Living in Santa Rosa means sunshine, good coffee, and plenty of weekend baking. These Boston cream cupcakes were born out of nostalgia, a twist on my dad’s favorite dessert from a Boston diner we visited when I was a teen. I still remember the way his face lit up with that first bite of custard-filled cake and glossy ganache topping. Recreating that moment in cupcake form? That was my challenge. This recipe is made completely from scratch, just how I like it, fluffy vanilla cupcakes, filled with silky pastry cream, and topped with smooth chocolate ganache. Dad-approved. Community-loved. And now, yours to enjoy.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
What Are Boston Cream Cupcakes?
Boston cream cupcakes are the delightful handheld version of the classic Boston cream pie, a layered dessert with pastry cream sandwiched between light sponge cake and crowned with a glossy chocolate ganache. These cupcakes shrink the magic into individual portions without losing an ounce of charm.
Unlike boxed cupcake recipes or shortcut versions that rely on pudding mixes, this recipe is made completely from scratch, showcasing a trifecta of baking fundamentals: homemade pastry cream, fluffy buttermilk vanilla cupcakes, and rich ganache. They’re as rewarding to make as they are to eat.
But let’s answer a question I get asked often:
What is Boston cream filling made of?
It’s not pudding. Real Boston cream is a custard, a stovetop creation thickened with egg yolks and cornstarch, then enriched with butter and vanilla for a dreamy, spoon-worthy texture. I guide you step-by-step, so even if you’re new to pastry cream, you’ll get it just right.
After filling, each cupcake gets a smooth layer of rich ganache on top. A quick blend of semisweet chocolate, cream, and corn syrup yields a glossy finish that firms up beautifully. It’s the dessert equivalent of a little black dress: timeless, classy, and flattering on every occasion.
These cupcakes are showstoppers at birthdays, bake sales, or just a treat-yourself Tuesday. I always recommend reading through the recipe and watching the how-to video before starting, it’ll help you avoid common pitfalls like overbaking or runny cream.
👉 If you enjoy scratch-made classics, check out these brookie cookie bars; another bite-sized crowd favorite!
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boston cream cupcakes (From Scratch!)
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 Cupcakes 1x
Description
Fluffy vanilla cupcakes filled with genuine Boston cream and topped off with a silky chocolate ganache. Made completely from scratch!
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
1 cup (236 ml) milk¹
1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream¹
⅓ cup (67 g) + 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar divided
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks² room temperature preferred
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened and cut into 4 pieces
Cupcakes
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
½ cup (118 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil or vegetable oil or other neutral oil
1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
Ganache Frosting
1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup³
⅓ cup (45 g) powdered sugar icing sugar
Instructions
Pastry Cream:
- Combine milk, cream, ⅓ cup sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
1 cup milk¹,1 cup heavy cream¹,⅓ cup + 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar,¼ teaspoon salt - In a separate large bowl, vigorously whisk together egg yolks and remaining sugar until sugar begins to dissolve (about 15-30 seconds). Sprinkle cornstarch over mixture and whisk until combined and slightly thickened.
5 large egg yolks²,3 Tablespoons cornstarch - While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle about ⅓ cup of milk mixture into the egg mixture (we’re tempering the mixture this way to keep the eggs from cooking). Gradually add remaining cream until completely combined.
- Pour mixture back into saucepan and return to the stovetop over medium heat, whisking frequently until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. Add vanilla and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until completely melted and mixture is smooth.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract,4 Tablespoons unsalted butter - Place a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pastry cream, allow to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes then transfer to refrigerator to chill completely (about 2 hours). Meanwhile, prepare cupcakes.
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line two 12-count cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- With an electric or stand mixer, beat together butter, oil, and sugar until light, fluffy, and well-combined (about 30 seconds on medium/high speed)
- ½ cup unsalted butter,½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil,1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition, and stir in vanilla extract.
- 4 large eggs,2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- 3 cups all-purpose flour,1 Tablespoon baking powder,¾ teaspoon salt
- Using a spatula now rather than the electric mixer, gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter/oil batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture and stirring until just-combined after each addition. Ingredients should be thoroughly combined, but take care not to over-mix or your cupcakes will be dense and dry. 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- Fill cupcake liners no more than ¾ full (if you have extra batter discard it, don’t overfill the liners or your cupcakes will cave in), transfer to center rack of oven (I usually bake one pan at a time to ensure even baking), and bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes in cupcake pan then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- Shortly before you’re ready to assemble, prepare chocolate frosting by combining chocolate chips, heavy cream, and corn syrup in a large heatproof bowl.
- Heat in the microwave in 25 second increments, stirring well in between, until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
- Sift in powdered sugar and allow to cool for about 10 minutes (you can carve and fill your cupcakes during this time) or until ganache is still fluid but not so runny that it will run right off the cupcakes.
