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Boston Cream Cupcakes
Boston Cream Pie cupcakes are a mini version of a favorite dessert. Moist cupcakes, vanilla cream, and chocolate ganache is a classic combination.
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Fluffy vanilla cupcakes, filled with vanilla cream, and topped with a smooth chocolate ganache. If you love the full-sized version of this dessert, you will want to sink your teeth into this mini version of the classic recipe.
MORE RECIPES: Vanilla Cupcakes | Cookie Dough Cupcakes | Chocolate Brownie Cake
You can’t go wrong with vanilla cream and chocolate. It’s probably why the Boston Cream Pie inspired not one but two mini versions of the classic dessert, first the Boston Cream doughnut, and now cupcakes.
While its name has pie in it, a traditional Boston Cream Pie is a cake with a cream filling. These cupcakes have all the elements of the full-sized cake, a moist buttery cake, filled with vanilla cream, and topped with rich chocolate ganache.
This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, so it’s perfect for a birthday party, holiday gathering, or a potluck where you need to feed a crowd. Serve this luscious dessert with a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or a mug of milk.
Boston Cream Cupcakes Ingredients
Cake mix - box white cake mix
Water
Oil - vegetable oil
Eggs - egg whites
Heavy cream - for cream filling and ganache
Vanilla pudding - box instant vanilla pudding mix
Chocolate chips - semi-sweet chocolate chips
Corn syrup - light corn syrup
While there are three different components to these cupcakes, the cake, the filling, and the ganache, they all come together easily with a little help from the grocery store by using a cake mix and vanilla pudding. However, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can also make your cupcakes and pastry cream from scratch.
For the cake mix, you could replace the white cake mix with vanilla or yellow cake mix. No matter what kind of cake mix you decide to use, make sure to allow plenty of time for all the parts of this recipe to cool. The cupcakes need to cool before adding the filling and the ganache needs to cool before it can be used as frosting.
You can use a corer, even an apple corer, to cut the hole out of the center of the cupcake, but you can also use just a simple serrated knife. The final step is frosting the cupcakes with your cooled ganache. You can either use a decorator's frosting bag with a large tip, or even a gallon-sized Ziploc baggie with a small corner tip cut off.
How to Make Boston Cream Cupcakes
Cupcakes
FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place paper cupcake liners into the cupcake baking tin and set aside.
SECOND STEP: Using either a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, prepare the cake mix according to the instructions on the back of the box.
THIRD STEP: Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling them half full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
FOURTH STEP: Leave the cupcakes in the cupcake liner, use a sharp knife or a large decorator icing tip, carefully core out only the center of the cupcake about the size of a quarter. Be careful not to cut too deep and cut the liner. Do not replace the tops of the cupcake. Leave them open for the cream.
Cream Filling
FIFTH STEP: Using a handheld mixer and a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream and the instant pudding mix. Beat on medium-low speed until the pudding starts to thicken. Cover with cling wrap and allow the pudding to chill in the refrigerator until filling the cupcakes.
Ganache
SIXTH STEP: In a heat-safe small bowl, heat the heavy cream for 2 - 2 ½ minutes. It is essential that the cream is hot when poured over the chocolate chips.
SEVENTH STEP: In a medium-sized heat-safe bowl, add the 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips and the light corn syrup. Once the cream is piping hot, carefully pour the cream over the chips. Allow the chips, corn syrup, and cream to sit for 2-3 minutes before whisking to allow the chips to melt. Use a whisk to combine the hot cream, corn syrup, and chocolate chips. Continue whisking until the chips are melted. Cover the ganache with cling wrap and allow the ganache to cool for about 1 to 1 ½ hours
EIGHTH STEP: Once the ganache has cooled, using either a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, whip the ganache for 1 minute until fluffy. (If the ganache is a bit stiff, you can add ½ tablespoon of lukewarm heavy cream)
Cupcake Assembly and Frosting
NINTH STEP: Using either a gallon-sized disposable Ziploc baggie with a small section of the corner tip snipped off or a decorator’s bag with no tip, fill the bag ⅓ of the way full of cream. (This will help keep the cupcake filling process a bit less messy and give a bit more control) Twist the top unused portion of the bag to help keep air out and give more control of the cream flow. Place the tip of the bag into the cupcake and use light even pressure to fill the cupcake. Continue until all cupcakes are filled. You will have to stop and refill your baggie with cream.
