Boston Cream Cupcakes

A delicious take on the classic cake, these Boston cream cupcakes are easy to make and incredibly decadent.

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Based on the famous cake, these Boston cream cupcakes are addictingly delicious! Moist cupcakes are filled with a smooth cream filling and topped with a rich ganache for a flavorful cupcake. They may look difficult to make, but these cupcakes are so simple and so impressive to serve! 

Boston Cream Cupcakes Ingredients 

You’ll need:

For the Cupcakes

• 1 (15.25-ounce) box white cake mix
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 egg whites

For the Cream Filling

• 1¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix

For the Ganache

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Substitutions and Additions 

CAKE MIX: You can substitute white cake mix for yellow or vanilla cake or make your own from scratch if you prefer. 

CREAM FILLING: If you have a pastry cream filling recipe you’d like to use, feel free to use that instead of instant pudding. 

How to Make This Boston Cream Cupcake Recipe 

PRO TIP: This recipe requires cooling time for the cupcakes and ganache before they can be assembled, so plan to make them well in advance of serving. 

For the Cupcakes

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place paper cupcake liners into the cupcake baking tin and set aside.

STEP TWO: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed, mix together the cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites until combined.

STEP THREE: Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling them halfway. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

PRO TIP: When the cupcakes are done baking, allow them to cool in the cupcake pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

STEP FOUR: Using a sharp knife or a large decorator icing tip, carefully core out a small circle in the center of the cupcake, about the size of a quarter. Be careful not to cut too deep and cut the liner. Do not replace the tops of the cupcake, as this hole will hold the cream filling. 

For the Boston Cream Filling

STEP ONE: Using a hand mixer, combine the heavy cream and the instant pudding mix in a medium bowl. Beat at medium-low speed until the pudding starts to thicken. Once combined, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the pudding to chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill the cupcakes.

For the Ganache Frosting

STEP ONE: Heat the heavy cream in a small heatproof bowl for 2 to 2½ minutes. The cream must be hot when poured over the chocolate chips. 

STEP TWO: In a medium-sized heat-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and light corn syrup. Once the cream is piping hot, carefully pour the cream over the chips. Allow the chips, corn syrup, and cream to sit for 2 to 3 minutes before whisking to allow the chips to melt.

STEP THREE: Use a whisk to mix together the cream, chocolate chips, and corn syrup until smooth and fully melted. Then, cover the ganache with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for about 1 to 1½ hours.

STEP FOUR: Once the ganache has cooled, use a stand mixer or handheld mixer to whip the ganache until fluffy, about 1 minute. If the ganache is a bit stiff, add ½ tablespoon of lukewarm heavy cream.

STEP FIVE: Prepare the frosting for the top of the cupcakes by placing the ganache in a decorator’s piping bag fitted with a large frosting tip. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with a small corner tip cut off. 

For Assembly and Frosting

STEP ONE: Fill a piping bag about ⅓ of the way with the cream filling. You can also use a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with a small section of the corner tip snipped off. Twist the top unused portion of the bag to help keep air out and give more control of the cream flow.

Then, place the bag’s tip into the cupcake and use light, even pressure to fill the cupcake. Continue until the center of each cupcake is filled, flush with the top of the cupcake. Refill the bag with cream as needed. 

PRO TIP: Using a piping bag or Ziploc bag may seem unnecessary, but using them keeps the cupcake filling process much cleaner and more controlled. 

STEP TWO: To frost the cupcakes, hold the piping bag filled with ganache about ½ inch above the center of the cupcake. Using even pressure when squeezing, squeeze the bag to create the center of the swirl. Continue to squeeze, moving the tip in a C shape until the outer swirl lines connect. Repeat until all of the cupcakes are frosted.

How To Serve 

These cupcakes are always a good idea! Serve them at the end of a meal, for a celebration, or anytime you’re craving something sweet! Serve with coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk. 

Storage 

IN THE FRIDGE: Keep leftover cupcakes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 

IN THE FREEZER: Store cupcakes in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before serving. 

Simple and delicious, these moist Boston cream cupcakes with a rich, creamy filling and a silky chocolate ganache will impress everyone at the table! 

FAQ:

Q? Do I make the cake mix according to the box instructions?

