Boston cream pie cupcakes are homemade yellow cupcakes filled with pastry cream and topped with an easy chocolate ganache.

Boston cream pie cupcakes are delicious! I mean, what’s not to love?
Boston cream pie isn’t really pie. It’s actually made of sweet yellow cake, vanilla pastry cream, and rich chocolate ganache.
And it’s hard to go wrong with a combo like that! This recipe will leave you with several extra egg whites. Making homemade angel food cake is a great way to use up those extra egg whites.

How to make Boston cream pie cupcakes
Some Boston cream pie cupcake recipes use vanilla pudding for the filling and a yellow cake mix for the cupcakes.
This recipe takes a little more time because there are three homemade components: the cupcakes, the pastry cream, and the chocolate ganache.
MAKING THE PASTRY CREAM
Heat milk until hot and bubbly at the edges but not boiling.

While the milk it heating, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt in a small bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg yolks, whisking until incorporated before the next addition.

Stream milk into egg yolk mixture, whisking as you go (otherwise you will end up with scrambled eggs if you add it too quickly or all at once).

Once all of the milk is incorporated, return mixture to saucepan.
Cook, whisking continually, until it bubbles when you stop whisking it, about 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract.

Place pastry cream in a dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Press plastic wrap to the pastry cream (otherwise you’ll get a pudding skin on it).
Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
MAKING THE CUPCAKES
Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin (pan release works well) or use a cooking spray like Baker’s Joy that is a combo nonstick spray and flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, sour cream, and sugar until well-combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Beat in milk and vanilla until well-combined.

Add flour mixture, and stir until just incorporated.

Divide batter between prepared muffin tins.

Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed.
Cool cupcakes in the pan about 5 minutes, and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Once you’re ready to assemble the cupcakes, make the chocolate ganache.
MAKING THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Place the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl.
Heat the cream over low heat until just simmering. Do not boil. Remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate chips.
Place a piece of aluminum foil over the bowl and seal. Let the cream/chocolate chips sit for 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove the foil. Stir until the chocolate chips have melted and mixture is smooth and well-combined.
Let the ganache sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to set up before using.
TO ASSEMBLE

Cut top off of cupcake (the domed muffin top).
Using a small (1 tablespoon) cookie scoop, scoop out a piece of cake. Discard, eat, or otherwise use the cake.
Using the cookie scoop, scoop out a scoop of pastry cream, and place it in the scooped out portion of the cupcake.

Replace top of the cupcake, gently pressing the top onto the cream.
Top cupcake with some chocolate ganache.

Storing
The cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The cupcakes will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
I don’t recommend freezing the assembled cupcakes. If you would like to make the cupcake portion ahead of time and freeze them, you can. However, I recommend making the filling and ganache just before serving.

