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    Home » Dessert Recipes » Cupcake Recipes

    Published: Jul 13, 2022 · Modified: Dec 27, 2022 by Renée · This post may contain affiliate links · 20 Comments

    Boston Cream Cupcakes

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    A closeup of Boston Cream Cupcakes along with a title text overlay graphic with a whisk.

    Boston Cream Cupcakes with vanilla pudding centers are mini, individual servings of Boston Cream Pie. These easy-to-make cupcakes are decadent, delicious, and always a crowd-pleaser!

    A cake plate filled with Boston Cream Cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting on top.

    These mini Boston cream pies are filled with a thicker than normal instant pudding and pie filling, as opposed to a traditional pastry cream. You're going to appreciate how quickly these cupcakes are to make, and how much everyone loves them!

    I originally shared this recipe in 2014. I've recently updated this post with additional information, including a recipe card (complete with nutritional information), and a video of how these individual mini Boston cream pies are made.

    I've changed this recipe only slightly with the addition of a vanilla pudding center, and not a pastry cream, as originally shared in 2014.

    Subscribe to my Kudos Kitchen channel on YouTube. See you there!!

    A pretty white floral cake plate topped with Boston Cream Cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting.
    Jump to:
    • 🛒The ingredient list:
    • 💡How this recipe came to be (excerpt from 2014):
    • ❓How many cream filled cupcakes does this recipe make?
    • 🧊 Can these cupcakes be frozen?
    • ☑️ Kitchen equipment needed:
    • ⏲️ Conventional vs Convection Oven Baking Times:
    • 🔔 Modifications and substitutions:
    • 🧈 Unsalted or salted butter in baked goods:
    • 📷 The step-by-step photo instructions:
    • 📌 Additional Cupcake Recipes you'll also enjoy:
    • 📇The printable recipe card:
    • Printable Recipe Card

    🛒The ingredient list:

    A visual graphic ingredient list for making Boston Cream Cupcakes.

    💡How this recipe came to be (excerpt from 2014):

    I had the idea several months ago to make a Boston Cream Pie and it swirled around and around in my head for all that time before I actually got my ingredients together, and was ready to roll.

    After months and months of thought, my idea for Boston Cream Pie had magically morphed into Boston Cream Cupcakes, with the same great taste but in a new mini-self-serve size!

    The recipe guide I decided to use was a Martha Stewart recipe I'd found on the web for Boston Cream Pie. After all, who better to go to than Martha, when it comes to baking, right?

    Well....at least that's what I had hoped for, but I needed to adjust!

    The recipe I'm sharing with you today is my adaptation of Martha's recipe in which I had to play with her ingredient quantities for successful results.

    My experience with Martha's written recipe was disappointing for me, but I know that if you follow my changes and adaptions, you'll be highly successful, and that you'll have delicious Boston Cream Cupcakes you'll be proud to serve (not that I'm dissing Martha, mind you).

    ❓How many cream filled cupcakes does this recipe make?

    As written this recipe makes 18 large cream filled Boston Cream Cupcakes so be advised that you'll need two standard-sized muffin tins. That said, one will still work, but you'll have to bake the cupcakes in two batches.

    🧊 Can these cupcakes be frozen?

    They can, but I would recommend freezing the baked cupcake portion only, and before filling and frosting.

    Since the pudding center and the ganache topping only take moments to make this recipe will still be quite speedy to make should you decided to freeze the baked cupcakes in advance as a time-saver.

    ☑️ Kitchen equipment needed:

    These cupcakes don't especially require any special baking equipment. As long as you have mixing bowls of all sizes, measuring cups and spoons, a hand mixer or stand mixer, a whisk and a spatula you're off to a good start.

    Two standard-size muffin tins will also come in handy, but one will work in a pinch. I like to use the microwave-safe bowl to heat the heavy cream for making the chocolate ganache frosting, and you'll also require a small saucepan (or a second microwave-safe bowl) for heating the butter and milk for the cupcake batter.

    A kitchen timer is always a baking essential, as is a cooling rack, toothpicks or a cake tester, and pot holders or oven mitts for retrieving the baked cupcakes from the oven.