A: For this recipe, you won’t follow the instructions on the cake box exactly. Instead, use the ingredients listed in the recipe card and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. 

Q? What is a Boston cream pie?

A: A Boston cream pie is a white cake with a cream filling topped with chocolate ganache. Its creation is attributed to the Boston Parker House, a hotel in Boston that created the cake for its opening in 1856. At the time, pie and cake were made in the same round pans, so the words were used interchangeably.  

Q? Why is the ganache not whipping?

A: For the ganache to become fluffy, it needs to have cooled fully in the fridge. If it’s not whipping, place it back in the fridge to cool for longer. Also, ensure you’re using heavy cream in the ganache, as cream needs a certain fat percentage to whip.

Boston Cream Cupcakes

A delicious take on the classic cake, these Boston cream cupcakes are easy to make and incredibly decadent.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 8 minutes mins

Course Cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Ingredients

  

Cupcakes

• 15.25 ounces white cake mix
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 egg whites

Cream Filling

• 1¾ cups heavy cream
• 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix

Ganache

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Instructions

 

Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place paper cupcake liners into the cupcake baking tin and set aside.
• Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, mix together the cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites until completely incorporated.
• Spoon the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling them half full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
• Leave the cupcakes in the cupcake liner, use a sharp knife or a large decorator icing tip, carefully core out only the center of the cupcake about the size of a quarter. Be careful not to cut too deep and cut the liner. Do not replace the tops of the cupcake. Leave them open for the cream.

Cream Filling

• Using a handheld mixer and a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream and the instant pudding mix. Beat on medium-low speed until the pudding starts to thicken. Cover with cling wrap and allow the pudding to chill in the refrigerator until filling the cupcakes.

Ganache

• In a heat-safe small bowl, heat the heavy cream for 2 to 2½ minutes. It is essential that the cream is hot when poured over the chocolate chips.
• In a medium-sized heat-safe bowl, add the 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips and the light corn syrup. Once the cream is piping hot, carefully pour the cream over the chips.
• Allow the chips, corn syrup, and cream to sit for 2 to 3 minutes before whisking to allow the chips to melt. Use a whisk to combine the hot cream, corn syrup, and chocolate chips. Continue whisking until the chips are melted. Cover the ganache with cling wrap and allow the ganache to cool for about 1 to 1½ hours.
• Once the ganache has cooled, using either a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer, whip the ganache for 1 minute until fluffy. (If the ganache is a bit stiff, you can add ½ tablespoon of lukewarm heavy cream)
• To prepare the ganache frosting for the cupcake, you can use a decorator’s frosting bag and a larger frosting tip (Wilton tip 2D or 2A -or- a generic large decorator’s tip). If you don’t have these, you can use a gallon-sized Ziploc baggie with a small corner tip cut off.

Cupcake Assembly And Frosting

• Using either a gallon-sized disposable Ziploc baggie with a small section of the corner tip snipped off, or a decorator’s bag with no tip, fill the bag ⅓ of the way full of cream. This will help keep the cupcake filling process a bit less messy and give a bit more control.
• Twist the top unused portion of the bag to help keep air out and give more control of the cream flow. Place the tip of the bag into the cupcake and use light, even pressure to fill the cupcake. Continue until all the cupcakes are filled. You will have to stop and refill your baggie with cream.
• To frost the cupcakes, hold the ganache baggie about ½ inch from the center surface of the cupcake above the cream. Use even pressure, squeeze to form the center of the star-swirl. Keeping the tip elevated and using the same amount of pressure, follow the outer line of the star-swirl. Making kind of a C around the star-swirl until the outer swirl lines connect. Continue until all the cupcakes are frosted.

Notes

This is an easy recipe to make but requires time to allow the ganache to cool before frosting. Give yourself lots of time to allow for the waiting time.

If you want to skip the cupcake liners, you may, just make sure you have greased the cupcake pan well so the cake doesn’t stick.

You can buy a fancy corer to cut the holes in the middle of the cupcake, but a serrated knife will do just fine.

Adding corn syrup to the ganache helps to give it that glossy shine that makes it presentation perfect.

For the fancy star swirl, we recommend the Wilton tip 2D or 2A or a generic large decorator’s tip.

Keyword Boston Cream Cupcakes Recipe