Boston Cream Pie is one of our favorite desserts! These easy parfaits feature a soft cake topped with layers of cream and chocolate for a deliciously portable Boston Cream Pie fix!
This is an easy make ahead dessert… Boston Cream Pie is one of our favorite flavors! These easy parfaits feature a soft cake topped with layers of rich vanilla custard and a creamy chocolate pudding. The result is a deliciously portable Boston Cream Pie fix that is ready for your next potluck or bbq!
I have included two ways to tackle this dessert… quick and easy starting with a boxed cake mix and pudding mixes or homemade from scratch! I’ve included both ways, if you have the time, I would recommend making the custard (ok, and the chocolate layer) from scratch, the flavor is so much better! I do love the a boxed cake mix so it is the perfect base regardless of how you make your cream layers.
I like to layer parfaits in mason jars (half-pint is the size I usually use) because it’s easy to just put the lid on and store them in the fridge. The great thing about these parfaits is that they are great in ANY type of clear glass or plastic jars or cups! No need to buy anything special for them! If you’d like to stretch out the recipe to feed a crowd, you can certainly use more cake (you’ll likely have extra) or change the jar sizes.
Items you’ll need for this recipe
* Cocoa Powder * 9 x 13 baking pan * Vanilla Extract *
Boston Cream Pie Parfaits
Ingredients
Custard
- ½ cup granulated sugar divided
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
OR
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix 1 box, prepared according to directions
Chocolate Layer
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 2 ¼ cups milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
OR
- 3.4 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix 1 box, prepared according to package directions
Yellow Cake
- ¾ cup butter
- 3 eggs
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups milk
OR
- 1 box yellow cake mix prepared in a 9×13 pan according to directions
Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- chocolate sauce
Instructions
CUSTARD
- Over medium heat, combine milk and ¼ cup sugar. Bring just to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar and vanilla. Add in cornstarch until completely mixed and smooth.
- Add 1 cup of the hot milk to the yolks and stir well. Pour the yolk mixture back into the pot and whisk continuously over medium heat until mixture thickens. Cool slightly in the pot, stir and cool completely in the fridge (I cooled it in a zippered bag).
CHOCOLATE LAYER
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt, mix well. Add in cold milk, stir until combined.
- Turn heat onto medium high stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
- Allow to boil for 1 minute while stirring, remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool completely stirring occasionally to avoid a skin forming.
YELLOW CAKE
- Grease & flour a 9×13 pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring butter & eggs to room temperature.
- Combine flour, baking powder & salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- With a mixer on medium-high, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time and beat in vanilla.
- Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk just until combined (do not overmix). Pour into prepared pan and bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
TOPPING
- Beat heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form. Add in sugar and vanilla and beat an additional 1 minute.
ASSEMBLY
- Cut cake into small cubes.
- Add a single layer of cake to the bottom of each mason jar. Top with ¼ of the custard, another layer of cake and finally the chocolate. Repeat layers ending with chocolate.
- Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Here are a few more recipes you’ll love
* Oreo Cheesecake Parfaits * Boston Cream Pie Cookies * Cheesecake Parfaits *
so amazing can’t wait to tru this
I hope you enjoy it, Tracy!
I was thinking about making this as one large cake. I was going to try using a jelly roll pan for making the cake and then cutting it pieces to fit a 9×13 pan so I could get my layers then spreading custards etc. hoping for two layers. Do you think that would work?
I haven’t tried it but I think the method would work just fine. That being said, I can’t say for sure if there is enough for each layer in the pan. Let us know how it goes!
I’m not sure exactly what chocolate sauce is.
The sauce ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe. To find the recipe you can scroll down towards the bottom or hit “jump to recipe” in the top header bar. I hope this helps Beth!
I’ve made this cake in a 9×13 pan and it was my absolute favorite yellow cake. My question is, my granddaughter wants a 3 tiered round cake. Would I be able to make it work in round pans? I wasn’t sure if it would work or not. Hoping to hear from you soon, as I will be making it within the next few days. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Brenda, but it should work just fine. One 9×13 cake will make 2 9 inch round cakes, so you will need 1.5x this recipe for a 3 layer cake. The cook time will change, so I would check the cake early and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Everything looks delicious
Awesome recipe’s
Súper Recipes
Thanks Carmen! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey there! How far in advance would these be okay in the fridge? Thanks!
These will be just fine for a couple of days. You’ll want to make sure they’re well sealed. :)
I would like to make these for my daughter’s 21st birthday. Unfortunately, you didn’t specify how many mason jars are needed, or at least, I didn’t see it if you did. How many should I get to make these? Thanks, can’t wait to try these, they look amazing!
The recipe makes 8 servings. If you’d like to stretch out the recipe to feed a crowd, you can certainly use more cake (you’ll likely have extra) or change the jar sizes. Enjoy, Vicky!
I made this as one large trifle for our church lunch, and it was delicious! 2 people asked for the recipe. A winner! Thank you for sharing.
Its so good to hear when people enjoy and share recipes! Glad your church group enjoyed it too.
We have made these in disposable plastic glasses and they work great – unless you want pretty glass for a special occasion, this is an easy way to make them grab-and-go treats. They even come with lids. We’ve also done them in the mini plastic champagne glasses for a wedding dessert bar. They were a big hit!
how many glasses did this recipe yield? we are planning a college event and i would love to know how it turned out for you since you made it in bulk
Are these half-pint jars? Anything larger seems to me to be too large. Actually, it would be about right (for me), but most normal people would think it is too much. These would be perfect for us; my son-in-law says he loves Boston Cream Pie, and he could just pick one up and take it to work. Now I just have to train him to bring the jars home!
Great question Janna, I”m going to add this into the post! Any size will work but I found that half pint was just enough! (LOL, and my family is notorious for leaving behind my containers!)
These parfaits are mouth-watering !!