Quick & Easy Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Cake Mix Trick
This tip will improve your cake mix. I found this trick in the comments of a post on Tidy Mom, from a pastry chef named Shelly. (Thanks!) Look at the directions on the cake mix box…
- Add one more egg (or add two additional if you want it to be really rich)
- Double the oil amount, but use melted butter instead of oil
- Use milk instead of water
Using this cake mix trick seems to add a little more flavor and often makes the cake a little more dense. Of course, results may vary depending on the cake mix. So far I’ve had great success using this tip with several different mixes. A fun, easy way to change up your usual cake mix.
Easy Boston Cream Pie Recipe
This is a simple and easy recipe, plus it looks beautiful with that smooth chocolate glaze dripping down the sides and it tastes really good too.
I use cake strips around the 9-inch round pans to help the cake bake evenly and flat. Not necessary, but the strips do prevent doming and make it really easy to stack cake layers.
All you need for the cake is a yellow cake mix, milk, eggs, and butter.
The creamy filling is vanilla pudding mix mixed with milk.
The dark chocolate glaze is unsweetened chocolate, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and water.
This Boston Cream Pie is a lovely, delicious cake that is so much easier to make than it looks! Perfect for holidays, parties, birthdays, and family gatherings. Enjoy!
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Quick & Easy Boston Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 18 ¼ oz package yellow cake mix
- 1 ½ cups cold milk
- 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Prepare cake batter according to package directions. If desired, adjust the cake mix instructions by adding one additional egg, double the oil amount, but use melted butter instead of oil, and use milk in place of the water. Divide batter between two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans.
- Bake at 350°F/175°C for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. May take longer to bake than box instructions. Let cool.
- Whisk or beat the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Cover and refrigerate.
- In a microwave or saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over medium-low heat; stir until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve a thick glaze; set aside.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with pudding. Top with the second cake layer. Spoon chocolate glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides of cake. Refrigerate until serving.
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Your cake looks great, Mel. Bet your little boys just loved it. I have fond memories of all the good desserts you’ve shared with my fam. I feel lucky to be able to catch glimpses of your culinary masterpieces!
Thanks, Marie! It’s nice to see that you’re checking out the blog. 😉
What are cake strips?
Cake strips are an option to help the cake bake evenly and flat. I bought mine on Amazon. https://bit.ly/2FdSlZW I like using them and think they work pretty well!
do you prefer the added egg, the extrra oil or the milk?
Or all 3?
I do all three, for sure. But I know that some prefer to only do the change to the oil and the eggs. Then keep the water as it is.
so wait did I understand this correctly..you double the amount of oil but don’t add oil at all but instead add butter in it’s place?
Correct. Double the amount of oil called for, but sub melted butter for all of the oil amount.
I saw a very similar trick with cake mix on Paula Deen. She said she adds an extra egg, uses milk instead of water, but she uses both oil and butter and adds a little vanilla.
Thank you for the tip on using a cake mix. The cake turned out so much richer. I have a tip for you and that is to mix up a German Chocolate cake mix and add 1 can of pecan cocanut frosting to the mix before you cook it and after it is cooked add the second can of pecan cocanut frosting on top. This makes a very moist cake.
Thanks for sharing!
My mom does this & its so good.
Thanks for sharing! I am a horrible baker and this turned out great 🙂 My 9 year old son loved it for his birthday cake- very moist and not too sweet. Fab!!!!
I discovered a similar “secret” when I was making a cake many years ago & forgot the landlord had warned me the water would be off all day. I only like chocolate cake, so I have no idea how it works for other flavours, but milk makes it delciously rich & sneaks in a little added nutrition, which is always cool. I started adding an extra egg about 10 years ago, when I started noticing that some boxed mixes say 2, others 3. I’ve never tried altering the amount of oil.
I wonder if I wanted a LESS rich cake, I’d add fewer eggs? Just like on Brownies, if you want a fudgier brownie, you add 3 eggs, vs. 2. I like them higher and lighter, so I add the 2. My husband likes the opposite, so I make some with using 3 for him. I am looking for a LIGHTER and HIGHER cake.
