Boston Cream Pudding Cake

A take on classic Boston cream pie topped with a dark chocolate glaze—but surprise! The pudding cake base magically separates into a sliceable custard on the bottom and light cake on top.

Boston Cream Pudding Cake with chocolate glaze

This is the best recipe I’ve developed in a while! Plus, it’s fun to make.

It’s essentially a variation on my Lemon Pudding Cake. Like the lemon version, you make one batter with whipped egg whites folded into it. When baking, it separates into two layers. The bottom layer of this one has more of a firm flan or custard texture since it’s made with all milk. You could sub a few tablespoons of heavy cream for the milk if you like. The top cake layer is ✨light✨as✨air!✨

You can mix and bake the whole thing within an hour, which gives it a very high ROI considering how quickly it comes together and what a cool cake it bakes up into. Chill the cake, and top with this gorgeous and delicious chocolate glaze that is still a bit yielding to the fork when cool.

Note: I used @guittardchocolate Madagascar 64%. Chocolate can overwhelm anything it’s paired with, but I found this one to go really well with the vanilla cake and custard.

A perfect bake for the weekend. Some lightly sweetened whipped cream would be all you need to go with it, although it’s perfect on its own, too.

RECIPE

Yields one 8-inch round cake, serves 4-6

• 150g / 3/4 C sugar (SUGAR #1)

• 60g / 7 Tbs + 2 tsp gf flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 4 lg egg yolks

• 480ml / 2 C whole milk

• 1 scraped vanilla bean

• 4 lg egg whites room temp

• 50 g sugar (SUGAR #2)

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar #1, flour, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks, milk, and vanilla bean. Whisk the dry ingredients into the milk/egg mixture.

Whip the whites and sugar #2 to stiff peaks and fold into the milk/flour mixture.

Transfer to baking dish. It’s ok if it fills almost to the top; it will rise only a bit when baking.

Bake 20-30 minutes, until the cake on top springs back when touched. Cool.

Glaze
• 115g / 4oz 64% chocolate
• 115g / 4oz heavy cream
• 2 Tbs corn syrup (*optional)

Heat cream to almost simmer. Pour over chopped chocolate and corn syrup. Let sit for a minute, then stir until the mixture is smooth.

Let cool. It should be pourable, but not be so warm as to pour too quickly. If it does firm up too much, just microwave it 15 seconds, or put over a double boiler in a heat proof bowl for 30 seconds until it melts again - pourable but thick.

Pour over the cake and chill.

*The corn syrup is optional; it gives a nice sheen to the glaze but it’s not necessary.

Cake is best eaten the day it’s made. Store cake covered in the refrigerator for 3 days.