Ingredients Cupcakes:

• 1 ¾ c flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 c sugar
• 12 Tab unsalted butter softened (1 ½ sticks)
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ c milk
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• custard filling (see below)
• chocolate glaze (see below)

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position.
2. Heat to 360 degrees.
3. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray, flour generously and tap pan to remove excess flour.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt.
5. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add in eggs one at a time until just combined with butter/sugar mixture.
7. Stir vanilla into milk and add 1/3 to egg mixture.
8. Beat in ½ flour mixture until barely combined.
9. Next add 1/3 of the milk mixture, beat until combined.
10. Then add the remaining flour, beat until combined.
11. Beat in remaining milk.
12. Fill muffin cups three quarters full.
13. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 18 – 20 minutes.
14. Cool cupcakes in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
15. Make custard while cupcakes bake.

Ingredients Custard:

• 2 c whole milk
• ¼ c sugar
• 3 Tab corn starch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 large egg yolks slightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla (do not use Mexican or Tahitian vanilla – tends to be too floral)

Directions:

1. In a heavy 2 qt sauce pans, mix all ingredients except vanilla.
2. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
4. Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap on the surface of the custard.

Ingredients Chocolate Glaze:

• 6 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (do not use chocolate chips)
• 4 Tab butter

1. Directions:

   Melt together in double boiler.

2. If too thick to drip down sides of cupcakes, thin with more butter.

Assembly:

1. When cupcakes and custard are cool, cut off caps of cupcakes and remove some of the insides, being careful not to cut through the bottom.
2. Fill the cupcakes to over flowing with the custard and replace tops.
3. Place cupcakes on wire rack over parchment paper or foil.
4. Spoon chocolate glaze over cupcakes and allow to drip down the sides.
5. Keep refrigerated until served.

Add a nod to Vermont – serve with Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream.

Serves: 12

Source: Cooks Country and Donna Barasch

Comments:  These are best served the day they are assembled, but the cupcakes and the custard can be made a day ahead.  Do not make the glaze until just before assembling.  Traditionally, the custard is placed between 2 cake layers and the whole is drizzled with chocolate. This is referred to as a Boston Cream Pie. No one seems to know why it is called a pie and not a cake.