If you are making a chocolate cake add a box of chocolate pudding mix and if you are making a vanilla cake add a box of vanilla pudding mix. The cake will be richer.
Do you make the pudding first or just add the dry mix only ?
Just the dry pudding mix. I add white chocolate cheesecake pudding mix to my white cakes and a chocolate fudge pudding mix to chocolate cakes. I also add a small thing (the individual little cups) of yogurt to every cake. Sometimes when I feel creative I add flavored yogurt to the flavor of cake (strawberry for strawberry cakes, lemon yogurt to my lemon blueberry cakes, even boston cream pie for chocolate cakes ect.). Makes them very moist
Always use instant pudding when adding it to a cake mix. NEVER use a cooked pudding mix.
Or just add a 1/4 cup applesauce to the mix, nutrition plus no added fat
Gotta love that!
a cap full of almond extract makes it taste homemade, too 😉
Yes! I always do this with chocolate cake.
Just make sure to warn people in case of nut allergies!!
I always add vanilla to a cake mix. I love knowing about the other ingredients. I add a cup of rinsed, chopped sauerkraut to my chocolate cake mixes. It is undetectable, but makes it more dense. After having hotdogs with sauerkraut it’s a great excuse to “have” to use the rest of the sauerkraut in the can!
I tried this and it was a total flop. When I took it out of the oven it went flat and was very dense. Maybe I needed to leave it in longer?
Hmm. I don’t know what to tell you. My cakes turned out just fine and basically cooked the same way as it would normally. The additions do make the cake more dense though.
If you try to do this again, beat the egg whites separate from the yolks. So when adding the eggs, separate the yolk into one bowl, and the whites into another. Beat the whites until *soft* peaks form. Then pour the yolks into the dry mixture and mix well. Then gently fold in the egg whites and gently mix to combine. That may help.
Same here. I’m pretty bummed that it fell. Any suggestions?!
I just made this, and agree…..what a loss of otherwise great ingredients.
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. 🙁
Possible high altitude?
If I add the extra eggs and such, does that change the required bake time or oven temp? Thanks!
The baking time and temp stayed the same for me.
do you add real butter or would margarine work as well? I have asked several people and haven’t really gotten a straight answer. Will it taste different with real butter? Or the same with margarine? Thanks I love boston cream pie just haven’t found a good recipe will definetly try this one. D
Margarine will alter the taste a bit, and it won’t melt in the same way butter will (margarine will separate out into an oil/water combo). I never use margarine (in baking or for anything else) because I prefer to use whole ingredients and, as a regular from-scratch baker, I don’t like the way margarine performs in things like cakes, muffins and quick breads. That being said, it shouldn’t change things too much – and if it’s all you have it will probably work.
Edited to add that you will get a cleaner, richer taste from butter. Margarine won’t give you that real butter flavor.
HELLO, IF You Google Margarine VS Butter & READ the Info It willShow the differences. We switched to butter about 10 yrs ago for everything. No marg here. Hubby Liked Butter Sooo Much & asked Why we hadnt been eating it All The Time b4. 🙂 We all used marg growing up in cakes, and other baked goods. It cant be ALL Bad ,,and its Much cheaper too! We didnt call it margarine then it was Oleo or butter LOL
Another trick when I bake my cakes is to bake them at 325 degrees instead of 350.
Thanks Mary!
Do you think this would work for brownie mixes in a box?
Haven’t tried it. Most brownie mixes already have an adjustment on the box for a more cake-like brownie, which changes the egg amount. Let me know if you try it out.
does this work with cupcakes?
Yes!
What if it doesn’t say to add any water to the mix? How much do you add then?
If the mix doesn’t call for any water, then I wouldn’t add any water or milk.
do you know what this takes the calorie count to with the extra ingredients?
No. But it certainly makes it higher. 😉
On the box it says to add butter… it doesnt say anything about oil… Should I still double the amount of butter? or should I not add anymore butter than the box says?
I think I would give doubling the butter a shot, if you are willing to take the risk. It does sound like a different cake mix from the ones that I have adjusted though, so I’m not sure how it will turn out.
