Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Yesterday I posted about the cheesecake that managed to be. Today are the slightly complicated, but somehow perfect cupcakes I made for the losing team, the New England Patriots. This makes me 2 for 3 for Super Bowl desserts and teams winning that I want. To be fair, I was the only one in NE garb for the Super Bowl and that’s only because I won a free jersey opening weekend at a bar. Everyone else was repping their team…none of which were playing.

But the food! The food was a winner and so was everyone there. So yes, these are a little complicated, but it is Martha Stewart. In the end, you know it’s going to be delicious.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes from Martha Stewart:

Yields 16-18

Cupcakes-

1½  c. all-purpose flour, plus more for tins

1½  tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ c. whole milk

6 Tb. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins

3 large eggs

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Cream-

2 large egg yolks

¼ c. sugar

2 Tb. plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 c. whole milk

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Chocolate-Ganache Glaze

2/3 c. heavy cream

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 Tb. light corn syrup

The vanilla cream needs to cool for at least an hour, so do this part first. Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days. It doesn’t take a lot of work, but give yourself more leeway than I did. I cut it really close to game time!

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients. Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.

While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the ganache glaze. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often.

Using a serrated knife, cut each cupcake in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately.

I had extra ganache and left it alongside so anyone could add more to their cupcakes. It was that good. These are very moist cupcakes with a perfect crumb. They look a little fancy too, which is fun. A little work, but worth it. You know what Martha would say, right?