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Boston Cream Pie Cake
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Boston Cream Pie Cake

This is the classic cafeteria cake: two layers of soft yellow cake with a thick layer of vanilla pastry cream, all covered in a chocolate glaze that cracks when you put a fork through it. The key to this not being a complete mess is making the pastry cream the day before and letting everything chill properly before slicing.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling + Rest Time 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pastry Cream (Make this a day ahead)

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter cubed

For the Yellow Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature

For the Chocolate Glaze

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 60-70% cacao, chopped
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Method

  • Split vanilla bean, combine with milk in saucepan, heat until steaming.
  • Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth.
  • Slowly whisk half hot milk into egg mixture, then return all to saucepan.
  • Cook mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and boiling, cook 1 minute more.
  • Strain custard, stir in butter until melted, cover surface with plastic wrap, chill overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and line two 9-inch cake pans.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Cream butter and sugar 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, add vanilla.
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 parts, mix until just combined.
  • Divide batter between pans, bake 20-25 minutes until done.
  • Cool 10 minutes in pans, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
  • Spread pastry cream on first cake layer, top with second layer, chill.
  • Heat cream and corn syrup until simmering, add chocolate and butter, let stand 5 minutes.
  • Whisk glaze until smooth, cool 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Pour glaze over cake center, spread to edges.
  • Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Cake must be fully chilled for clean slices. Pastry cream needs overnight chill for best results.