Boston Cream Cupcakes

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin. It's important to bake these in a greased and floured muffin tin rather than paper cupcake liners, so the chocolate glaze can run down the sides.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

For the pastry cream: Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a bowl then whisk in the cornstarch until pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture to temper, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 2 hours

Step 2

For the cupcakes: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin.

Step 3

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat in the milk and vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, light and fluffy 1 to 3 minutes.

Step 4

Using a greased 1/3-cup measure, portion the batter into each muffin cup (about three quarters full; do not overfill). Bake the upcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through baking. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Step 5

For the glaze: Microwave all the ingredients together, whisking often, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the glaze cool, uncovered, until it is thickened but pourable, about 20 minutes.

Step 6

Assembly: Remove a cone-shaped piece from the top of each cupcake by inserting the tip of a small knife at a 45-degree angle bout 1/4 inch from the edge and cutting all the way around. Cut off and discard the pointed end of each removed cone, leaving a disk about 1/4 inch thick. Fill each cupcake with 2 tablespoons of pastry cream and cover with the cake disk. Set the filled cupcakes on a wire rack over a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the cupcakes, letting it run down the sides. Refrigerate cupcakes until glaze has set about 10 mnutes, before serving