Boston Cream Cupcakes
These buttery vanilla cupcakes are filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganache. If you love the flavors of Boston cream, you’ll love these Boston cream cupcakes!
Growing up, I was the odd kid who was all sorts of indifferent about doughnuts. Actually, I leaned more toward dislike than indifference (that still holds to this day). Doughnuts never did much of anything for me. Count me out on the funnel cake train, as well. The one exception to my doughnut dislike was Boston cream. Now those doughnuts I would gobble up and look for seconds. Seriously, if you fill just about anything with pastry cream and top it with chocolate, chances are, I’m going to eat it. Quite a few years ago, I baked a Boston cream pie for my grandma to commemorate her 91st birthday (new, improved recipe here) and, needless to say, it was an enormous hit. I had no doubt that a cupcake version would be just as good, and I was right. You just can’t go wrong with pastry cream and chocolate!
I actually think that these Boston cream cupcakes are better than a traditional Boston cream pie. You know me and my preference for a large frosting to cake ratio in my cupcakes. Well, the same holds true when we’re talking about pastry cream inside of a cupcake. The higher the pastry cream to cake ratio, the happier my taste buds are.
These cupcakes start with a fabulous, buttery vanilla cake recipe. Once the cupcakes have cooled, the insides are hollowed out and filled to the brim with pastry cream, then the entire top of the cupcake is smothered in a chocolate ganache glaze. While these cupcakes involve three different components, they come together quite easily and are a cinch to assemble.
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If you’re as big of a fan as I am of cupcakes, pastry cream and chocolate, you absolutely cannot go wrong with these babies.
Since I’m still not gaga over doughnuts, I’ll just eat a few more Boston cream cupcakes in the meantime!
One year ago: Symphony Bars
Four years ago: Toasted Coconut Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Five years ago: Filled Raisin Cookies
Ten years ago: Egg Muffins
Boston Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Pastry Cream
- 1⅓ cups (317.33 ml) heavy cream
- 3 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 2 pieces
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Cupcakes
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup (183 ml) whole milk
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze
- ¾ cup (178.5 ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (85.25 ml) light corn syrup
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Pastry Cream: Heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.
- When the cream reaches a full simmer, slowly whisk it into the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is completely melted. Transfer the pastry cream to a small bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on low speed. Add the butter one piece at time and mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Add the milk and vanilla extract, increase the speed to medium, and mix until light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
- Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Glaze: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, chocolate and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set the glaze aside to cool and thicken at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Assemble the Cupcakes: Using a paring knife, cut into the center of the cupcake at a 45-degree angle about ⅛-inch from the edge and cut all the way around. Remove the cone and cut away all but the top ¼ inch, leaving a small disk of cake.
- Fill the inside of each cupcake with pastry cream and top with the disk of cake. Spoon the chocolate glaze over top of each cupcake, covering the top completely. Refrigerate the cupcakes until the glaze is set, about 10 minutes. The cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on September 26, 2013. The only adjustment made was serving size; the original recipe listed 12 cupcakes and in subsequent testings, I’ve found that the batter yields closer to 18 cupcakes.
Do you. Have nutrition values?
Hi Rebecca, No, my recipes do not have nutritional information.
These look fabulous. One question: I always weigh ingredients when I bake. How do you measure your flour? Dip and sweep, spoon and level, sift and level? Thanks!
Hi Patrick, I also weigh my flour.
These look yummy! I know Catherine commented and asked if you can substitute for the corn syrup but I was wondering if it can be left out? Thanks for all of the delicious recipes and beautiful pictures of your creations! :)
Wish I had one of these right now! :) They look amazing.
I can’t wait to make these! Can you recommend a substitute for the corn syrup though? That’s not something I’ve ever used. Thanks!
Hi Catherine, Even if you’ve never used it, if it’s available to you, I would recommend using it. The corn syrup helps to thin the chocolate and create a shiny ganache.
These look Delish! I have never met someone that doesn’t like donuts. I had to talk myself out of stopping for some this morning. Lol
I love Boston Cream ANYTHING!! Putting these on my to-do list for sure!!
Boston cream anything sounds delicious to me. I am looking forward to trying these. They look perfect!
Those look absolutely amazing! Can you have one delivered to Michigan for me? Please :)
I’d much rather prefer this over the traditional pie – it’s so much more fun to eat!
My fiance would LOVE these. He doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth but the one thing he always gets at Dunkin Donuts is a Boston Cream.
Yum!!! I love Boston Cream… I will definitely try these, they look delicious!!!
What a great recipe! My boyfriend’s birthday is coming up and he loves eclairs. I don’t know if I’m up for making eclairs, but these cupcakes I can do :).
Any kind if creamed donut is a favorite but add chocolate and it is a winning match! I am such a huge cupcake fan and definitely want to give these a try!!
Oh these look wonderful! What a genius idea – boston crème donuts are my favorite and now we can have them in a cupcake!! LOVE it girl! :)
I love Boston cream donuts! I need to try these cupcakes, they look fabulous!
These look delicious!!! I love Boston Cream Cake, so I have to give these a try!
I have never had Boston Cream anything and I do not know why! These look awesome! All that cream and chocolate on top is calling my name!
My daughter does not care for doughnuts either…or condiments. No syrup on her waffles, no mayo on her sandwich, no ketchup on her fries…WEIRD! Any-who, Boston Cream is my husbands favorite so I will be giving these cupcakes a try ASAP!
Wow, what a sinful, decadent cupcake! I can almost taste their creamy center. I wish I had one right now for breakfast!
These look awesome!! Yum!
Oh man, what a great recipe!! The cream center is calling me!! I need these cupcakes in my life!!
Hi, please could I ask how you get your cupcakes to come out flat on top? Mine also comes out like there’s a slight volcano on top (sometimes with a bit of cracking as well)?
Honestly, it all depends on the recipe. If a cupcake recipe has more baking powder or soda, it will rise more, which can create the domes. To keep them from spilling over, don’t fill the batter too high.
Thanks for getting back to me! Am looking forward to trying this recipe!
My cake decorating teacher just told us to flatten them when they come out of the oven, while they’re still hot. Just kind of punch ’em down lightly (and carefully). It works for cakes, too!
I used this while I was making these earlier tonight and it worked great! I had never thought of that before. Thanks for the great tip! :)
All this time I thought I was the only person not into doughnuts! I really don’t particularly love them-I remember just wanting I scrape the icing off and eat that, hehe. These Boston cakes look lovely!
This look absolutely fabulous, full stop. I love ganache to the point of insanity, truth be told. Will a hand mixer work though, if we don’t have a stand mixer? Just tricky? Any tips?
Hi Nat, I think you would be just fine with a hand mixer!
I was funny about doughnuts growing up, too. I would ONLY eat the jelly kind. I love the idea of boston cream in a cupcake form! :)
You just can’t go wrong with pastry cream and chocolate – that’s for sure. And a higher ration of pastry cream (or frosting) to cake, always a great plan. I don’t even really need cake, I’ll just take spoonfuls of frosting!
Nothing like a little pastry cream to make the day!
I was in Boston looking for the perfect Boston Cream Pie because I loved it so much growing up. All I found was a really heavy one! These cupcakes are the perfect size and that cream filling looks amazing. Why couldn’t I find these in Boston??
I was exactly the same way about doughnuts growing up! I would only eat boston cream, bavarian cream or the chocolate cake glazed doughnuts. I’m still just as picky about doughnuts although I like to try new things so I’m always up for trying new flavors, especially at local bakeries as opposed to chains. These look absolutely delicious though! I’ll have to try them soon!