6-Inch Boston Cream Pie

4.50 from 4 reviews

This 6-Inch Boston Cream Pie has all of the decadent goodness of the classic cake, and is perfect just for two. Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake made with two moist and spongy cake layers that sandwich a creamy vanilla pastry cream. And topping it off is a silky chocolate ganache.

Prep Time30

Cook Time22

Total Time52

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 551kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

Ingredients

Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
1 pinch salt

Yellow Cake

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk, room temperature any kind
¼ cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup canola oil or any neutral oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking bar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons corn syrup

Instructions

Vanilla Pastry Cream

Make the pastry cream first, or even the night before. In a medium mixing bowl, add the egg yolks, cornstarch, and one-third of the milk. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.
2 large egg yolks, room temperature, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, cup whole milk
In a small saucepan, add the remaining milk and sugar. Heat over medium until small bubbles appear along the sides of the saucepan. Do not boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Then very slowly drizzle in about half of the heated milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup whole milk
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, still whisking constantly, and return to medium heat. Cook until the cream starts to thicken and bubble. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, 1 pinch salt
Remove the cream from the heat. Add the butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until incorporated, and the butter has melted. Pour it through a fine mesh strainer set over a heat-proof mixing bowl. This will remove unwanted lumps. If needed, use a spatula to help it through the strainer.
Cover the pastry cream with a piece of plastic wrap, directly touching the surface to keep a skin from forming. Transfer it to the refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble the cake. Ideally, it should have at least 2 hours in the fridge, but overnight is best.

After covering the pastry cream with plastic wrap, I like to let it cool on the counter for about 15 minutes before putting it in the refrigerator to chill. This will keep too much condensation from forming with the hot cream and the cold fridge.

Yellow Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line the bottom of 2 6-Inch round cake pans with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly grease and flour the pans.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt
In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the milk and stir in the sour cream.
1/2 cup milk, room temperature, 1/4 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
In a medium mixing bowl, add the sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Mix in half of the milk mixture. We reserve the rest to alternate with the dry ingredients.
2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkle half of the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and fold into the batter until just incorporated. Mix in the remaining milk. Finish by sprinkling the remaining dry ingredients into the batter and fold until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix - it is ok if there are a few lumps.
Pour the batter equally into the prepared cake pans and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the cakes are golden, spongy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Tip – Use a cookie scoop to equally portion the batter into the cake pans.
Cool the cakes in the pans set on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then gently invert the cake pans onto the wire rack to release the cakes. Carefully peel away the parchment paper if it stuck, and flip the cakes back over to cool on the rack completely.

Chocolate Ganache

Make the ganache while the cakes are cooling. In a small bowl, add the chocolate and vanilla extract.
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup, heat the cream for about 20 to 30 seconds, until it's warm, but do not let it boil. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Add the corn syrup (this makes the ganache shiny) and whisk until the ganache is smooth. Set aside at room temperature so it can thicken slightly, and until ready to assemble the cake.
2 teaspoons corn syrup
Assemble the Cake - Stir the pastry cream to loosen it if it has been in the fridge overnight. Set one of the cakes on a serving platter, and smooth the pastry cream on top and all the way to the edges. Set the second cake on top. Stir the ganache again so it is nice and smooth, and pour it onto the top of the cake in the center. Using a spoon or offset spatula, smooth out the ganache to the edges of the cake, allowing some to drizzle down the sides.
The cake is best enjoyed the day it is baked. It can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Beyond that and I recommend covering and refrigerating it.

Nutrition