I have a confession to make. As much as I love cakes, pastries and anything that is a dessert, I am not really into those boston cream filled donuts or cakes. I never have and I’m sure I never will. They taste really bland and artificial to me.
So, after finding this recipe, I decided to give boston cream a chance. After all, it’s made from scratch using real ingredients — heavy cream, eggs, butter, sugar. Sounds good already, doesn’t it?
For the pastry cream, make sure the plastic wrap is directly on the surface so it doesn’t form a skin.
Some similar recipes call for cake mixes which can be an alternative. However, I prefer to use the cupcake recipe given here.
Bake the cupcakes in a greased and floured muffin tin rather than paper cupcake liners so the chocolate glaze can run down the sides of the cooled cakes. I used the 1/3 measuring cup to fill each muffin cup.
Check these out!
The tops flatten a bit when the cupcakes cool down. Once they’re completely cooled, you can start assembling the cupcakes.
Insert the tip of a small knife at a 45-degree angle about 1/8 inch from the edge of the cupcake and cut all the way around, removing a cone of cake.
Cut away all but the top 1/4 inch of the cone, leaving only a small disk of cake.
Fill the cupcake with 2 tablespoons pastry cream and top with the disk of cake.
Set the filled cupcakes on a wire rack set over parchment paper. Spoon 2 tablespoons of glaze over each cupcake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
The verdict? Boston cream is really, really good as long as it’s made with real eggs, butter, sugar and cream. It’s certainly worth making these cupcakes from scratch.
They’re so good it’s hard to stop at one. Enjoy!
Boston Cream Cupcakes
From: Cooks Country
Makes 12
Ingredients
Pastry Cream | |
1 1/3 | cups heavy cream |
3 | large egg yolks |
1/3 | cup sugar |
Pinch table salt | |
1 | tablespoon cornstarch plus 1 additional teaspoon |
2 | tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut into 2 pieces |
1 1/2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
Cupcakes | |
1 3/4 | cups all-purpose flour , plus additional for dusting muffin tin |
1 1/2 | teaspoons baking powder |
3/4 | teaspoon table salt |
1 | cup sugar |
12 | tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces |
3 | large eggs |
3/4 | cup milk |
1 1/2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
Chocolate Glaze | |
3/4 | cup heavy cream |
1/4 | cup light corn syrup |
8 | ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped |
1/2 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
Instructions
1. For the pastry cream: Heat cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl. Add cornstarch and whisk until mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.
2. When cream reaches full simmer, slowly whisk it into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pastry cream to small bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
3. For the cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray, flour generously, and tap pan to remove excess flour.
4. With electric mixer on low speed, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter, one piece at a time, and combine until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add milk and vanilla, increase speed to medium, and mix until light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes.
5. Fill muffin cups three-quarters full (do not overfill). Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan 5 minutes, then transfer them to rack to cool completely.
6. For the glaze: Cook cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set glaze aside to cool and thicken for 30 minutes.
7. Prepare and fill cupcakes. Refrigerate until just set, about 10 minutes. (Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)
4 Comments
Wow… I definitely want to try these… YUM!
You should. They’re not hard to make. Just takes time.
Looks divine!
Thanks! They’re really good!