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Ultimate Boston Cream Pie Ganache Drip Cake Recipe

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4.5 from 102 reviews

The Ultimate Boston Cream Pie Ganache Drip Cake is a decadent layered dessert combining moist yellow cake, creamy vanilla custard filling, smooth vanilla and chocolate buttercream frostings, and a rich dark chocolate ganache drip. This impressive cake is perfect for special occasions or celebrations, offering a delightful blend of textures and flavors through multiple frosting swirls and a shiny ganache finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Yellow Cake

  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla powder
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup whole milk (room temperature)

Vanilla Custard Filling & Swirls

  • 1 package (3.4 oz) Jell-O instant pudding mix, vanilla
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk (cold)
  • ½ tub (4 oz) Cool Whip, extra creamy (thawed)

Vanilla & Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • ½ cup salted butter (softened at room temperature)
  • ½ cup butter-flavored shortening (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla powder
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • 3½ – 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)

Dark Chocolate Ganache Drip

  • 4 oz Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 4 oz heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake rounds and line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pure vanilla powder until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add Eggs: Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
  5. Combine Flour and Milk: Alternately add the flour mixture and whole milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix gently but thoroughly after each addition to create a smooth batter.
  6. Bake the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  7. Cool Cakes: Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool almost completely in the pans. Then turn the cakes out onto the wire rack and cool fully.
  8. Refrigerate Cake Layers: Wrap cooled cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready for leveling and assembly.
  9. Prepare Vanilla Custard Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the vanilla pudding mix with powdered sugar until combined. Gradually pour in cold milk and whisk for 2 minutes until smooth. Fold in spoonfuls of thawed Cool Whip until fully incorporated and lump-free. Refrigerate the custard in an airtight container.
  10. Make Buttercream Frostings: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together softened salted butter, shortening, and almond extract. Add heavy whipping cream and mix well.
  11. Add Powdered Sugar and Vanilla Powder: With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar and pure vanilla powder. Beat for 2-3 minutes until creamy.
  12. Divide Buttercream: Reserve one-quarter of the buttercream into a small bowl for the chocolate buttercream. Continue mixing the remaining vanilla buttercream until the desired consistency, adding extra powdered sugar or cream as needed. Store both frostings separately in airtight containers.
  13. Prepare Chocolate Buttercream: To the reserved buttercream portion, add cacao powder and mix until smooth and spreadable, adjusting consistency with cream if necessary. Store separately.
  14. Make Dark Chocolate Ganache: Place finely chopped chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Heat heavy cream just to a simmer, then pour it over chocolate.
  15. Let Ganache Sit: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 2 minutes. Then gently stir from center outward until smooth and shiny.
  16. Cool Ganache: Cover ganache surface directly with plastic wrap and allow it to cool and thicken overnight at room temperature; do not refrigerate or stir while setting.
  17. Level Cakes: Using a cake leveler, trim the tops of the chilled cake layers to create flat surfaces for stacking.
  18. Assemble Cake Layers: Spread a small smear of vanilla buttercream on an 8-inch cake board, place the first cake layer on it. Using a piping bag fitted with Wilton 2A tip, pipe a border of vanilla buttercream around the top edge of the layer.
  19. Add Custard Filling: Inside the buttercream border, pipe a continuous swirl of vanilla custard filling on the center of the cake.
  20. Top With Second Cake Layer: Place the second cake layer on top of the custard.
  21. Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of vanilla buttercream all over the cake to seal in crumbs. Use an offset spatula and pastry scraper to smooth the sides and top.
  22. Chill Cake: Refrigerate the crumb-coated cake until firm.
  23. Prepare Ganache Drip: Once ganache has set and thickened, gently stir it to re-incorporate, then warm briefly in the microwave (5-10 seconds). Transfer ganache to a squeeze bottle.
  24. Apply Ganache Drip: Place the tip of the squeeze bottle just above the top edge of the chilled cake and gently squeeze to create drips around the perimeter. Pour remaining ganache into the center and spread evenly to the edges using an offset spatula.
  25. Chill Ganache: Return the cake to the refrigerator to chill and firm the ganache drip.
  26. Pipe Buttercream Swirls: Using a Wilton 2D (closed star) tip, pipe chocolate buttercream swirls on top of the ganache. Then pipe vanilla custard swirls with a Wilton 1M (open star) tip in spaces between the chocolate swirls.

Notes

  • Ensure all dairy ingredients and eggs are at room temperature to achieve the best cake texture.
  • Vanilla powder enhances the flavor without adding extra liquid, but vanilla extract can be substituted if unavailable.
  • Allow the ganache to rest and thicken overnight for optimal drip consistency and shine.
  • Keep the crumb coat thin to avoid excess frosting while ensuring a smooth finish.
  • Use cake turntable and piping bags with appropriate tips for easier assembly and decoration precision.
  • Refrigerate assembled cake between steps to help set frostings and fillings for clean layers.
  • The chocolate ganache should be warmed only slightly before dripping to avoid melting the crumb coat.

Keywords: Boston Cream Pie, Ganache Drip Cake, Layer Cake, Vanilla Custard Cake, Chocolate Buttercream, Dessert, Celebration Cake

Find it online: https://savorandsimmer.com/ultimate-boston-cream-pie-ganache-drip-cake-recipe/