Boston Cream Cupcakes
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Light golden cupcakes cored and filled with creamy pudding made with heavy cream and instant mix. Topped with whipped ganache made by melting chocolate chips with hot cream and corn syrup. Filling piping technique keeps mess low. Ganache whipped to fluffy consistency with optional cream if too stiff. Bake by visual cues toothpick clean. Chill ganache before whipping for better texture. Cream filling thickens on chill. Corn syrup smooths ganache melt. Core cupcake centers half inch deep, careful to not cut liner. Frost cupcakes using star swirl method or improvised bags. Yield 24 cupcakes offering balance of fat sugar and protein. Nutrients moderate with 299 calories per serving.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
Servings:
24 servings
#baking
#cupcakes
#desserts
#American cuisine
#chocolate
#pudding filling
#ganache
Baking Boston Cream Cupcakes is a juggling act between texture and technique. The core concept—baked sponge with creamy inside and chocolate topping—sounds simple but isn’t without tricks. You don’t just pour batter in; half-size fill is crucial to keep height and texture correct. I found that cored cupcakes need care, not too deep, not ragged edges. Cream pudding from instant mix beats homemade for speed, but chilling is key to thicken the center. Chocolate ganache needs attention to temperature; too cool cream and it seizes, too hot and it splits. Corn syrup smooths out the ganache, giving that glossy sheen that looks bakery-bought. Whipping brings air, making the frosting lighter yet pipeable. Swirling frosting is an art — I learned to hold the bag steady and pipe with even bursts while keeping distance. Cupcakes keep moist days if refrigerated; temperature swings can turn ganache brittle or too soft. You want the bite of dense cake, creamy surprise, and that bittersweet finish.
Ingredients
- Cupcakes
- paper cupcake liners
- cupcake baking tin
- cake mix
- heavy cream
- instant pudding mix
- Chocolate Ganache
- chocolate chips 11 ounces (substitute bittersweet for semi-sweet)
- corn syrup light
- heavy cream for ganache and filling
About the ingredients
Heavy cream works double duty here for cream filling and ganache so buying extra is practical. I sometimes swap half the instant pudding mix for homemade custard thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot, yields different mouthfeel. Chocolate chips replaced with chopped bittersweet bars offers superior flavor if you have the time. Corn syrup smooths chocolate but can use honey in a pinch, it’ll create slight caramel notes. If you suspect the batter mix too dry, add a splash of milk or oil for moistness—different brands vary a lot. Cupcake liners prevent sticking and keep cakes tidy, wax paper standard, parchment offers better heat tolerance. Oxo-cupcake corer tool is a great investment if you often fill cupcakes. Piping bags—disposable or reusable—make filling and frosting cleaner but a plastic zip bag with corner snipped off can do in last minute. Keep cream refrigerated to avoid spoilage, or use stabilized whipped cream version to last longer at room temp. If frosting turns grainy, warm slightly and whisk again. Baking times vary with altitude, oven hotspots; rely on visual toothpick tests, surface cracking, and touch for doneness.
Method
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven near 350, say 345 to 355 depending on your oven watch heat spots. Kind of sizzle when preheated enough. Line tins with paper liners for quicker cleanup and even bake. Batter mix per box but I prefer adding an egg yolk for richness sometimes. Blend using stand mixer or handheld, medium speed, avoid over mixing or turtle bubbles collapse. Spoon batter filling cupcake liners half full not more or batter overflows or soggy texture inside. Bake 17-20 minutes but ignore strict time; toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs but no wet batter. Golden top, slight crack, smells slightly toasted. Let cool completely in pan or on wire rack. Don't shock warm cupcakes or tops toughen. Cool at least 35-40 min.
- Core the center with sharp knife or large tip. Cut roughly quarter sized hole but depth shallow enough to not cut liner. Use gentle twist and pull to avoid tearing. Don't replace core, leave hole open. Filling needs to nestle comfortably inside. An easier way is to use apple corer or larger icing tip if available. If cores break, no big deal, just fill carefully.
Cream Filling
- Combine heavy cream and instant pudding mix in bowl. Use handheld mixer, start slow then medium-low speed. Watch pudding thicken but don’t overbeat or it will curdle. Texture changes from liquid to creamy, thickening but still spreadable, tactile test is best. Cover with wrap to avoid skin forming. Chill in fridge minimum 40-50 minutes. If pudding too runny, add more pudding mix gradually but avoid powdery grit.
Ganache
- Heat heavy cream in microwave or stovetop until almost boiling but not full boil. Tiny bubbles at edges indicate right temp. Pour immediately over chocolate chips and corn syrup in heat-safe bowl. Let sit for 3 minutes untouched to melt chocolate slowly; rushing can seize chocolate. Whisk slowly in circles to emulsify cream and chocolate. Check smooth chocolate ribbons when lifting whisk. Once fully melted, cover with cling wrap, cool at room temp for roughly 1hr to 1 hr 40 min or until slightly thickened. Chilling ganache makes whipping easier but don't overchill or ganache hardens too much.
- Whip ganache with mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute until it gains slight fluffiness. Add half tablespoon lukewarm cream if stiff or grainy. Texture should be scoopable yet pipeable. Too runny, chill longer; too stiff, add cream sparingly. Ganache stability important for swirl hold.
Assembly
- Fill disposable plastic bag or piping bag 1/3 with pudding cream. Twist top to squeeze air out to reduce mess. Pipe filling into cupcake cores slowly, feel resistance indicating full but don’t overfill or top spills out. Pipe gently; filling should not burst cupcake edges or liner.
