Boston Creme Pie

Boston Cream Pie is another favorite of my Mom's, but it's really more like a cake! The recipe and options provided are from the Betty Crocker's Pie and Pastry Cookbook, c1968.  It even describes BCP as "a New England specialty, this 'pie' is actually a custard-filled cake topped with icing."

1 1/2 cups Softasilk Cake Flour or 1 1/4 cups Gold Medal Flour (regular or Wondra) (??)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Heat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour round layer pan, 9x1 1/2 inches.  Measure all ingredients except Cream Filling and Chocolate Glaze into large mixer bowl.  Blend 30 seconds on low speed, scraping bowl constantly.  Beat 3 minutes on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool. Split cake to make 2 thin layers. (I always have trouble with this - one vintage cookbook advises using an electric knife - yikes!) Fill layers with Cream Filling:  spread Chocolate Glaze over top. Serve in wedges.  Refrigerate remaining cake.  **If using Self-Rising Flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Cream Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
In saucepan stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt thoroughly.  Add milk gradually to egg yolks; stir egg mixture slowly into dry ingredients.  Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of filling; cool thoroughly.

Chocolate Glaze
Melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine and 2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate. Blend in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 3/4 tsp. vanilla.  Stir in about 2 tablespoons hot water, 1 tsp. at a time, until glaze has spreading consistency and is smooth.

Variation:  Washington Pie:  Follow recipe for Boston Cream Pie except - substitute 1 cup jelly for the Cream Filling.  Omit Chocolate Glaze and sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar. (This sounds like a variation on my favorite Jelly Cake!)

Notes from Author:  The Cream Filling for Boston Cream Pie can be varied in a number of other ways; two of our favorites are Almond Cream and Chocolate Cream.  For the Almond, decrease vanilla to 1/2 tsp; stir in 1 tsp. almond extract and 1/2 cup toasted silvered almonds. To make Chocolate Cream Filling, increase sugar to 2/3 cup and add 1 square (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate after stirring in egg mixture.

I've never seen variations on this before. It's hard to find in Vintage Cookbooks under this name, but you'll see it under different titles. Enjoy!