I must admit that when someone brings doughnuts to the office, I can seldom resist a Boston Crème. That combination of sugary yeasty dough filled with creamy sweet yellow vanilla custard and topped with shiny chocolate just makes my tastebuds water. The doughnut was inspired by the Boston cream pie which was created by chef M. Sanzian at Boston’s Parker House Hotel in 1856. Boston cream pie is a classic American layered cake (not pie) made from moist and fluffy yellow cake, vanilla pastry cream and chocolate ganache. Called a “pie” instead of a cake because in the mid-19th century pie plates were more common than cake tins and were used interchangeably according to TheTravel.com. Growing up in the Midwest, we called the éclair like doughnuts Long Johns; my dad and I were obsessed. Bavarian crème doughnuts are almost the same but they are coated with powdered sugar instead of topped with chocolate.
The flavors of Boston Crème pie are in all sorts of products today; snack pies, coffee pods, Pop Tarts, yogurt, ice cream, and can be found in most grocery stores. This state dessert of Massachusetts even has its own holiday, October 23 is National Boston Crème Pie Day. Some cooks change up the recipe by making chocolate cake instead of yellow cake. Now that is indulgent!
This week’s recipe is for one of my favorite no bake desserts. When I was a dental hygienist one of my patients brought this in for our office and I loved it so much she gave me recipe. This cake tastes like the best of a Boston Crème doughnut and a chocolate éclair. The toughest part of making this is waiting for the dessert to chill, which is why I recommend the day before you plan on serving it. The cake needs at least 6 hours in the fridge. But for the best results, I would recommend letting it chill for 12-24 hours.
Boston Crème icebox Cake
Ingredients
6.8 oz vanilla instant pudding mix
3 cups milk
8 oz whipped topping thawed
16 oz graham crackers
16 oz chocolate frosting
Instructions
Mix instant pudding and milk together in a large bowl. Fold in whipped topping, mixing until well combined. Set aside. Place a layer of whole graham crackers in the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish, breaking as needed to cover the entire bottom with a single layer. Spoon 1/2 the pudding mixture over the graham crackers and gently spread into an even layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers and then the remainder of the pudding mixture. Add a 3rd and final layer of graham crackers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Uncover frosting and remove foil wrap. Microwave for 25 seconds to make the frosting easier to spread. Stir well. Remove cake from refrigerator and pour over cake and spread into an even layer. Replace the plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours. (The longer you give the graham crackers to soften up the better.)
Notes: I have had success making this recipe with either vanilla pudding or French vanilla pudding. For a lighter (kinda) version use fat-free Cool Whip, sugar-free pudding mix, skim milk, and just a thin layer of frosting on top. To make your own Chocolate ganache frosting heat 3/4 cup heavy cream until simmering then pour over 1 cup of chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, stir well, then pour over cake.