- Fill ganache icing bag fitted with large star tip or DIY with small cut corner. Hold about half inch above cupcake center and pipe center star swirl first. Then circle around star in C motions, connecting outer spiral to form uniform frosting dome. Even pressure key to avoid frosting blobs or breaks. Practice a swirl spiral if unfamiliar. Frost all cupcakes. If ganache warm and thin, chill 10 min then try again.
- Serve at room temp. Cooling tightens ganache, warming softens. Store covered overnight if planning ahead; filling may weep slightly but still tasty. Cake stays moist due to pudding filling.
- Tips: If pudding mix unavailable, use homemade vanilla pastry cream or stabilized whipped cream with gelatin. Corn syrup replacement, use light honey or golden syrup but ganache texture may differ slightly. For vegan versions, coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate chips work but expect denser cupcakes.
- Watch closely during baking to avoid dry crumb or sunken centers. Cupcake liners peeling off tops indicate done. Also, avoid cutting cupcake caps off completely when coring—helps structural integrity.
- Ganache sometimes separates if cream not hot or chocolate chips too cold. Warm bowl slightly or reserve some cream to adjust.
- Whip ganache just until fluffy, overwhipping reverts to butter. Remember swirl patterns depend on ganache consistency.
- Filling: gradual chilling improves flavor melding. Improperly chilled pudding makes filling runny or leaks.
Cooking tips
Watch batter behavior—overmixing deflates bubbles, resulting in dense cupcakes. After baking, cake shrinks slightly from edges, a good sign. Let cupcakes rest completely before coring to avoid crumbling. Cutting the core hole too deep ruins shape; I learned gently wiggling knife in a circle with no liner damage is best. Cream filling thickens as it chills; patience crucial, don’t try to fill too soon or it leaks out messily. Heat cream to just below boil for smooth ganache; overheated cream scorches chocolate. When pouring cream over chips, trust the 3-minute melt wait — don’t stir immediately or you get grainy ganache. Let ganache cool at room temperature so it’s pipe-able yet holds shape when whipped. Whip ganache only until light fluff forms; overwhipping ruins the texture. Filling cupcakes with a small opening in bag keeps control, avoids messy overflows. Swirling frosting needs steady hand and consistent pressure; practicing on parchment before piping cupcakes helps. Store cupcakes covered or chilled; warm ganache will soften too much. These small tactile and timing cues keep batch quality consistent. Never skimp on chilling times; rushed fillings and ganache show in final cupcake structure and texture.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Batter consistency matters. Avoid overmixing; bubbles collapse and cake turns dense. Half-fill liners, no more or batter slumps. Watch oven temps near 350—listen for subtle sizzle, spot heat variations change bake time. Toothpick test crumbs with no wet batter but slight moistness. Cool 35-40 min before coring to prevent crumble. Core gently; quarter sized hole but keep liner intact. Twisting motion works better than stabbing.
- 💡 Cream filling thickens with chilling. Mix heavy cream and instant pudding on low-medium speed; don’t whip too much or it curdles. Texture shifts from liquid to spreadable. Cover or skin forms. Chill 40-50 minutes. Runny? Add powder slowly but avoid gritty. If pudding mix unavailable, stabilize whipped cream with gelatin or use pastry cream variants—textures differ, so plan chilling accordingly.
- 💡 Ganache needs precise temp control. Heat cream to tiny bubble edge, not full boil—too hot scorches chocolate. Pour over chips and corn syrup, wait 3 min untouch. Stir slowly in circles for smooth ribbons. Cool at room temp for 1-1.5 hours until thick. Overchill hardens ganache; whip medium speed only till fluff forms. Stiff? Add lukewarm cream sparingly. Runny? Chill longer. Whip too much and it turns buttery.
- 💡 Piping tips. Air trapped in bag causes spillage. Twist top tightly to squeeze air out before filling cores. Fill cupcake slowly until resistance, no overflow. Star tip for ganache swirl; hold bag half inch above cupcake. Start center star, then outer spiral in C motions connecting edges. Pressure must be steady. Warm ganache thins out, chill 10 minutes then retry piping. Practice swirls on parchment first for clean domes and avoid frosting blobs.
- 💡 Substitutions and practical adjustments. Corn syrup can be swapped with light honey or golden syrup but expect slightly different ganache mouthfeel. Chocolate chips replaced by chopped bittersweet bars for richer flavor if time allows. If cake mix too dry, splash milk or oil helps moisture. Wax vs parchment liners—parchment tolerates higher heat. Disposable piping bags work but plastic zip bag with corner snip can fill in last minute. Keep extras of heavy cream handy for filling and ganache.
Common questions
How to know when cupcakes are done?
Toothpick test crumbs, no wet batter but some moist crumbs okay. Watch top surface slight crack or golden hue. Liners peeling from cake edges signal doneness. Oven hotspots shift time; watch carefully. Don't cut cupcake tops fully, weakens structure.
Can I use homemade pudding instead of instant mix?
Yes, pastry cream or stabilized whipped cream substitute works. Texture differs and chilling longer needed usually. Instant pudding is fast but custard offers richer mouthfeel. Adjust consistency indicator by tactile test—spreadable but not runny.
Why does ganache sometimes seize or separate?
Cream temp off mostly—too hot scorches chocolate, too cold hardens and clumps. Pour cream when just bubbling edges. Stir slowly, no rushing. Corn syrup helps stabilize and smooth melt. Warm bowl slightly or reserve some cream to adjust if needed.
How to store filled cupcakes?
Covered at room temp short term; ganache will soften. Refrigerate overnight to keep moist but filling may weep slightly. Chill improves flavor melding but also firmness. Leftovers can freeze wrapped well but ganache texture may alter. Unfrosted cupcakes store longer, fill before serving.
