: Once the cupcakes and cream are cool, core the center of each cupcake. You can use an apple corer or just a small knife to cut out a cone shape. Don’t throw away the little cake plugs! You can eat them.
Step 2: Fill a piping bag (or a Ziploc with the corner snipped off) with the cold pastry cream. Pipe the cream into the center of each cupcake until it’s full.
Step 3: To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Step 4: Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or on the stovetop until it’s simmering. Pour the hot cream directly over the chocolate.
Step 5: Let it sit for 5 minutes without touching it. Then, gently whisk until it’s completely smooth and shiny. Whisk in the corn syrup if you’re using it—this just adds extra shine.
Step 6: Let the ganache cool for about 10-15 minutes, until it’s slightly thickened but still pourable.
Step 7: Dip the top of each filled cupcake into the ganache, or use a spoon to spread it over the top. Let the ganache set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free: You can swap the flours for a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend.
- Dairy-Free: Use unsweetened almond milk or soy milk and a dairy-free butter substitute. For the ganache, use coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate chips. The texture might be a little different, but still delicious.
- Different Flavors: Add a little espresso powder to the ganache for a mocha flavor, or a bit of almond extract to the pastry cream.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The pastry cream can also be made a day or two in advance and kept in the fridge.
For leftovers, these cupcakes must be stored in the refrigerator because of the cream filling. They’ll last for up to 3 days in an airtight container. They taste best if you let them sit out for about 20 minutes before eating to take the chill off.
FAQ Section
Q1. My pastry cream is lumpy! What did I do wrong?
Ans: You probably got some scrambled egg bits. Either the heat was too high or you didn’t whisk constantly. Straining it through a sieve should fix it right up.
Q2. Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Ans: You can, but the cupcakes won’t be as light and tender. If you have to, for every cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Q3. My ganache is too thin and running off the cupcakes.
Ans: It just needs to cool down more. Let it sit at room temperature for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s the consistency of thick syrup.
Wrapping Up
See? You made Boston Cream Cupcakes. They look impressive, but you know the secret—it’s just a few simple steps. The best part is watching someone take that first bite and discover the cream filling inside.
If you make these, I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below and tell me how they turned out or if you have any questions. Now go enjoy your amazing cupcakes. You earned it.