    You'll appreciate having a serrated knife on hand for when it's time to cut the cupcakes in half, and lastly a piping bag or large zip-top bag works well for adding the pudding filling neatly onto the cupcakes.

    ⏲️ Conventional vs Convection Oven Baking Times:

    If you're baking in a conventional oven, go with the time that is written in the recipe card. 25-30 minutes at 350-degrees Fahrenheit.

    If you're baking in a convection oven, cut the bake time down by approximately 5 minutes.

    You're looking for the cupcakes to be golden brown in color and for a toothpick or cake tester to come out clean when inserted into the center of a baked cupcake.

    🔔 Modifications and substitutions:

    The day I remade this recipe and decided to go with a pudding center instead of the standard pastry cream, I also realized that I didn't have any heavy cream in the refrigerator for making the chocolate ganache frosting.

    Instead of running out to the store for heavy cream I decided to swap out some flavored coffee creamer I'd been using (it was Almond Joy flavor), and the result was an especially delicious chocolate ganache with very light hint of coconut.

    Of course you could potentially use whatever flavor of liquid coffee creamer you happen to have (if you're looking to flavor your ganache), or use the heavy cream as stated in the recipe.

    In that same vein, the choice of an instant pudding flavor for the filling can also be swapped for your favorite.

    The only thing you'll want to make certain of is that you use less milk than what the large box (5.1 ounces) of instant pudding instruction calls for. You'll only use 2 cups of milk. This way the filling will get nice and thick so it will stay in the center of the cupcakes without oozing out all over the place.

    🧈 Unsalted or salted butter in baked goods:

    I definitely go against the norm on this as I always use salted butter in my baking.

    My feelings are that unless you know for a fact that your store-bought salted butter is unusually salty, you'll never detect an overly salty flavor in your baked good by using salted butter.

    However, if you're one of the people to profess "I want to control how much salt is in my baked goods!" feel free to use unsalted butter. It's completely a personal preference.

    📷 The step-by-step photo instructions:

    1. Add 2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs to a bowl. Save the whites for another purpose.
    2. Add the eggs and sugar to a large bowl.
    3. Blend until the sugar dissolves.
    4. Continue blending until the egg and sugar mixture turn a pale yellow.
    5. Meanwhile, heat milk and butter to a low simmer. Remove from heat.
    6. Pour in the vanilla and stir well. Slowly pour the warm milk, butter, and vanilla mixture into the egg and sugar. Blend on low until fully combined (not shown).
    7. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
    8. Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet batter, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally until thoroughly blended.
    9. Transfer the batter to a bowl with a pour spout to make filling the cupcake tins easier.
    10. Spray the cupcake tins with baking spray and pour each well ¾'s full of batter.
    11. Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 22-30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack after baking.
    12. Once cooled, use a serrated knife to cut each cupcake in half lengthwise.
    13. To make the vanilla pudding filling add a large box of instant pudding mix to a bowl with two cups of cold milk.
    14. Stir with a whisk to combine and until the pudding is thick, and easily holds onto the whisk.
    15. Add the pudding into a piping bag or zip top bag and pipe roughly 1-1½ tablespoons of pudding onto the top of each cut cupcake. Gently press the top portion of each cupcake onto each pudding-filled cupcake. Refrigerate.
    16. Meanwhile, heat heavy cream until just shy of boiling and pour it over the prepared semi-sweet chocolate.
    17. Stir well until the chocolate is melted and glossy.
    18. Spoon the chocolate ganache frosting over each cupcake and you're ready to serve or refrigerate until serving.