If the recipe calls for butter and not oil, do you double the amount of butter? Thank you.
I think I would give doubling the butter a shot. But it sounds like a different mix from what I’ve worked with, so I’m not sure how it will turn out.
Thanks for replying! I have a French Vanilla cake in the oven right now…using your “adjustments”. Hope it turns out!
Mine called for butter as well, instead of oil. I used the milk and extra egg, but forgot to double the butter. My cake came out pretty sponge-cake like. (used a Duncan Hines Butter Golden mix)
Little bit nervous about how it will taste.
I have been using extra eggs and replacing water with milk for over 20 years. My grandmother told me that our well water had too much iron and would dry my cakes out. She said milk makes a cake much moister. She also said she would never use margarine instead of butter because butter makes a cake richer and moister. I too, add vanilla to most of my cake mixes for that little extra added flavor.
good
Does adding the extra eggs and doubling the oil/using butter instead work for only vanilla and chocolate or could it also work for a lemon cake?
I think it should work fine with lemon. Hopefully it will result in a slightly more dense and rich cake.
Thanks so much for the tips – just made cupcakes from a box of Betty Crocker’s Butter Pecan cake mix and WOW – it is excellent with the additions/substitutions!
Has anyone tried it w/ the Gluten free mixes? Would love to make them taste a little better for my wheat free 6 yr old.
Tried it & seems to have worked! Will taste later, but the batter was much more like “real” batter. I think it will be a big success!! Thanks for the tip.
Tasted almost exactly like real bakery cake. Not sure anyone would guess they were GF!!!! Thanks for the tips.
If anyone else is wondering I added to Betty Crocker GF mix. Used 1 & 1/2 sticks butter, 4 eggs & fat free half & Half
SO good.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing your results!
My daughter and I made this today. We added the extra egg, used butter instead of oil and used milk! I was great!!
I hear peolpe saying to add pudding in the mix ,but do you make the pudding first ? Or just add the pudding right out the package ? I’m curious…… Thank you
Sounds like you just add the dry pudding. And it sounds like a yummy addition.
The mix i’m using already calls for 3 eggs, so i should use 4?
Not sure about that. But I think I would give adding an extra egg a shot, as long as it is not a big deal if the results are not ideal. Let us know if it works out well!
My mom made Boston Creme Pie when I was growing up by using a Jiffy cake mix! Those mixes only make one layer. She would slice the layer in half (horizontally), add the pudding, and same way, she would use cocoa, sugar and milk for the topping. Her topping was more “dark chocolate” and less sweet than yours looks, but I bet they both taste fantastic!
I just tried doing this using betty crocker french vanilla to make cupcakes and they did all fall. The box called for 3 eggs and I added 4 so i don’t know if i shouldn’t have added an extra egg or if i should’ve baked it longer. I also wanted to know if you should use unsalted or salted butter.
I usually only keep unsalted butter around, so that’s what I use. But I think a lot of bakers use salted butter.
Hello, can the liquid can be substitute with orange juice, pineapple juice and also add some fresh/frozen berries. Please, help?
I have not tried to use juice instead of water or milk before. Let us know how it turns out if you give it a shot.
Something to keep in mind though, a juice would add more sugar and some juices would add an acidic component. This could definitely change the way the cake turns out.
I made these as cup cakes the other day. They tasted wonderful but I am curious if anyone else has a problem that they sink in just a bit at the top. Whenever I add butter to boxed cake mix that happens to my cup cakes. I was thinking of adding oil next time.
What kind of milk do we use? Does it have to be dried milk? All I have is full milk. Any help?
I just use regular milk (skim or 1%), but whole milk would be good too.
I made these twice and they tasted great however I don’t think they tasted much different if I just follow the regular instructions.
Do these tips work with brownies?
Most brownie mixes already have an adjustment on the box for a more cake-like brownie, which changes the egg amount. Let me know if you try it out though!
When I make chocolate cake mixes, I use coffee instead of water, and add almond extract. There–I just revealed my “secret ingredient”! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
FYI: The modification to the yellow cake mix works very well in high altitude. I find it’s not as sweet, so it is good to pair it with a sweet frosting.
