Description
These tender and fluffy Boston Cream Pie cupcake recipe yields just 6 perfectly moist one bowl vanilla cupcakes (that are naturally eggless and dairy free, so vegan!), filled with an easy lush vegan pastry cream, and topped with a silky pastry cream frosting that’s dipped in chocolate ganache! Naturally made without eggs and dairy free, these small batch Boston cream pie cupcakes taste just like the real deal- only in cupcake form!
Ingredients
Scale
Small Batch Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) vegan buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (65 g) avocado oil
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract + 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour*
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 batch vegan vanilla buttercream or vegan cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) vegan heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) dairy free milk*
- 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
- 3 tbsp (30 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp vegan butter, cold
- 1/2 cup (100 g) vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) vegan heavy cream
Instructions
- Prep: Line a half dozen cupcake tin with 6 cupcake liners. Preheat the oven to 350F. Start with making the cupcakes first.
- Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste. Then add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. As you whisk, pour in the vegan buttermilk and whisk JUST until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the batter.
- Bake the cupcakes: Scoop the batter to fill 6 cupcakes. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in their cupcake tin for 30 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the pastry cream: In a small saucepan WITHOUT heat, whisk together the vegan heavy cream, dairy free milk, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla bean paste, and sea salt. Then bring the saucepan to medium heat, and whisk as the mixture cooks and thickens. Once thickened (about 7 minutes), remove from heat, and add in the vegan butter. Stir until the vegan butter is melted and incorporated. Then transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, and cover lightly with saran wrap. Place the bowl into the fridge to chill until the pastry cream is cold, about 30 minutes.
- While the cupcakes are cooling: Make the vegan chocolate ganache by heating up the heavy cream (either in the microwave or on the stovetop) until hot. Then add in the chocolate chips, and let sit for 1 minute to start to melt. Mix vigorously to combine. Then set the chocolate ganache aside to cool to room temperature as the cupcakes are cooling.
- Next, make the frosting: Whether you’ve chosen the buttercream or the cream cheese frosting, make a half batch of whichever frosting you’re using following the instructions in the post. Then cover and set aside as we prepare for assembly! We’ll add the remaining pastry cream to the frosting in Step 8.
- Fill the cupcakes: Once the cupcakes and pastry cream are cooled, you can fill the cupcakes. Slice a small 1/2″ divot into the top of each cupcake (or use a cupcake corer). Spoon the pastry cream into a piping bag and pipe the pastry cream into the cavity of each cupcake. You will have leftover, which we will use for the frosting!
- Finish the frosting: Add the remaining pastry cream frosting to the cream cheese frosting, and cream together on high speed until fluffy. It will be soft, which is not a problem!
- Pipe the frosting: Fill a piping bag with a round tip and pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake. Place the cupcakes onto a plate and place the plate into the freezer to chill for 5-10 minutes. This will harden the frosting enough for us to dip the cupcakes into the ganache.
- Dip the cupcakes: Once the frosting feels set, remove the cupcakes from the freezer. Stir the chocolate ganache if it has set a bit (you can also do a quick zap in the microwave for 5-10 seconds). Carefully dip the top of one cupcake into the chocolate ganache, twist, and pull back up. Place the cupcake back onto the plate or cooling rack, and repeat for all of the cupcakes.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve the cupcakes immediately or store for later covered in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
Gluten free: Swap in King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour for gluten free Boston cream pie cupcakes.