    Egg yolks and egg whites in two separate dishes/
    Eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl.
    A stand mixer creaming together eggs and sugar for Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    Butter and sugar combined in a mixing bowl for cupcake batter.
    Butter and milk in a saucepan for making Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    Vanilla extract being poured into cupcake batter for Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    A mixing bowl and a whisk mixing flour, salt, and baking powder.
    Flour being poured into cupcake batter for Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    Golden cupcake batter being poured into a bowl with a pour spout.
    Golden cupcake batter being poured into a bowl with a pour spout.
    A bowl with a pour spout filling cupcake tins with batter for Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    Golden baked cupcakes in a cupcake tin.
    Golden cupcakes that have been cut in half lenghtwise.
    Instant pudding mix in a bowl with milk.
    Thick yellow vanilla pudding for Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    Vanilla pudding in a plastic bag being piped onto one side of a Boston Cream Cupcake.
    Chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl with hot cream being poured into it.
    A bowl of glossy brown melted chocolate ganache for Boston Cream Cupcakes.
    A glossy chocolate ganache frosting being put onto a Boston Cream Cupcake with a spoon.

    📌 Additional Cupcake Recipes you'll also enjoy:

    • Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes
    • Caramel Apple Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Mint Brownie Cupcakes

    📇The printable recipe card:

    ⭐If you've made this recipe, or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating on the recipe card, along with a comment of why you rated as you did.

    Google loves ratings and will show my recipes to more people if they have them. Thank you. 🙂

    Printable Recipe Card

    A closeup of a Boston Cream Cupcake topped with chocolate ganache.

    Boston Cream Cupcakes

    Renee Goerger
    Boston Cream Cupcakes with vanilla pudding centers are mini, individual servings of Boston Cream Pie. These easy-to-make cupcakes are decadent, delicious, and always a crowd-pleaser!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, dessert-cupcakes
    Cuisine American Comfort Food
    Servings 18 servings
    Calories 249 kcal

    Equipment

    • hand mixer or stand mixer
    • stand mixer or hand mixer
    • whisk
    • spatula
    • Mixing Bowls
    • measuring cups and spoons
    • baking spray
    • standard cupcake pan
    • microwave-safe bowls
    • 5 inch Serrated Knife
    • cooling rack
    • kitchen timer
    • cake tester optional
    • 1-quart saucepan
    • oven gloves

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the cupcakes:

    • 1¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 2 eggs
    • ¾ cup milk
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    For the filling:

    • 1 box (5.1 ounces) instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
    • 2 cups milk

    For the chocolate ganache:

    • 8 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • ½ cup heavy cream

    Instructions
     

    To make the cupcakes:

    • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
    • Spray cupcake tins (18 wells) with baking spray. Set aside.
    • Blend together the 2 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, and the sugar in a large bowl until very pale yellow in color. This will take approximately 4-5 minutes.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
    • Meanwhile, in a saucepan heat the milk and butter to a low simmer to melt the butter, but do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Cool slightly if the mixture is more than warm to the touch.
    • Very slowly pour a stream of the warm (not hot) milk mixture into the mixing bowl with the eggs and sugar while beating continually.
    • In increments, add the ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time to the mixing bowl beating lightly after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
    • Once the batter is thoroughly blended, fill 18 cupcake wells ¾'s full with the batter.
    • Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    • Remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.
    • Once completely cooled, remove the baked cupcakes from the tin and use a serrated knife to slice each cupcake in half horizontally.

    To make the vanilla pudding filling:

    • Add 2 cups of cold milk to a medium-size bowl. Add the pudding mix packet to the milk and whisk until the pudding is thick, and doesn't drip off the whisk. This will take approximately 3-4 minutes. Cover and chill until ready to use.
    • When ready to use, use a spatula to transfer the pudding to a large piping bag or gallon-sized zip-top bag. If using a zip-top bag, use scissors to snip a hole in the bottom corner of the bag for piping.

    To make the chocolate ganache frosting:

    • Add the chopped chocolate (chocolate chips will also work) to a medium-size bowl. Heat the heavy cream and butter in a microwave until hot but not boiling.
    • Pour half of the hot cream over the chocolate and stir continually until the chocolate melts. Pour in additional cream (as needed) until you come to the desired consistency. Thick, and not too drippy.

