Happy Pi(e) Day!!

The day we’ve been waiting for is finally here! I hope that you have a day full of desserts, pastries, and geometry waiting for you. If you are looking for a fun Pi Day activity, you might try reading this Wired article titled Calculating Pi for Pie Day. If you are looking for a delicious activity for Pi(e) Day, how about indulging in some Boston Cream Pi (yes, technically a cake, I know)? Boston cream is one of my absolute favorite cakes or pies. The photo here is of the one I made using this recipe, but I’m sharing the Betty Crocker recipe from the Kirschner Collection — I’ve also used this recipe with great success. What pi(e)s did you all make today?

Boston Cream Pie

Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
35 min

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cake flour or 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Filling (recipe below)
Chocolate Glaze (recipe below)

Cream Filling

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour round layer pan, 9 x 1 1/2 inches. Measure all ingredients except Cream Filling and Chocolate Glaze into large mixer bowl. Blend 30 seconds on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Split cake to make 2 thin layers. Fill layers with Cream Filling; spread Chocolate Glaze over top. Serve in wedges. Refrigerate remaining cake.
In saucepan stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt thoroughly. Add milk gradually to egg yolks; stir egg mixture slowly into dry ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of filling. cool thoroughly.

Chocolate Glaze

Melt 3 tablespoons butter or margarine and 2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate or 2 envelopes (1 ounce each) premelted unsweetened chocolate. Blend in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in about 2 tablespoons hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze has spreading consistency and is smooth.

By Betty Crocker’s Pie and Pastry Cookbook (1972)