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The Ubiquitous Boston Cream Pie

Created at the Omni Parker House more than 150 years ago, the Boston cream pie (which is actually a cake) now pops up all around town, and not just in cake form.

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
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by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

Created at the Omni Parker House more than 150 years ago, the Boston cream pie (which is actually a cake) now pops up all around town, and not just in cake form. Here's a look at the history of the dessert and how it's made.

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Lyndell's Bakery

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Boston cream pie comes in personal and full sizes, each consisting of two layers of sponge cake with a layer of custard in between and topped with melted chocolate. Also available: Boston cream pie doughnuts (pictured). [Photo: Facebook]

720 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 625-1793
(617) 625-1793

Union Square Donuts

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Union Square Donuts has a Boston cream pie doughnut in the regular rotation. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

20 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 209-2257
(617) 209-2257

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Puritan & Co.

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There's a Boston cream pie doughnut available on the Sunday brunch menu. [Photo: Provided]

1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 615-6195
(617) 615-6195

Also featured in:

Bova's Bakery

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Need to fill a late-night Boston cream pie craving? Good news: Bova's open 24 hours a day, every day. Their Boston cream pie is made with yellow cake, vanilla and chocolate cream, and chocolate ganache. [Photo: Yelp/Bela S.]

134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-5601
(617) 523-5601

Also featured in:

Mike's Pastry

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A layer of white cake topped with pastry cream and followed by another layer of cake, topped with chocolate fudge. Available whole or by the slice. [Photo: Yelp/Nicole S.]

300 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 742-3050
(617) 742-3050

Also featured in:

Modern Pastry Shop

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Modern offers Boston cream pie cupcakes — vanilla cake filled with vanilla cream and topped with a chocolate ganache frosting — as well as full cakes (by pre-order only).[Photo: Facebook]

263 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-3783
(617) 523-3783

Also featured in:

Veggie Galaxy

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Made in Veggie Galaxy's vegan bakery, this Boston cream pie is free of dairy and eggs. Yellow cake, vanilla bean pastry cream, Taza chocolate ganache. [Photo: Official Site]

450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-1513
(617) 497-1513

Also featured in:

The Tap Trailhouse

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Boston cream pie — "but in a jar." [Photo: Provided]

19 Union St, Boston, MA 02129
(617) 367-0033
(617) 367-0033

Durgin-Park

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Of course there's a classic Boston cream pie available at this ultra-old Faneuil Hall standby. [Photo: Yelp/Greg E. (shot at the newer Logan Airport location)]

340 Faneuil Hall Market Pl, Boston, MA 02109
(617) 227-2038
(617) 227-2038

Also featured in:

Omni Parker House

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This is the original. Rolled in toasted walnuts and topped with chocolate fondant, the Boston cream pie was first created right here in 1856 by the hotel's first chef, Sanzian. Available in full size as well as miniatures (pictured here). [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

60 School St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 227-8600
(617) 227-8600

Also featured in:

Finale Desserterie & Bakery

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When you sit down and order the plated version, it comes with mini whoopie pies, a vanilla gelato sandwich with cherry almond florentines, apricot sauce, and fresh fruit. [Photo: Official Site]

1 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-3184
(617) 423-3184

Also featured in:

Legal Sea Foods - Park Square

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Available at all locations, the Legal Boston cream pie includes chocolate sauce, rum caramel sauce, and toffee almond crunch. [Photo: Provided]

26 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 426-4444
(617) 426-4444

Also featured in:

Flour Bakery + Cafe

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Coffee-soaked sponge cake, layered with vanilla cream and topped with chocolate ganache. [Photo: Official Site]

12 Farnsworth St, Fl 1, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 338-4333
(617) 338-4333

Also featured in:

Sweet Cupcakes

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A regular on the menu, the Boston cream pie cupcake is made from sweet chiffon cake, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache, topped with a frosting "cherry." [Photo: Facebook]

225 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-2253
(617) 267-2253

OAK Long Bar + Kitchen

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Boston cream pie "our way," they say. Toasted almond pound cake, vanilla pastry cream, and bittersweet chocolate ganache, served in a jar. [Photo: Facebook]

138 Saint James Ave, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 585-7222
(617) 585-7222

Also featured in:

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Bread & Salt at Wink & Nod

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Pastry chef Kate Holowchik's tropical play on a Boston cream pie, available for a limited time, consists of yellow cake layered with yellow cake-infused panna cotta, toasted coconut ice cream, chocolate ganache and sauce, pina colada pastry cream, and coconut crumble. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

3 Appleton St, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 482-0117
(617) 482-0117

Sweet Tooth

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Available in cupcake form (pictured — assorted cupcakes). The vanilla cupcake is filled with a light pastry cream and covered in chocolate ganache. [Photo: Yelp/Kim N.]

371 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127
(617) 268-2555
(617) 268-2555

Greenhills Irish Bakery

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This traditional Irish bakery calls Boston cream pie by its original name, chocolate cream pie. Available in a 10-inch "family size."