    To assemble the Boston Cream Cupcakes:

    • Pipe approximately 1-1½ tablespoons of pudding filling on to the bottom half of each cupcake. Replace the tops to the cupcakes, pressing lightly.
    • Spoon the prepared chocolate ganache over each cupcake and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Video

    Notes

    For best results, preheat oven for at least 20 minutes before baking.
    If baking in a convection oven, reduce the bake time by about 4-5 minutes and test for doneness with a cake tester or toothpick.
    You can store the finished Boston Cream Cupcakes in the refrigerator (loosely covered) for up to 2 days.
    I recommend freezing the cupcakes without filling or frosting, for best results. Store the cupcakes in an air-tight freezer container for up to 2 months. Thaw thoroughly and then fill, frost, and enjoy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 173mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 254IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you'll come back and visit me often. There is always room for you around my table!

    Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen here on my blog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. It is always my distinct pleasure to respond to you just as soon as I possibly can.

    Custom Renee Signature

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz says

      July 14, 2022 at 7:35 am

      5 stars
      Boston Cream pie is my dads favorite so I'm going to make him these cupcakes! I know they'll be a winner for him, too!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 14, 2022 at 9:57 am

        I have no doubt, Liz.
        Enjoy!
        Renee

        Reply
    2. Natalie says

      July 14, 2022 at 7:31 am

      5 stars
      Well, this is delicious! Made it for my kids party. They weren`t as beautiful as yours, but surely tasteful, thanks!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 14, 2022 at 9:59 am

        It's always about the taste, first and foremost.
        I'm glad this recipe was a hit.
        Thanks, Natalie!
        Take good care,
        Renee

        Reply
    3. Paula says

      July 09, 2014 at 12:31 am

      What a deliciously cute idea! I'm a big fan of anything Boston Cream and of single serving desserts.

      Reply
    4. Nutmeg Nanny says

      July 08, 2014 at 11:01 pm

      These cupcakes look amazing! I wish I had one right now 🙂

      Reply
    5. Angela {Mind Over Batter} says

      July 08, 2014 at 7:42 pm

      Oh, snap! I'm down with the single serve deal. I would, of course, eat this whole batch!

      Reply
    6. Elizabeth says

      July 08, 2014 at 2:11 pm

      These look so, so good! I am drooling!!

      Reply
    7. Susan says

      July 08, 2014 at 11:51 am

      Your cupcakes look like donuts cut in half and stuffed with serious pastry cream! Looks amazing!

      Reply
    8. Lauren says

      July 07, 2014 at 11:10 pm

      Boston cream donuts are the best donuts, so Boston cream cupcakes must be the best cupcakes!

      Reply
    9. Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom says

      July 07, 2014 at 10:58 pm

      I love when a thought of a recipe then transforms into something a little different once you make it. I think these cupcakes are much better than a pie any day. Love the portion sizes!

      Reply
    10. Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says

      July 07, 2014 at 8:23 pm

      Boston Cream is my dad's fave - he would love these!

      Reply
    11. The Food Hunter says

      July 07, 2014 at 2:54 pm

      My husband is going to love these.

      Reply
    12. Paula-bell'alimento says

      July 07, 2014 at 6:55 pm

      Holy moly. Drooling.

      Reply
    13. Angie says

      July 07, 2014 at 5:29 pm

      These donuts look out of this world!

      Reply
    14. Amanda @TheKitcheneer says

      July 07, 2014 at 5:27 pm

      I love this idea for Boston Cream Cupcakes! And your pictures look gorgeous as always 🙂

      Reply
    15. Back for Seconds says

      July 07, 2014 at 5:26 pm

      Looks so good! Boston Cream anything is my favorite!!

      Reply
    16. Rebecca {foodie with family} says

      July 07, 2014 at 2:02 pm

      Boston Cream Pie is one of my all-time fave desserts, and I'm CERTAIN these would be awesome because they're INDIVIDUAL SIZED!

      Reply
    17. Ginny McMeans says

      July 07, 2014 at 1:37 pm

      These look like they cost a million bucks!

      Reply
    18. samantha says

      July 07, 2014 at 1:28 pm

      I love the way you did this cupcake so you cut the cupcake and then reassemble. So cute!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Renee! I've been a passionate home cook for over 40 years. I specialize in easy-to-make comfort food dishes from appetizers to desserts and everything in between.

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