Classic Boston Cream Cake Recipe Made Easy
Make a classic Boston cream cake recipe made easy with soft sponge layers, creamy custard, and glossy chocolate ganache. A timeless treat that's simple and satisfying.
Equipment
- Two 9-inch cake pans
- Bowl, whisk, spatula
- Saucepan
- Mixer
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- * 1 cup sugar
- * ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- * 2 large eggs
- * 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- * 1½ tsp baking powder
- * ¼ tsp salt
- * ½ cup whole milk
- * 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- * 2 cups whole milk
- * ½ cup sugar
- * 4 egg yolks
- * ¼ cup cornstarch
- * ¼ tsp salt
- * 2 tbsp butter
- * 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- * 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- * ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prep two 9-inch pans.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.
- Mix dry ingredients, alternate with milk, then stir in vanilla.
- Divide into pans, bake 25–30 min. Cool fully.
Pastry Cream
- Heat milk until steaming.
- Whisk sugar, yolks, cornstarch, and salt.
- Temper with milk, return to pan, stir until thick.
- Add butter, vanilla, chill 2 hours.
Ganache
- Pour hot cream over chocolate, sit 1 min.
- Stir smooth, cool slightly.
Assemble
- Layer cake, spread pastry cream.
- Top with second cake, pour ganache.
- Chill 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Cool all components fully before assembling.
Can be made a day ahead.
Store in fridge up to 3 days.
Optional: Add fruit between layers.
Use dairy-free or gluten-free alternatives as needed.
Can be made a day ahead.
Store in fridge up to 3 days.
Optional: Add fruit between layers.
Use dairy-free or gluten-free alternatives as needed.