Boston Cream Cupcakes

I apologize for my long hiatus...I've been busy with school! But I am back!!! Here is a recipe I made awhile back and didn't have a chance to post. It was a delicious cupcake with the custard filling and rich chocolate glaze. It reminds me of the boston cream donuts you can get at Dunkin Donuts. I got the recipe from the book 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson . Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
  

Filling:

• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup whipping cream, plus 3 tbsp divided
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
  

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth.

4. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.

5. Filling: In a heavy saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks, milk, and 1/4 cup cream until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking continously. Once mixture is at a simmer and begins to thicken, remove from heat but continue whisking until very thick. Whisk in butter and vanilla until butter is melted and custard is smooth.

6. Spoon custard into a small bowl. Fill a slightly larger bowl with ice. Place small bowl of custard on top of ice. Whisk custard until cool. Remove small bowl, dry bottom and sides with a towel so that no moisture gets inside the bowl. Whisk in remaining 3 tbsp whipping cream. Place a piece of plastic wrap on surface of custard and refrigerate for 40 minutes or until chilled, or for up to 2 days.

7. When cupcakes are cool, peel off paper liners. Carefully slice tops off cupcakes. Using a small spoon, scoop out about a rounded teaspoonful of cake from bottom half (being careful not to scoop a hole in the bottom. Spread a layer of reserved cooled on cut side of bottom half (filling small hole with custard, too). Replace tops of cupcakes over custard, sandwiching two halves together. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and custard.

8. Glaze: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and cream. Microwave, uncovered, on High for 40 seconds or until cream is hot and chocolate is soft and almost melted. Stir until smooth. Let chocolate mixture sit for 5 minutes or until slightly cooled but still spreadable.

9. Spread tops of cupcakes with chocolate glaze. Place cupcakes on a platter or baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to serve. These cupcakes need to stay refrigerated so that the custard filling doesn't spoil. They can be served straight from the refrigerator or set out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving to remove the chill.