If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m trying out old pie recipes at the moment. After strawberry, raspberry, orange and mock cream pie, I now made 1920s Boston cream pie. Even if it’s called pie, it’s rather a cake: Boston cream pie is a layer cake with custard filling.
The recipe for Boston cream pie was published in The P.E.O. Cook Book in 1922. The recipe is similar to the Boston cream pie recipes, published in the 1887 Whitehouse Cookbook and the 1921 Brewster Book Of Recipes. In the Victorian era and even in the 1920s, Boston cream pie was made without chocolate glaze on top, but if you want you can add the Edwardian chocolate glaze which you’ll find below.
1920s Boston Cream Pie
Cake
- 2/3 cup butter
- 2 cup sugar (I used just 1 cup)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk (I used soy milk)
- 3 cups flour
- 6 tsp baking powder
Filling
- 1 cup sugar (I used just 1/2 cup)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups milk (I used soy milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 356°F/ 180°C. ‘Cream butter and sugar and add well-beaten eggs, then alternately milk and dry ingredients well sifted. Bake in 2 layers [for 20 minutes] and put together with the following English Cream Filling, with whipped cream on top.
English Cream Filling: […] Mix dry ingredients and milk and yolks well beaten, cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from fire and cool and fold in whites and flavor.’ (The P.E.O. Cook Book, 1922)
Edwardian Glace Au Chocolate
- 2 oz chocolate
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 oz powdered sugar
- 1/2 egg white
‘Place two ounces of grated chocolate in a saucepan with half teaspoon vanilla essence and keep at the oven door until melted; then add three ounces glazed sugar and the white of half an egg, place on the fire, mix with a small wooden spoon until just warm, remove, and immediately use as directed.’ (The International Cook Book, 1906) If the glaze is too thick, stir in some (soy) milk.
The 1920s Boston cream pie is so delicious! But the filling is too runny; next time I’ll use more flour or add one or two dissolved gelatin sheets. And even though I used just half the sugar, the cake is still very sweet.
YUM! This looks amazing. And much simpler than I expected.
Thanks for stopping by, Lexie! 🙂
My dad would adore this. he loves ooey gooey cakes. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Elise! 🙂
I love Boston Creams I must try this recipe 🙂
Let me know how you like it! 🙂
Yum…. that looks delicious! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
I’m not a huge chocolate lover, but this looks super yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
I’m also no chocolate lover 🙂 but the cake wasn’t too chocolatey, and you can omit the chocolate glaze if you want.
Your 1920s Boston Cream Pie will be fabulous, I can’t wait to try it! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and you have a great weekend!
Come Back Soon
Miz Helen
Thanks, Helen! Let me know how you find it! 🙂
This has been my dad’s favorite dessert for as long as I can remember. I will have to try this recipe and see what he thinks. Looks amazing
Thanks for stopping by, Julie! Let me know what your dad thinks! 🙂
Oh that looks so good! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner link party!
Thank you, Helen!
Looks lovely! Thank you for sharing at Ravenwould.
Thanks, Kileen!