780 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02124
(617) 825-8187
(617) 825-8187

Also featured in:

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Lyndell's Bakery

720 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144

Boston cream pie comes in personal and full sizes, each consisting of two layers of sponge cake with a layer of custard in between and topped with melted chocolate. Also available: Boston cream pie doughnuts (pictured). [Photo: Facebook]

720 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 625-1793
(617) 625-1793

Union Square Donuts

20 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02143

Union Square Donuts has a Boston cream pie doughnut in the regular rotation. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

20 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 209-2257
(617) 209-2257

Puritan & Co.

1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139

There's a Boston cream pie doughnut available on the Sunday brunch menu. [Photo: Provided]

1166 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 615-6195
(617) 615-6195

Bova's Bakery

134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

Need to fill a late-night Boston cream pie craving? Good news: Bova's open 24 hours a day, every day. Their Boston cream pie is made with yellow cake, vanilla and chocolate cream, and chocolate ganache. [Photo: Yelp/Bela S.]

134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-5601
(617) 523-5601

Mike's Pastry

300 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

A layer of white cake topped with pastry cream and followed by another layer of cake, topped with chocolate fudge. Available whole or by the slice. [Photo: Yelp/Nicole S.]

300 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 742-3050
(617) 742-3050

Modern Pastry Shop

263 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113

Modern offers Boston cream pie cupcakes — vanilla cake filled with vanilla cream and topped with a chocolate ganache frosting — as well as full cakes (by pre-order only).[Photo: Facebook]

263 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-3783
(617) 523-3783

Veggie Galaxy

450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Made in Veggie Galaxy's vegan bakery, this Boston cream pie is free of dairy and eggs. Yellow cake, vanilla bean pastry cream, Taza chocolate ganache. [Photo: Official Site]

450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-1513
(617) 497-1513

The Tap Trailhouse

19 Union St, Boston, MA 02129

Boston cream pie — "but in a jar." [Photo: Provided]

19 Union St, Boston, MA 02129
(617) 367-0033
(617) 367-0033

Durgin-Park

340 Faneuil Hall Market Pl, Boston, MA 02109

Of course there's a classic Boston cream pie available at this ultra-old Faneuil Hall standby. [Photo: Yelp/Greg E. (shot at the newer Logan Airport location)]

340 Faneuil Hall Market Pl, Boston, MA 02109
(617) 227-2038
(617) 227-2038

Omni Parker House

60 School St, Boston, MA 02108

This is the original. Rolled in toasted walnuts and topped with chocolate fondant, the Boston cream pie was first created right here in 1856 by the hotel's first chef, Sanzian. Available in full size as well as miniatures (pictured here). [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

60 School St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 227-8600
(617) 227-8600

Finale Desserterie & Bakery

1 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

When you sit down and order the plated version, it comes with mini whoopie pies, a vanilla gelato sandwich with cherry almond florentines, apricot sauce, and fresh fruit. [Photo: Official Site]

1 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 423-3184
(617) 423-3184

Legal Sea Foods - Park Square

26 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116

Available at all locations, the Legal Boston cream pie includes chocolate sauce, rum caramel sauce, and toffee almond crunch. [Photo: Provided]

26 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 426-4444
(617) 426-4444

Flour Bakery + Cafe

12 Farnsworth St, Fl 1, Boston, MA 02210

Coffee-soaked sponge cake, layered with vanilla cream and topped with chocolate ganache. [Photo: Official Site]

12 Farnsworth St, Fl 1, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 338-4333
(617) 338-4333

Sweet Cupcakes

225 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02115

A regular on the menu, the Boston cream pie cupcake is made from sweet chiffon cake, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache, topped with a frosting "cherry." [Photo: Facebook]

225 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-2253
(617) 267-2253

OAK Long Bar + Kitchen

138 Saint James Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Boston cream pie "our way," they say. Toasted almond pound cake, vanilla pastry cream, and bittersweet chocolate ganache, served in a jar. [Photo: Facebook]

138 Saint James Ave, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 585-7222
(617) 585-7222

Related Maps

Bread & Salt at Wink & Nod

3 Appleton St, Boston, MA 02116

Pastry chef Kate Holowchik's tropical play on a Boston cream pie, available for a limited time, consists of yellow cake layered with yellow cake-infused panna cotta, toasted coconut ice cream, chocolate ganache and sauce, pina colada pastry cream, and coconut crumble. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

3 Appleton St, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 482-0117
(617) 482-0117

Sweet Tooth

371 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

Available in cupcake form (pictured — assorted cupcakes). The vanilla cupcake is filled with a light pastry cream and covered in chocolate ganache. [Photo: Yelp/Kim N.]

371 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127
(617) 268-2555
(617) 268-2555

Greenhills Irish Bakery

780 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02124

This traditional Irish bakery calls Boston cream pie by its original name, chocolate cream pie. Available in a 10-inch "family size."

780 Adams St, Dorchester, MA 02124
(617) 825-8187
(617) 825-8187

Related Maps