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips,½ cup heavy cream,2 Tablespoons light corn syrup³,⅓ cup powdered sugar
Assembly
- Once cupcakes are cooled and pastry cream is chilled, fill a large piping bag fitted with a round tip (or use a ziploc bag with a corner cut off) with pastry cream.
- Use a knife to cut a 1 ½ ” wide and 1” deep cavity into each cupcake (don’t cut all the way to the bottom!).
- Remove this core from your cupcake and then slice off the bottom so only a ¼” thick piece of the surface remains.
- Fill cupcake with pastry cream and top with reserved ¼” thick cupcake surface, fitting it snugly against the pastry cream.
- Drizzle ganache generously over the top of each cupcake, then allow ganache to harden before serving.
Store cupcakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You may substitute the milk and the cream for 2 cups of half and half.
- Save your egg whites to make meringue cookies!
- You may leave out the corn syrup, the frosting just won’t be quite as thick and glossy.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Cooling Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 142mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 109mg
The Magic of Real Pastry Cream
Here’s the heart of every Boston cream cupcake, the pastry cream. Unlike instant mixes, this version builds flavor from the ground up. And believe me, it’s worth every minute.
To start, you’ll heat whole milk and heavy cream with sugar and salt until it steams gently.In another bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, then whisk in cornstarch to thicken. The secret is tempering: gradually adding hot milk while stirring, so the eggs heat slowly and don’t curdle. It may sound complex, but it’s really just mindful mixing.
Is Boston cream the same as vanilla pudding?
Not quite. Vanilla pudding tends to be softer and lighter, often with fewer eggs. Pastry cream, on the other hand, is sturdy enough to pipe and firm enough to stay put inside cupcakes, striking the perfect balance between pudding and custard.
Once the custard thickens, pour it through a fine mesh sieve for the smoothest result. Finish with butter and vanilla extract. As it cools in the fridge, it becomes spoonably thick and deeply flavorful.
Don’t skip the plastic wrap trick: pressing it directly onto the surface of the cream prevents a skin from forming. Nobody wants weird textures ruining their silky custard.
Now here’s where it gets satisfying carving little pockets in each cupcake and filling them with this golden goodness. I use a piping bag (or even a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) to cleanly deliver the filling into the center. If you saved your egg whites, why not whip up some meringue cookies too?
Pastry cream takes patience, but one spoonful and you’ll know: this is what Boston cream is supposed to taste like. And when it’s tucked inside a fluffy vanilla base? You’ve got true Boston cream cupcakes magic.
Baking + Assembly Tips for Fluffy Cupcakes
Boston cream cupcakes may have three parts, but don’t worry, each is simple when broken down. Let’s talk cake first.
The base starts with softened butter and oil (yes, both!). Butter adds flavor while oil keeps things tender. Cream them with sugar until light and fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla. The flour mixture (with baking powder and salt) gets added alternately with buttermilk. This alternating method prevents overmixing and ensures a tender crumb.
Here’s my pro tip: fill liners only ¾ full. Overfilling can cause the tops to sink or overflow, which means trouble when it’s time to fill them. Bake one pan at a time in the center of the oven for the most even results.
After baking, let the cupcakes cool completely. Then comes the fun part, assembly!
Using a knife, cut a small cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake. Slice the bottom off this cone and save the “lid.” Fill the cavity with pastry cream, then gently press the lid back on top. It should sit flush with the cake, hiding the delicious secret inside.
Should you refrigerate Boston cream cupcakes?
Yes, and here’s why: the filling is dairy-based and perishable. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Let them sit at room temp for 10 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
Now, drizzle that dreamy ganache over the top. Not too hot, not too cold, aim for pourable but thick enough to stay put. It’ll firm up slightly as it chills, creating that signature glossy cap.
Serve chilled or lightly warmed. Either way, each bite is a perfect blend of fluffy cake, creamy center, and decadent topping.
🍫 Want more ganache-topped goodies? Don’t miss my moist Biscoff cake.
For more Frozen treats make sure to follow me on Pinterest.
FAQs About Boston Cream Cupcakes
What are Boston cream cupcakes?
They’re inspired by Boston cream pie, vanilla cupcakes filled with rich pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganache. The cupcake format makes them portable, party-ready, and utterly irresistible.
What is Boston cream filling made of?
Classic Boston cream is a pastry cream, not pudding. It’s made from milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, butter, and vanilla. It’s thick enough to pipe, and rich enough to stand alone on a spoon.
Is Boston cream the same as vanilla pudding?
No. While similar, vanilla pudding is typically lighter and less eggy. Boston cream (pastry cream) is denser, richer, and more stable, ideal for filling cakes or cupcakes.
Should you refrigerate Boston cream cupcakes?
Absolutely. Because of the custard filling, these cupcakes must be stored in the fridge. Keep them airtight and enjoy within five days. These Boston cream cupcakes are best served chilled, but don’t be surprised if they vanish long before that.
