Boston Cream Pie

By Samantha Seneviratne

Boston Cream Pie
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Total Time
About 1 hour, plus chilling
Rating
4(1,436)
Comments
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An American classic, Boston cream pie isn't a pie at all. Its base is an old-fashioned hot milk cake, a downy-soft, buttery yellow cake. How you whip the eggs and the sugar is critical, as the tiny air bubbles they produce add lift to the finished product.

This traditional version is best the day it's made, but will hold up in the fridge for a couple of days. You may just notice a slight change in texture. Slathered with homemade vanilla custard and a chocolate glaze, it hits all the right notes, but it would be just as lovely served with in-season berries or layered with chocolate or coffee custard instead of vanilla. Make it as is, or go rogue. Either way, it’s sure to please.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 servings

    For the Custard

    • 3large egg yolks
    • ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
    • 2tablespoons cornstarch
    • Pinch kosher salt
    • 1cup/240 milliliters whole milk
    • ¼cup/60 milliliters heavy cream
    • 1tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter
    • 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    For the Cake

    • 8tablespoons/114 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pan
    • 1¾cups/224 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1¾teaspoons baking powder
    • ¾teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¾cup/180 milliliters whole milk
    • 3large eggs, at room temperature
    • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
    • 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    For the Glaze

    • ¼cup/60 milliliters heavy cream
    • 4ounces/113 grams semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1teaspoon neutral oil, such as safflower
    • Pinch kosher salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

461 calories; 23 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 39 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 278 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the custard: In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Whisk in cornstarch and salt. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in milk and then the cream. Add butter. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, just until it starts to thicken. Immediately whisk mixture until smooth, then continue to cook and stir custard until it has come to a very low boil for 2 minutes, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Strain custard through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a small spatula. Stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface. Chill for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round baking pan, generously greasing the sides, and line it with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

  3. Step 3

    In a small saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a simmer over medium heat. When the butter is melted, remove pan from heat. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add the milk mixture and beat until combined. Then add flour mixture and vanilla and beat until combined.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes. With a very thin knife, cut around the edge to release the cake from the side of the pan. Carefully flip the cake onto the rack, then turn it right-side-up to cool completely.

  6. Step 6

    Assemble the cake: Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the cake into two layers and place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Stir custard, and spread it onto the cut side of the bottom half. Replace the top half of the cake, cut side down.

  7. Step 7

    Prepare the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium-low, heat the cream to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and pour cream over the chocolate chips, oil, salt and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Spread the glaze evenly over the top of the cake.

Tip
  • Leftover cake should be covered loosely and stored in the refrigerator. It will last about two days.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,436 user ratings
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Comments

Morna

...or use some dental floss wrapped/pulled around the cake's middle to "cut" the cake in half...

Blake

I had the same problem and searched the web ... the eggs should be whipped first and after 5 minutes then incorporate the sugar. Here's the info:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bakingisascience.com/2014/07/11/hotmilk-cak...

eleni

A couple of earlier reviewers asked why not make the 2 layers in 2 pans. I suspect I know why since I had to do it myself (my 9" cake pans are only 1.5" deep and not 2" as called for). If you make 1 cake, the 2 surfaces created by cutting in half are rougher and more absorbent which helps keep the pudding layer in place. The shinier/smoother surfaces of 2 separately baked cake layers makes it easier for the pudding and then the upper cake layer slide off the lower layer (as happened to me!)

Lurkyloo

I made this as is with a few tiny mods after reading through all comments. Almost subbed this milk cake for 1234 cake based on comments but so glad I didn't. A few thoughts: - My grievance: The timing on every NYT recipe is silly. "1 hour plus chilling?" Apart from the 3 hours+ custard chill time needing to be clearly called out up top, to make all 3 components in 1hr if you're a normal self-diagnosed hdhd'r is rubbish. The "6-8 minutes" for the custard to cook on med-low took 40 minutes alone. But that said... - My delights: The custard is bonkers. Please double the recipe. I don't care how much of it you end up using in your BCP, as long as you have extra custard to swoon over while you make the rest of this beast. I did it low and slow (yes 40 mins of stirring) and added in a split vanilla bean. Transcendent. To the commenters who said it was bland or blah, I don't know what to say? Do you like...anything? - My hot tip: I'm not a baker. I have no precision. But I really wanted to make this and for it to be great. I listened to the minority who explained how to make this cake work, rather than the majority who said it was inedible. Read comments + follow directions. - My mod: Whip eggs solo for 5-6 mins then again after you add sugar for 6-7 mins. Add milk/butter with mixer on lowest. Then add dry using a hand whisk only until everything is incorporated. Put in oven asap. May take longer than 30-35. Check every 5. Be patient. Let it cool. Do the steps. Perfection.

Woke-eyed Susan

Is it possible the order of adding the flour and hot milk are reversed? Adding the hot milk and melted butter mixture after the flour would help the butter coat the flour proteins and prevent excessive gluten development. Anyway that’s King Arthur Baking’s method, which is my tried and true hot milk cake recipe. They also use a mix of butter and vegetable oil which helps the cake stay moist for longer.

Mac

I made this with a boxed vanilla cake to cut on time. I doubled the custard and the glaze ingredients. This recipe was a bit fussy (for my tastes) with straining custard, time to chill the custard and cutting the cake in half. However I have a beautiful (slightly lopsided) cake. I am very excited to share this cake it is DELICIOUS. Will likely use these same techniques to do a strawberry cake for the summer!

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