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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.

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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]

Union Square Donuts

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

Puritan & Co.

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

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.]

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.]

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]

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]

The Tap Trailhouse

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

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)]

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]

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]

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]

Flour Bakery + Cafe

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

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]

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]

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]

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.]

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."

Lyndell's Bakery

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]

Union Square Donuts

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

Puritan & Co.

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

Bova's Bakery

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.]

Mike's Pastry

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.]

Modern Pastry Shop

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]

Veggie Galaxy

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]

The Tap Trailhouse

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

Durgin-Park

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)]

Omni Parker House

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]

Finale Desserterie & Bakery

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]

Legal Sea Foods - Park Square

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

Flour Bakery + Cafe

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

Sweet Cupcakes

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]

OAK Long Bar + Kitchen

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

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Bread & Salt at Wink & Nod

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]

Sweet Tooth

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.]

Greenhills Irish Bakery

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

Related Maps