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National Boston Cream Pie Day

Food · October 23

A day for Boston cream pie, the layered cake filled with vanilla custard and topped with chocolate glaze, despite the word pie in its name.

National Boston Cream Pie Day falls on Saturday, October 23, 2027. That is 361 days away.

Boston cream pie is a cake. It has two rounds of sponge or butter cake, a thick layer of vanilla pastry cream between them, and a pour of chocolate glaze over the top that drips a little down the sides.

The name is the first thing people ask about. Older American cooks used the word pie loosely, and cakes baked in pie tins sometimes kept the label. This one never let it go. You may also see it written as Boston creme pie, with the French spelling, which changes nothing about the custard.

Each layer does a different job. The cake is light and plain, the cream is cool and soft, and the chocolate brings the only real bitterness. A good slice holds its shape for about three seconds before the filling starts to lean. Bakers chill it so the cream sets, and many slice with a warm knife to keep the glaze from cracking.

People mark the day by baking one at home, picking up a slice from a local bakery, or trying the flavor in another form. Boston cream doughnuts, filled with the same custard and dipped in chocolate, are a common shortcut. Home bakers often make the pastry cream a day ahead, since it needs hours in the fridge to firm up.

If you bake one, cool the cake layers completely before adding the filling. Warm cake turns custard runny.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake a Boston cream pie and let the custard chill overnight.
• Share a slice from a neighborhood bakery with a friend.
• Try a Boston cream doughnut and compare it with the cake.
• Practice making vanilla pastry cream from scratch.

Dates

All national days on October 23

Also on October 23

• National Horror Movie Day
• Mole Day
• Swallows Depart from San Juan Capistrano Day
• Make a Difference Day

Categories: Food days