What Is Boston Cream Pie And Was It Actually Invented In The City?

Boston cream pie is a well-known dessert, but its name is a bit of a mystery. It is logical to assume the dessert originated in Boston based on its name; however, its name also implies that the dessert is a pie, which isn't quite the case. So what's the story?

Boston cream pie is a cake-like dessert made out of two layers of golden sponge cake sandwiched around a creamy custard filling and covered in a signature chocolate fondant icing. It is sometimes topped with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar or swirled with a pattern of white icing. The dessert may also feature a layer of sliced almonds pressed along the sides.

The classic American dessert has become a mainstay in bakeries and is often available behind display cases at grocery stores. It was named the official state dessert of Massachusetts in 1996. It may even be superseded in fame by its miniature counterpart, the Boston cream donut. Regardless of its popularity, the backstory of the Boston cream pie remains unclear.

Origin stories of the decadent dessert include a lot of "maybes:" It may have been invented in a Boston hotel. It may have been created by a French chef. Like a lot of origin stories of well-known foods, the history of the Boston cream pie is based on rumors, some more prevalent than others. Here's what we know:

Omni Parker House, a hotel located along the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, claims to have created and served the first Boston cream pie. A French chef named Sanzian allegedly made the dessert for the opening of the hotel (then called the Parker House Hotel) in 1856. At the time, the dessert was allegedly served as the "Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie." 

As for the "pie" identifier, the name may have been a result of baking trends in the 1800s. Bakers in New England were known for cakes and pies, which were often similar in style, according to What's Cooking America, especially compared with today's pies. Early Boston cream pies may have also been made using pie tins, which were more common than cake pans at the time.

If all this talk of Boston cream pie has your stomach rumbling, don't worry, because we have a recipe for you. Omni Hotels shares a recipe for the "original" Boston cream pie on its blog.

To make it, you will need several of the typical baking ingredients you likely already have on hand — eggs, sugar, flour, butter, milk, cream, cornstarch, semi-sweet chocolate — plus some extras you might not have in your pantry. Namely, dark rum, fondant, and sliced almonds. If you choose not to make the fondant icing, the blog also includes an alternative icing made with just chocolate and water. The recipe provides directions for making the sponge, the pastry cream filling (ideally you'll want to leave time to chill it overnight), and the chocolate and white icings, which are used together to create the dessert's signature pattern.

If you would prefer to taste the original rather than make one yourself, Boston cream pie is served at Parker's Restaurant in the Omni Hotel. You can also order the Omni Parker House's Boston cream pie for delivery nationwide from Goldbelly.