Boston Cream Bars
These homemade Boston Cream Bars combine a soft vanilla cake base, rich homemade pastry cream filling, and a silky chocolate ganache topping into one irresistible dessert. If you’re a fan of classic Boston cream pie, you’re going to love this easy bar version.
These bars are surprisingly simple to make and can be prepared ahead of time, making them a great dessert for entertaining or weeknight meals.
If you love creamy desserts, be sure to check out our other favorites like no-bake banana pudding cheesecake, chocolate eclair cake, and cream puff cake.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy twist on classic
- Boston cream pie
- Rich homemade custard filling
- Soft vanilla cake base
- Smooth chocolate ganache topping
- Perfect make-ahead dessert
- Great for parties, holidays, and potlucks
- Easy to slice and serve
Key Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Eggs: They help provide structure to the cake and create the rich, silky texture of the custard.
- Half-and-Half: Gives the custard its smooth, creamy consistency and rich flavor.
- Cornstarch: The key thickener for the custard. It helps transform the milk and eggs into a luscious, sliceable cream filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Brings warmth and sweetness that enhances both the cake and the cream filling without overpowering them.
- Heavy Cream: The secret to a silky, smooth ganache. It melts the chocolate and creates that glossy, luxurious topping.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Create the rich chocolate ganache layer that balances the sweetness of the custard and cake.
Variations
- Swap the Chocolate Chips: Use dark chocolate chips in the ganache for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Mini Boston Cream Bars: Bake the dessert in a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners for individual servings.
- Add Coffee: Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the ganache for a mocha-inspired twist.
How to Make Boston Cream Bars
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining cake ingredients and mix until a smooth dough forms. Then, spread it evenly in a prepared 8×8 baking pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Then remove and cool completely.
- Heat the half-and-half and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk the cornstarch and egg yolks. Pour a small amount of the cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Then, pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook until thickened, whisking constantly.
- Remove from the heat and mix in the butter and vanilla.
- Spread the custard evenly over the cake. Chill until fully set.
- Bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Then pour it over the chocolate chips and let it melt them. Then whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Spread the ganache evenly over the custard and chill. Slice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Coll the cake completely. Adding warm custard to a hot cake can affect the texture and make the layers less stable.
- When making the custard, continuous whisking prevents lumps and creates a silky-smooth filling.
- The extra chill time helps create clean layers and neat slices.
- A quality semi-sweet chocolate creates the richest, smoothest ganache.
Boston Cream Bars FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! Boston cream bars are an excellent make-ahead dessert. In fact, they often taste even better the next day after the layers have had time to fully set and the flavors have melded together.
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, Boston cream bars will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Yes. Wrap the bars tightly and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Lumpy custard is usually caused by overheating the eggs or not whisking continuously during cooking. Be sure to temper the egg yolks slowly and whisk constantly for the smoothest results.
Whole milk works well and still creates a creamy custard filling, although half-and-half will produce a slightly richer texture.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips are ideal because they provide the perfect balance of sweetness and rich chocolate flavor. Dark chocolate can be used for a deeper, more intense taste.
If the ganache remains too soft, it may need additional chilling time. Make sure the cream was hot enough to fully melt the chocolate and that the bars were refrigerated until firm.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Boston Cream Bars
Equipment
- 8×8-inch baking pan
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer
- medium saucepan
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Microwave-safe cup or bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Filling
- 2 cups half and half or whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Ganache
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter, eggs and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until a dough forms.
- Spread the dough in the bottom of the pan in an even layer and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly. Remove and let the cake cool completely.
- In a medium sized saucepan, pour the milk and sugar and whisk over medium heat until the sugar dissolves–don’t let the mixture boil.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk the cornstarch and egg yolks together.
- Temper the eggs by pouring a small amount of the heated milk into the bowl while whisking.
- Continue to add the milk to the eggs, whisking continually.
- Once mixed, pour the custard back into the saucepan and return it to the heat and whisk until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the custard over the top of the cake and smooth into an even layer.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours to allow the custard to set.
- To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a microwave safe cup until just simmering.
- Pour over the chocolate and let it sit for about 2 minutes before whisking until smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cooled custard and return it to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes for the chocolate layer to set.
- Once cooled, slice into bars and serve!
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
