Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

I went to Boston and ate its cream pie (which is not actually a pie but a cake -- America is so confusing.) It was at that place that people waited 30 minutes in line just to buy pastries. I wasn't impressed. I thought I could do better. So I tried. I wanted to make the big cream pie but it will be for a party with 25+ people. A cake is too messy to eat. Cupcakes would do.



Not to brag, but I think my cupcakes taste better than the real thang....

I started with Creme Patissiere/Pastry Cream from JoyOfBaking.com. It made creamy, not too sweet and very vanilla scented cream. By itself, it tasted kind of bland but I trusted the people at Joy. So I pushed on. With all those steps and ingredients, the "creme patissiere" was actually pretty easy to manage and whisk out.

While waiting for the pastry cream to cool down, I baked a batch of my favorite vanilla cupcakes - recipe below.


After letting the cupcakes cool, I cut out cone-shaped hole from each cupcake. Filled the hole with about a teaspoon of pastry cream. Removed the 3/4 bottom of the cone and capped the top back on the cupcake.



I doubled this recipe for Satiny Chocolate Glaze. After letting the glaze cool down a bit so that it's not so runny, I spooned about a scant tablespoon on top of each filled cupcakes. The glaze hardened (but not like a rock) after it completely cooled and kept its shape and place on top of the cupcakes.

To quote a comment on my Facebook the day after the party from a friend:
Those were the BEST cupcakes I've had in my life.

Best Vanilla Cupcakes Ever!

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 sticks butter at room temperature


• 2 cups sugar


• 4 eggs


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners.


2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.


3. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add vanilla extract.


4. Sift a third of flour mixture alternately with a third cup of buttermilk into the wet ingredients. Stir (the lowest mixer setting) until just combined after each alternation. Scrape the bowl if needed.


5. Fill the prepared muffin pans up to 2/3 full as the cake will rise. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Rotate and switch the pan half way through baking. Let cool in the pans for a minute, then remove and cool on cooling racks. Make 32 cupcakes.