TENTH STEP: To frost the cupcakes, hold the ganache baggie about ½ in from the center surface of the cupcake above the cream. Use even pressure, squeeze to form the center of the star-swirl. Keeping the tip elevated and using the same amount of pressure, follow the outer line of the star-swirl. (Making kind of a C around the star-swirl until the outer swirl lines connect) Continue until all the cupcakes are frosted.
Do I have to use cupcake liners?
If you want to skip the cupcake liners, just make sure that you thoroughly grease the cupcake pan to prevent the cake from sticking.
How do I make the ganache shine?
Make sure your ganache has that glossy shine by adding corn syrup to the heavy cream and chocolate chips.
How do I frost the cupcakes?
To create the fancy star swirl, use the Wilton tip 2D or 2A, or a generic large decorator’s tip.
How do I core a cupcake?
Make sure the cupcake is completely cool. Then using a serrated knife, carefully carve out a hole in the center of the cupcake that is about the size of a quarter. Be careful not to cut too deep, only about 1 inch. You can also use a corer.
How to Store Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover Boston Cream Pie cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Cupcakes can be stored in the freezer in a sealed airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Boston Cream Cupcakes
Boston Cream Pie cupcakes are a mini version of a favorite dessert. Moist cupcakes, vanilla cream, and chocolate ganache is a classic combination.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 8 minutes
Servings 24
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 egg whites
Cream Filling
- 1 ¾ cup heavy cream
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix
Ganache
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place paper cupcake liners into the cupcake baking tin and set aside.
- Using either a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, prepare the cake mix according to the instructions on the back of the box.
- Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling them half full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
- Leave the cupcakes in the cupcake liner, use a sharp knife or a large decorator icing tip, carefully core out only the center of the cupcake about the size of a quarter. Be careful not to cut too deep and cut the liner. Do not replace the tops of the cupcake. Leave them open for the cream.
Cream Filling
- Using a handheld mixer and a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream and the instant pudding mix. Beat on medium-low speed until the pudding starts to thicken. Cover with cling wrap and allow the pudding to chill in the refrigerator until filling the cupcakes.
Ganache
- In a heat-safe small bowl, heat the heavy cream for 2 to 2 ½ minutes. It is essential that the cream is hot when poured over the chocolate chips.
- In a medium-sized heat-safe bowl, add the 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips and the light corn syrup. Once the cream is piping hot, carefully pour the cream over the chips. Allow the chips, corn syrup, and cream to sit for 2 to 3 minutes before whisking to allow the chips to melt. Use a whisk to combine the hot cream, corn syrup, and chocolate chips. Continue whisking until the chips are melted. Cover the ganache with cling wrap and allow the ganache to cool for about 1 to 1 ½ hours
- Once the ganache has cooled, using either a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer, whip the ganache for 1 minute until fluffy. (If the ganache is a bit stiff, you can add ½ tablespoon of lukewarm heavy cream)
- To prepare the ganache frosting for the cupcake, you can use a decorators frosting bag and larger frosting tip (Wilton tip 2D or 2A -or- a generic large decorators tip). If you don’t have these, you can use a gallon-sized Ziploc baggie with a small corner tip cut off.
Cupcake Assembly and Frosting
- Using either a gallon-sized disposable Ziploc baggie with a small section of the corner tip snipped off, or a decorator’s bag with no tip, fill the bag ⅓ of the way full of cream. This will help keep the cupcake filling process a bit less messy and give a bit more control. Twist the top unused portion of the bag to help keep air out and give more control of the cream flow. Place the tip of the bag into the cupcake and use light even pressure to fill the cupcake. Continue until all cupcakes are filled. You will have to stop and refill your baggie with cream.
- To frost the cupcakes, hold the ganache baggie about ½ in from the center surface of the cupcake above the cream. Use even pressure, squeeze to form the center of the star-swirl. Keeping the tip elevated and using the same amount of pressure, follow the outer line of the star-swirl. Making kind of a C around the star-swirl until the outer swirl lines connect. Continue until all the cupcakes are frosted.
Notes
TIP: This is an easy recipe to make but requires time to allow the ganache to cool before frosting. Give yourself lots of time to allow for the waiting time.
TIP: If you want to skip the cupcake liners, you may, just make sure you have greased the cupcake pan well so the cake doesn’t stick.
TIP: You can buy a fancy corer to cut the holes in the middle of the cupcake, but a serrated knife will do just fine.
TIP: Adding corn syrup to the ganache helps to give it that glossy shine that makes it presentation perfect.
TIP: For the fancy star swirl, we recommend the Wilton tip 2D or 2A or a generic large decorator's tip.
Nutrition
Serving: 24g | Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 172mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 372IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg
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