Boston Cream Cupcakes

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

5 from 3 votes

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!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dessert, dessert-cupcakes

Cuisine: American Comfort Food

Servings: servings

Calories: 249kcal

Author: Renee Goerger

Equipment

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

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