Pumpkin Boston Cream Pie
Layers of spiced pumpkin cake are sandwiched with maple custard and topped with a toasty caramelized white chocolate ganache. You’ll love all the Fall flavors in this unique take on Boston cream pie!
Happy Friday, my friends! Are you ready for the weekend? I know I am, it’s been a verrrrrry busy week, and I’m so looking forward to kicking back with some friends.
We’re thinking about doing a little bonfire on Saturday night. I’m thinking it will be so chill and relaxing, just hanging out on the back patio under some cozy blankets, looking at the fire with a glass of wine. Don’t you just love fall? I’m not sorry to see fall begin but let’s not talk about winter 😉
Of course, with fall comes pumpkin desserts, and this is one you’ve just gotta try!
It’s inspired by the iconic Boston cream pie, but really it bears little resemblance. The sponge cake has been replaced with a spiced pumpkin cake. It’s a lot more moist than the traditional sponge, and I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing! The custard is sweetened with maple syrup, and ermahgerd, you guys- the GANACHE! Make this cake for the ganache alone, I’m telling you! I’ve never tasted anything quite like and and it completely makes the whole cake.
Ok so we need to talk about caramelized white chocolate. It’s a thing! I’ve been seeing it more and more, but it was Graham’s description that convinced me to finally give it a go. Basically, you just bake the white chocolate in the oven, at a really low temp, for 40 minutes. It’s kind of a pain in the neck, but you’ve gotta stir it every 5. And you will probably be convinced that you’re doing it wrong the whole time. I was! I was all “there’s no way this is gonna work.” But it totally worked! It goes from looking all seized and hard and lumpy, to somehow magically liquefied, smooth, and caramelized. Then we stir in some cream and pour it over the cake. Then we swoon. Then we do a happy dance!
To. Die. For. Wow. So toasty and sweet, almost like butterscotch but with that distinctive white chocolate richness. I’m in love.
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Pumpkin Boston Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the Maple Pastry Cream:
- 1 1/2 cups (354.88 ml) milk, (I used 1%)
- 6 egg yolks, (large)
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Cake:
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 12 tablespoons (177.44 g) unsalted butter, (1 1/2 sticks), softened
- 4 eggs, (large)
- 2/3 cup (163.33 g) pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) white chocolate
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Maple Pastry Cream:
- Pour the milk into a small pot and place over medium heat until small bubbles form around the edges.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the maple syrup, cornstarch, and salt.
- Slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, while whisking, to warm the eggs.
- Place the mixture back into the pot and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a bubble and becomes very thick.
- Stir in the vanilla and transfer to a heat safe container. Lay plastic wrap over the surface. Chill for 2 hours.
Make the Pumpkin Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and mist (3) 6-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
- Place the flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the soft butter, and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Stir in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.
- Add the pumpkin, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, and mix on medium-low speed for about 90 seconds, to aerate the batter and develop the cake's structure.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely and fill with pastry cream.
Make the Caramelized White Chocolate Ganache:
- Preheat the oven to 265 degrees F.
- Break up the white chocolate into pieces, and scatter in the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 9x13 glass dish).
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Chocolate will become thick and chalky.
- After 40 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Stir until the chocolate becomes liquefied.
- Heat the cream until small bubbles form around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the caramelized white chocolate. Whisk to combine.
- Allow to cool slightly, then pour over the cake, using a metal spatula to spread in an even layer.
This.is.breathtaking. I saw pictures of it on Instagram and was soo jelly that I wasn’t able to come to that conference so I could have the pleasure of tasting it!
Aw, I wish you could’ve come too Meriem! That would have been so much fun! Maybe next year… Thanks for the sweet comment, friend!
That is one luscious, decadent dessert, Allie! So gorgeous!
Aw, thank you Meggan! xo
My eyes popped when I saw this cake. I KNEW I wanted the recipe. What a magnificent cake in every way—-looks, drama, flavor, originality.
Aw, thank you so much Carol! So happy you like; thanks for the awesome compliments 😉
Allie, what a fun twist on an already delicious dessert, I LOVE it! 🙂
Thanks Tiffany! I’m so happy you like it; thanks for the awesome feedback hon!
Allie, this is serious magic here! And I am DROOLING over that gorgeous gif. Get in my belleh!
Lol thank you Amy! You are the gif queen so if you like it I must have done something right 😉
Thank you so much for your generosity and this CAKE! I thought it was amazing!
That’s so great to hear; thanks Connie!
This is gorgeous Allie! I love love love this pumpkin twist on boston cream pie – brilliant idea sweet lady 🙂 And that caramelized white chocolate ganache looks heavenly!!! Pinned 🙂
I’m not normally a huge white chocolate person, but that ganache really got me. So glad you liked; thank you so much for the kind words, Kelly! And the pin 😉
This is such a neat twist on a regular boston cream pie. So beautiful – and caramelised white chocolate ganache? Get out! That sounds like heaven to me!
I know right? The caramelized white chocolate was a complete revelation. So glad you liked; thank you so much sweetie! xo
Are you kidding me with this Allie?? Holy freaking cake! I just want to dive in head first 🙂 Pinned!
Aw thank you so much Trish! You are the sweetest! Hope you’re having a great weekend
OH my goodness!! This is so unique. And that caramelized ganache or whatever the heck it is on top of that cake is making me swoon! Gorgeous cake!! Pinned. 🙂
OMG this is a wild recipe! Utterly elegant. This looks like a contest winner to me. Obviously I love it. Lol
This is spectacular!!
Thank you so much, Sue!
I’m completely hyperventilating over that ganache! And that maple cream! What?!
Stunning! Boston cream is my most favorite EVER. I just your pumpkin one would be so heavenly on the taste buds. LOVE it!
Gorgeous, Allie!! Hope to see you soon! 😛
What a fabulous cake! I’m certainly in love with traditional Boston Creme. And I bet this one is over the top!
Pinned.
Enjoy the first fabulous fall weekend!