More cupcake recipes!
- Easy Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
- Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes
- Chocolate Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
If you’ve tried this Boston Cream Pie Cupcake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
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Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 egg yolks from large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cupcakes
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk Whole milk is preferable.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped in small pieces
- 2/3 cup cream
Instructions
For the Pastry Cream
- Heat milk until hot and bubbly at the edges but not boiling.
- While the milk it heating, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg yolks, whisking until incorporated before the next addition.
- Stream milk into egg yolk mixture, whisking as you go (otherwise you will end up with scrambled eggs if you add it too quickly or all at once).
- Once all of the milk is incorporated, return mixture to saucepan.
- Cook, whisking continually, until it bubbles when you stop whisking it, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract.
- Place pastry cream in a dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Press plastic wrap to the pastry cream (otherwise you’ll get a pudding skin on it).
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin or use a cooking spray like Baker’s Joy that is a combo nonstick spray and flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, sour cream, and sugar until well-combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Beat in milk and vanilla until well-combined.
- Add flour mixture, and stir until just incorporated.
- Divide batter between prepared muffin tins.
- Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed.
- Cool cupcakes in the pan about 5 minutes, and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
- Once you’re ready to assemble the cupcakes, make the chocolate ganache.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl.
- Heat the cream over low heat until just simmering. Do not boil.
- Remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate chips.
- Place a piece of aluminum foil over the bowl and seal.
- Let the cream/chocolate chips sit for 5 minutes without stirring.
- Remove the foil. Stir until the chocolate chips have melted and mixture is smooth and well-combined.
- Let the ganache sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to set up before using.
To Assemble
- Cut top off of cupcake (the domed muffin top).
- Using a small (1 tablespoon) cookie scoop, scoop out a piece of cake. Discard, eat, or otherwise use the cake.
- Using the cookie scoop, scoop out a scoop of pastry cream, and place it in the scooped out portion of the cupcake.
- Replace top of the cupcake, gently pressing the top onto the cream.
- Top cupcake with some chocolate ganache.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Originally published 4/3/13. Updated with additional photos, tips, and information 7/20/21.
Pastry cream adapted from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Peggy says
I can’t have cake flour due to Celiac Disease, could I used a gluten free flour mixture in the pastry cream?
kateheartseating says
I’m sorry, but I haven’t baked with gluten free flour mixtures, so I’m not sure how it would come out. However, the cake flour is just the thickener, so it might be worth a try. If it works out, please let me know. I’m sure other people would like to know the answer to this. =)
Stacy says
Oh I can’t wait to try these out. I have a great idea for all the leftover egg whites too. Marshmallow frosting, which is delicious on top of brownie cupcakes. Thank you!!!!
kateheartseating says
I love marshmallow frosting!! I’ve never made brownie cupcakes, but they sound fantastic! =)
Karyn - Pint Sized Baker says
everything you make looks insanely good! Thanks for linking up to Two Cup Tuesday at . I’ve pinned this for later.
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! I take that as a huge compliment coming from you! You make such amazing treats!! =)
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
My husband loves Boston Cream Pie – i should surprise him with these cupcakes sometime! Thanks so much for linking up to All My Bloggy Friends!
kateheartseating says
I hope you two enjoy them!! =)
Miz Helen says
Hi Kate,
These are just beautiful Cupcakes, I can’t wait to make this recipe. Thank you very much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
kateheartseating says
Thank you so much! And thanks for stopping by!! =)
Maria says
WOW these look delicious!!!! I looooove anything with Boston cream, and these look sooo good!!!
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! I hope you enjoy them! =)
Sarah @ Alderberry Hill says
Thanks so much for linking to Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill. You are being featured this evening!
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and join me tomorrow evening for Make the Scene Monday #69!
P.S. Pop back on Monday for a big surprise!
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! That’s awesome!! =)
Claire says
Thank you for linking up @ Craft, Create & Inspire linky party last weekend ..
Your awesome project is featured this week!
I would love for you to come and join us again this weekend ( this weeks party is now live )
Claire @ Polkadot pretties
kateheartseating says
Thank you so much!! That’s awesome! =)
Brenda Ward says
Looks yummy!
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! =)
Heather @ French Press says
I love BCP and in cupcake form they are so cute!can’t wait to try the recipe
kateheartseating says
There’s just something about mini versions (like cupcakes) that is just so cute and fun. Hope you enjoy the cupcakes!! =)
Kristina says
One way to get the creame in the middle without cutting the top off would be to make a small incision on top of the cupcake and put the creame in a piping bag and pipe it into the middle then cover with the chocolate. :)
kateheartseating says
Thanks for the tip! That sounds like it would be easy, too!! =)
Printabelle says
I love how you put the little tops back on and the frosting dripping down looks sooooo good!!!
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! =)
Anne says
Too funny, I just took note today how much my father loves Boston Cream doughnuts and thought to myself “you need to make him some Boston-Cream-Something for his birthday”.
Guess what I will be making!?!?!
Thanks!
Anne @ circusberry.wordpress.com
kateheartseating says
Happy birthday to your dad! I hope you and your dad enjoy the cupcakes!! =)
SK says
My mouth is watering looking at all these photos! I need to make these, too bad I won’t have any time to bake until next week and I don’t think a boston creme donut will even come close to compare :)
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! Someone else mentioned Boston cream pie donuts, too. How have I never had one?! I’m going to have to find out and change that. =)
Diane says
YUM!!! Pinned it! Visiting from WOW Me Wednesday…thanks for sharing1
kateheartseating says
Thanks! And thanks so much for coming by!! =)
marcie@flavorthemoments says
I love Boston cream pie, so these are my kind of cupcakes! I wish I had one now…
kateheartseating says
=)
Rita says
Wow! Like you said, What’s not to love about these?! Thanks for sharing.
kateheartseating says
Thanks! Boston cream pie really is a great combo! =)
Erika says
Yummy!! My husband will LOVE these! They will be a big hit with the family!!
kateheartseating says
Awesome! I hope you all enjoy them! =)
Jess says
Oh my goodness, this is making my mouth water! :)
Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!
kateheartseating says
Thanks! And thanks for hosting!! =)
Donna Chartrand says
I have to stop looking at all this delicious food!! Boston cream pie cupcakes!! Yes Please ;)
Adding to my list of must try ~ thanks for sharing. ;)
kateheartseating says
Thanks!! I hope you enjoy the cupcakes! =)