Strawberry-Marbled Boston Cream Pie

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

FOR THE STRAWBERRY BATTER

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

   • 1 ½ cupsall-purpose flour
   • 1 ½ tspbaking powder
   • ¼ tspsalt

2. Step 2

   In a large bowl, cream softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.

   • ½ cupunsalted butter, softened
   • 1 cupgranulated sugar
   • 3 largelarge eggs
   • 1 ½ tspvanilla extract

3. Step 3

   Alternately add the dry ingredients and whole milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.

   • ½ cupwhole milk
   • ½ cupunsalted butter, softened
   • 1 ½ cupsall-purpose flour
   • 1 ½ tspbaking powder
   • ¼ tspsalt

4. Step 4

   In a small bowl, combine strawberry puree with granulated sugar. Gently fold about one-third of the vanilla batter into the strawberry mixture to create the strawberry batter.

   • ¾ cupfresh strawberries, pureed
   • 2 tbspgranulated sugar

5. Step 5

   Spoon alternating dollops of vanilla and strawberry batter into the prepared pans to create a marbled effect. Use a skewer or knife to gently swirl the batters together without fully blending. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pans on a wire rack.

   • ¾ cupfresh strawberries, pureed
   • 1 cupgranulated sugar

6. Step 6

   For the pastry cream, heat whole milk with the scraped seeds and pod of vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod.

   • 2 cupswhole milk
   • 1 countvanilla bean, split and scraped

7. Step 7

   In a bowl, whisk large egg yolks with granulated sugar and cornstarch until smooth and pale. Gradually whisk in the warm milk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and bubbling, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in unsalted butter until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill until cold.

   • 4 largelarge eggs
   • ¾ cupgranulated sugar
   • ¼ cupcornstarch
   • ½ cupwhole milk
   • 2 tbspunsalted butter

8. Step 8

   For the ganache, place chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly to thicken.

   • 4 ozbittersweet chocolate, chopped
   • ½ cupheavy cream

9. Step 9

   To assemble, level the cooled cakes if needed. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread the chilled pastry cream evenly over it. Top with the second cake layer. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top, allowing some to drip down the sides. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving to set the ganache.