Boston Cream Cupcakes feature everything you love about your favorite pie all in one fluffy homemade cupcake! Soft and moist cupcakes are filled with smooth homemade custard and generously topped with rich chocolate ganache.
Enjoy more Boston cream flavor with easy recipes like Boston Cream Cake Roll and Homemade Boston Cream Eclairs!
Table of Contents
Love Boston cream pie? Then you’re really going to love these cupcakes. The best part is that these handheld treats are so much easier to make than the pie! Trust me, making homemade cupcake batter is much less work than trying to whip up a sponge cake. You get all of the flavors you love here with a fraction of the effort.
While sponge cake can be finicky and can fall (deflate) pretty easily if not done properly, this easy homemade cupcake recipe is a surefire winner. It’s the definition of tried and true and has not failed me yet! I’ve been making this Boston cream cupcakes recipe for years since it’s my husband’s absolute favorite and I’ve never had any hassle with it.
The soft and moist cupcakes are the base of this recipe and they’re all dressed up with custard and chocolate ganache, both of which are also made from scratch. This is one of those dessert recipes I love serving at parties because they fly off the plate.
Ingredient Notes
Flour – All purpose flour will work well in this cupcake recipe.
Eggs – You’ll need to separate the whites from the yolks. I always use two sure-fire ways to separate the eggs and the is either to crack it into my hands and carefully wiggle off the egg white while the yolk stays. If you have trouble with this method, use the half shell method, there you crack the egg in half and slide the yolk between the two shell halves while the white slides off. Always do it slow and gentle!
Buttermilk – You’ll need low fat buttermilk for the best results. If you have any left over, use it to make my favorite Buttermilk Biscuits or pancakes!
Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Keep in mind that both of these ingredients are the most potent when they’re used within 6 months of opening! If your baking powder is too old, your baked goods will not raise well.
Heavy Whipping Cream – You’ll need this ingredient for both the custard filling and for the chocolate ganache. I don’t recommend swapping it with any other dairy product.
Oil – A neutral oil (vegetable or avocado oil it what I use) works best. Some olive oils have a strong flavor, so if you have to use olive oil, choose one with mild flavor.
Baking Chocolate – This creates the very best ganache! Make sure to use semisweet baking chocolate bar.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make the Custard Filling
Whisk the yolks and sugar. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until completely combined (1).
Add flour. Add flour, whisk very well (2, 3) and set aside while heating the milk.
Heat the milk. Heat milk, heavy cream, butter and salt until starts to simmer (4). Do NOT boil! Turn off heat.
Add the milk mixture to the yolk mixture. Slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, add the heated milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture stirring constantly (5). Whisk slowly to combine.
Thicken it. Return the mixture into the pot and bring to simmer, while stirring constantly (6). Turn the heat back on to medium to medium-low. The mixture will thicken within a minute or two. Take off heat as soon as it thickens! Whisk in the vanilla, set aside to cool to room temperature (7).
PRO TIP: You can make custard ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container. Make sure it’s cooled to room temperature before storing. Don’t make it more than 1-2 days ahead.
PRO TIP: Note that this custard recipe makes more custard than needed. This is because some like to add a little more custard into their cupcakes than others. If you have leftovers, simply enjoy it like pudding.
How to Make Boston Cream Cupcakes
Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder together and set aside. Make sure your other ingredients are ready and measured.
Beat the eggs. In a bowl of an electric mixer (use paddle attachment), beat egg whites for a few seconds and slowly start pouring in sugar (8). Beat for 3-4 minutes, until white and fluffy.
Add the oil. Start slowly pouring in oil (9), as the eggs are still beating on medium-high. Add vanilla extract and lower the speed to low.
Flour and buttermilk. Alternating, add flour mixture (10) and buttermilk (11) in two parts. Mix until just combined. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and give it another quick mix just to incorporate.
Bake. Divide batter among the cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 of the day (12). Bake for 18-20 minutes (13).
Add the custard. Use a long, thin decorating tip fitted to a piping bag. Fill a decorating bag with the custard filling. Insert the tip into the center of the baked cupcakes while they are still hot (14).
Make the ganache. Chop the chocolate bar into as small pieces as you can. The smaller the pieces, the better it will melt. Bring the heavy whipping cream to simmer, be careful not to let it actually boil. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Cool to a little warmer then room temperature.
Add the ganache. When the cupcakes are completely cooled, spoon the ganache frosting on top of the cupcakes and let it slowly spread (15). If it does not spread too easy, help it with the edge of the rubber spatula carefully.
Storing Instructions
Make sure to cool the cupcakes before storing! Once cooled to room temperature, store the cupcakes in an airtight food storage container with a lid. Cupcakes should be covered airtight or they’ll dry out. Store them in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
Note that these Boston cream cupcakes are best when served at room temperature. So pull them out of the refrigerator and let them rest and warm up on the counter for about an hour.
