Boston Cream Cupcakes!

But first…did I mention how much I am loving this meatloaf??  Seriously.  I had it for lunch Tuesday and yesterday and now I am truly sad it’s all gone.  Must.Make.More.

Leftovers for lunch:

Now on to the sweet stuff!

For Superbowl Sunday I decided to contribute a dessert to my friends party!  I didn’t know what to make, but I was thinking cupcakes…but what kind??

Then I had a random craving for Boston Cream Pie.  I hardly EVER have BCP, but once in a great while it just sounds so good.

I scoured the interwebs for some recipe ideas. 

I ended up at the Sugar Plum blog and My Sweet Life

For the cake, I used the recipe from Sugar Plum.  I even had meringue powder on hand from back when I made cookie favors for my friend’s bridal shower!

I HIGHLY recommend getting that dried buttermilk you see above.  It just stays in your fridge and you always have buttermilk on hand when you need it…even if you just need a little!

I really loved this cake.  It reminded me of that quintessential “cake batter” cake!  Vanilla-y and delicious!!  It was a very moist cake too, and more of a sponge cake consistency.    

Cake (source)
(my quantities are approx. 1.5 times the original)

1 7/8 cups all purpose flour (so basically a little under 2 cups)
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons meringue powder (optional, but recommended)
1/4 + pinch teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (scant)granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 1 12-cup muffin pan and 1 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

In a  mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, meringue powder and salt. In another bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer),  on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until creamy - about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined - about 2 minutes. Beat in buttermilk and sour cream until combined -about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide batter into muffin cups;

Bake regular size cupcakes for 13-15 minutes or until cupcakes are well risen and cake springs back when touched.  Minis take 8-9 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

Of course I made regulars and mini’s!  My adjustments to the quantities  yielded 1 dozen regular cupcakes, and a full pan (24) minis!  Perfect amount!

For the pastry cream I went to the recipe from My Sweet Life.  I liked that it used whole eggs (not just yolks) and the process was streamlined as everything went into the pot at once.

I also only had skim milk, but did have heavy cream so I made adjustments for that.

Pastry Cream (source)

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon  salt
2 eggs 
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup heavy cream 
1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

Stir sugar with flour and salt.  Lightly whisk eggs in a large saucepan then stir in sugar mixture until thoroughly combined.  Slowly stir in milk, making sure all ingredients are incorporated.  Place over medium heat.  Stirring constantly, bring just to a boil.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Place a piece of plastic wrap or buttered waxed paper directly on surface of cream. Cool to lukewarm

I was a tad skeptical as I’m used to the method of the recipe from Sugar Plum, but I treated this like pudding and just STIRRED STIRRED STIRRED over med/med-high heat until it thickened!

It WILL thicken, don’t worry, just keep stirring…you’re arm may get tired but the last thing you want is burnt milk on the bottom of your pan.  It will take 5-10 min, and I never really let mine “boil” but it was close, and probably would have if I stopped stirring…but don’t do that :)

Until you see this…

Now let that cool.

Then cut your cupcakes!  I used the method of cutting out a small cone shape piece from the top of each cupcake with a paring knife.  

Then once my pastry cream was at room temp, I placed it into a disposable pastry bag (or plastic bag), snipped the tip and filled them up!

   

I later went back and patted down those little “peaks” on the cream with a wet fingertip. 

Now for the chocolate.  I used the microwave method from Sugar Plum but added a 1/4 tsp of vanilla after it was melted.  

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream

In a microwave safe bowl (I used glass), combine chocolate chips and cream. Melt mixture in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth.  Stir in vanilla.

The ganache was delicious, I mean how is melted chocolate chips ever NOT delicious?? BUT I do think it was a bit too intense for these cupcakes.  I didn’t even use much, but could of used just a thin thin layer. 

I think next time I’d look for a different chocolate glaze for these, as opposed to the ganache-type icing that these had. 

They were still fabulous though…and so shiny :)

  Delicious.  And the leftovers kept very well in the fridge for days. 

Wish I had one right now :)