
Boston Cream Pie
Two layers of golden sponge cake sandwiching thick custard, all topped with a glossy layer of chocolate. Boston Cream Pie
The French pastry chef who invented the Boston cream pie at the city's Parker House Hotel probably didn't anticipate that, well over a century later, the cake would still be around, sold in supermarkets, interpreted as cupcakes, as ice cream, even finding prominence as a doughnut flavor. But there's an unwavering appeal to those two layers of golden sponge cake sandwiching thick custard, all topped with a glossy layer of chocolate—technically, it's not a pie at all. We're not surprised by its popularity, or its staying power. In fact, we'd rather not imagine a world without it.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
- 1 1⁄2 cups flour, plus more for pan
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 2⁄3 cup buttermilk
For the Filling and the Glaze
- 1 cup sugar
- 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
- 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1⁄2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
- 6 eggs yolks
- 1 1⁄2 cups milk
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 4 oz. 60-percent bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 cup heavy cream