Recipe FAQs
More Dessert Recipes To Try
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Boston Cream Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For Custard:*
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Cupcakes:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Ganache Frosting:
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate baking bar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream simmering hot
Instructions
Custard:
- PRO TIP: Make the custard filling FIRST. (You can even make it ahead a day or two in advance and store in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container.)
- Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until completely combined.
- Add flour, whisk very well and set aside while heating up the milk.
- Heat milk, heavy cream, butter and salt in a sauce pot, over medium heat, until starting to simmer and turn off the heat.
- Slowly add the heated milk mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, into the egg yolk mixture while stirring constantly. Whisk well but slowly.
- Return the mixture into the pot, turn the heat back on medium to medium-low, and bring to simmer while stirring constantly. (Do not boil.) The mixture will thicken within about a minute or two. Take off heat when it thickens, but do wait to it to thicken!
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder together and set aside. Make sure your other ingredients are ready.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer (use paddle attachment), beat egg whites for a few seconds and slowly start pouring in sugar. Beat for 3-4 minutes, until white and fluffy.
- Start pouring in oil, slowly, as the eggs are still beating on medium-high.
- Add vanilla and lower the speed to low.
- Alternating, add flour mixture and buttermilk in two parts. Mix until just combined. Make sure to scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and mix until all incorporated.
- Divide batter among the cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 of the day.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool for just a few minutes before filling, not all the way. It's better to fill when while still warm.
Filling the Cupcakes:
- Use a long, thin decorating tip and fit it onto a piping bag. Fill a decorating bag with the cooled custard filling. Insert the tip into the center of the baked cupcakes while they are still pretty warm. Squeeze out about a tablespoon or so of the custard.PRO TIP: watch out for the cupcakes cracking. If they are cracking, they're starting to overfill.
Ganache Frosting:
- Chop the chocolate bar into small pieces. The smaller the better it will melt.
- Bring the heavy cream to simmer, be careful not to let it actually boil!
- Pour the boiling cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Cool for a few minutes, to a little warmer then room temperature.(If you notice your chocolate is not melting as well, pop it into the microwave for 15 seconds on half the power. Whisk until smooth.)
- When the cupcakes are completely cooled, spoon the ganache frosting on top of the cupcake and let is slowly spread. If it does not spread too easy, help it with the edge of the rubber spatula or a spoon carefully.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in June 2011.
Cathy says
These sound delicious, so would you say Heavy Cream is the same as Heavy Whipping Cream? I would like to try these but unable to find Heavy Cream in our grocery store. thanks
Lyuba says
yes, heavy cream is the same as heavy whipping cream. I’m sorry about that. Hope you like it!
Sammie G says
Just made these tonight, and they came out pretty well! I’m glad you had step by step pictures…I would have taken the cream filling off the stove way too early if not! Mine took almost ten minutes to thicken. Everything else was pretty easy, although next time I might add a little more flour to the cake, as I live at high altitude and mine turned out just a little flimsy. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
lyuba says
I’m so glad it turned out well, Sammie! I’ve actually had several readers tell me that they live in high altitude and that there a couple of things they need to do differently. I’ve never baked at high altitude myself, so I’m glad you know what you would need to adjust because I wouldn’t be much help 🙂
Thank you!
yasmeen says
i tired it and it tasted sooo good but the cream filling didn’t look like the picture, when i wanted to eat it, it was very little
Michi says
Hi Lyuba,
the cupcakes were not only beautiful to look at, the recipe was super delicious! I tweaked it a little bit though (hate to have left over eggs) and would love to do a post on my blog about it, of course linking to yours. I mainly write in German, but have a translation in English as well.
Would you be ok with that?
Thanks,
Michi
lyuba says
Hi, Michi!
You can definitely write the post. You can link back to me as the inspiration/original recipe. Just make sure you use your own photos and don’t copy the recipe exactly (the ingredients are fine to copy, since that’s the ingredients you used 🙂 ). I’m so glad that you liked the cupcakes! Thank you!
Michi says
Hi Lyuba,
I definitely will use my own pics and text and will link to you as my inspiration.
Thanks and again, great post!
lyuba says
I’m so glad I could inspire! That’s why I’m here 🙂
Mandy says
Pinned and making for Father’s Day. Thanks so much for sharing. They look DELICIOUS!
Jennifer @ Delightfully Noted says
Holy moly that first pic seriously makes me want to lick the screen…LOL These sound delicious! Thanks for linking to my “best of 2011” party.
PS. Love your blog name!
Our Italian Kitchen says
Love these cupcakes! Looks great!
ladybehindthecurtain.com says
Thanks for sharing your yummy recipe with us at Cast Party Wednesday. I hope you come back and visit us tomorrow. You are being featured as one of the top 3 most viewed links check back tomorrow to see if you’re in the number one slot. If you are then I made your recipe! Don’t forget to grab a featured button!Thanks again.I hope to see you there!