Glad it worked well for you. Thanks for sharing your findings. 🙂
I’m using white cake mix and it calls for 3 egg whites. What do you think I should do? Use four egg whites? Use four whole eggs? Or just do as it calls for?
I’m no expert at cooking with egg whites, so I would probably just follow the instructions as they are on that one if you want to be safe. Let us know if you try any adjustments though!
I always use whole eggs when I am baking a white cake mix ever since I read The Cake Doctor cookbook by Anne Byrn.
Sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for sharing!
Do you have to change the baking time at all if you use milk and butter vs. oil and water?
I did not have to adjust baking time. So, it should stay pretty close on the time. Be sure to check it toward the end anyway though. 🙂
I plan to bake a Betty Crocker pound cake mix in the next hour. Will these additions be okay for that particular mix?
Pound cake is probably pretty different. I’m not sure if this tip would apply or not. If it is important that it turns out, I wouldn’t risk it. Let me know if you try it!
I didn’t get your post until just now. I went ahead and baked it with the changes above. It didn’t come out too badly. It’s fine but is a bit dry. Luckily I have another box and I will use just the ingredients it calls for. Unfortunately, it’s a gift so I can’t sample it to taste the difference between the two. At least I now the box directions are tried and proven. Thanks for your response! Without it, I would have given a kinda dry cake….
You’re welcome!
Hi im in the uk
What is instant pudding mix?
Wondering what i might be able to use as an alternative
Many thanks
Helz x
I would use Angel Delight!
Do NOT add an extra egg and double the oil! Doing that will give you a mess not a cake! Instead of eggs use unsweetened applesauce. In place of each egg use 1/4C unsweetened applesauce. And please don’t use all that unhealthy oil. Use coconut oil or milk or water instead of unhealthy oil!
Thank you for your tips, Susan! I like that you use applesauce! The extra egg and extra butter actually work quite well with a cake mix, but I would love to try out your way too. 🙂
Great recipe!!! I followed your tips on the cake mix ( milk, melted butter extra egg). I made 3 layers. Two I used to make a Boston Cream Pie for my son’s BD. The other one I cut down the middle and made myself a half of one🤪🤪🤪
He and his family loved the “pie”!!!
Yum! So glad they loved it! Thank you for your comment and review. 🙂
Hi, Melanie,
Will switching out the oil for butter make the cake denser? Richer? I like a light cake, and especially in this cake where there’s already the cream filling plus the chocolate, I don’t want it to be too rich. The beauty of a Boston Cream Pie is the lightness of the cake.
Which of the 2 ingredients that you suggested, increasing the egg quantity (my Duncan Hines box cake mix calls for 3 eggs) or switching out the oil for butter will make the cake dense and too rich? I don’t like using vegetable oils as they cause inflammation. I love butter, but I don’t like very rich cakes where I can’t even finish the slice. Love pecan pie, but it’s way too rich for me. If it’s the butter that makes it denser and richer, and I have to use oil, can I use a more healthy oil?
My Duncan Hones cake mix call for 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. You recommend doubling the oil to 1 cup then of oil, but replacing it with butter. Since butter will make it very rich adding more flavor, why not do 1/2 cup oil for moisture, and 1/2 cup butter for flavor?
I just realized that your recipe calls for 18.25 oz cake mix. Major players in the baking world such as Duncan Hines, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker, reduced their cake mix package size. New cake mixes are 15.25 ounces compared to their previous size of 18.25 ounces, a 3-ounce difference! Will this recipe work with the new 15.25 oz cake mix?
Hi, here is what I do for a basic cake, made with the 15.25 oz size. I use a box of pudding, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup oil (I use avocado personally) and 1 cup of water. Maybe you canplay aroudn with the different oil and butter mixture to achieve the taste you are looking for. Hope this helps!
Is unsweetened chocolate the same as unsweetened baking chocolate?
Yep!
I’ve made the cake, its cooling. Looks great!!So for my filling…. Instant pudding seems too runny , is there a way to thicken it up? I’m thinking of adding a bit of cornstarch?