Boston Cream Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate, vanilla custard and vanilla bean cupcakes... oh yeah, count me in!

No one knows why they call Boston Cream Pie that, especially when most people know it is actually cake!  But... really who cares, it tastes awesome.

It was a friend's birthday and her favorite is white cake and chocolate frosting, so I started thinking, what kind of interesting cupcake can I make out of the most basic cake and frosting choices?  I know, something with custard. I'd eat just about anything with custard on it... really, it's so yummy and comforting.  This filling is something you could also use for the cream base in a fruit tart, or layered in an English Trifle dessert, which some day, I am going to make...

At the party, I had two containers of cupcakes, one for that night and one to take to our next party the next day (we were hopping all over Western WA on the holiday weekend).  It was immediately apparent that there would be no cupcakes for the next day party.... I mean, really... would you stand between cupcakes and rabid eaters that want another cupcake NOW?

Nope... I didn't think so.


Here's the order that you should make the recipes for these cupcakes. 

1. Make the custard filling first and get it chilling.  You can even make this up the day before. 
2. Second, bake the cupcakes and let fully cool. 
3. Last, make the ganache and top the cupcakes right away.  The chocolate ganache will get firmer as it cools, but will retain a fudgy texture. 

Cream Filling Ingredients:

Makes a little more than a cup, enough for 18 cupcakes

3/4 cups whipping cream or half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

pinch of salt

Heat your cream and vanilla over medium high heat. In a small bowl, beat your egg yolks, sugar, flour and salt. 

 Take a about 1/3 cup of hot cream out and pour into the egg mixture, beating the whole time.  Then add the egg mixture to the rest of the hot cream. Stir continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 2-3 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Don't overcook it, or your texture will get gritty!

Remove from heat and remove to a bowl to cool.  Cover the top surface of the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate if you are doing this the day ahead.

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients:
Makes about 18 cupcakes

2 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oil

1 cup water, or vanilla soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    (note- I actually scrapped a vanilla bean pod into this cake instead, but either works!)

1 tablespoon vinegar, white or Cider

Preheat oven at 350.
Mix together all dry ingredients, then the liquid (water, coconut milk, juice, soy milk, etc), oil and extract, then add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until uniformly moistened.  This batter is a bit more liquid than most batters, but it cooks up nice and moist! Line your muffin tin with papers and fill each one a little over 1/2 full.  Bake for about 18- 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache ingredients:

8 oz good chocolate

1/2 cup cream

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the cream and chocolate for 30 seconds.  Stir, if needed, microwave another 30 seconds, stir again.  It takes a minute of stirring, but usually it is fully melted after one minute total cooking time.  Don't over do it, it keeps its gloss and looks terrific if you just barely melt it.


It's really pretty fun, but some of my most popular recipes on the blog are CUPCAKES!  Here are some others worth trying out:

Coconut Cream Filled Cupcakes

Margarita Filled Cupcakes

Reese's Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting