Recipe: Boston Cream Pie (Gold Cake, Custard Cream Filling and Chocolate Icing)

BOSTON CREAM PIE

FOR THE GOLD CAKE:
2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
Custard Cream Filling (recipe follows)
Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans.

Sift flour again with baking powder and salt; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer until light in color, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition. Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Turn cakes out; cool completely on racks.

Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with thick layer of Custard Cream Filling. Top with second cake layer. Frost with Chocolate Icing.

Note: If desired, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Spread filling evenly between three layers.

CUSTARD CREAM FILLING

1 1/2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 to 4 large egg yolks, beaten

Heat milk and vanilla bean in medium saucepan over medium heat to just below boiling. Place sugar, flour and egg yolks in top of double boiler over simmering water. Add milk and scrapings from inside of vanilla bean. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat; stir. Cool mixture completely.

CHOCOLATE ICING

4 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water. Stir in cream and vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until smooth.

Make 1 (2-layer) cake, 12 servings
Adapted from source: The Joy of Cooking