Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Yes, I am still posting from Africa. No, this is not a leftover recipe from my time at home. I made cupcakes this weekend! It was the perfect way to spend Saturday and Sunday afternoons after work, and I got to share these with my roommates and bible study group Sunday evening. My Australian roommate could not get over how sweet it was that I was taking them to bible study. I then explained to her how I had rarely been to a bible study without food, snacks, or dessert :)

In honor of my sister's 16th birthday, I decided to  remake these cupcakes we had once made together. They were good the first time, but really messy. So my first time baking in Congo seemed like a great time to try to fix something that didn't work in America...

That and the ship shop was perfectly stocked to make these cupcakes, and only these.

I had to search long and hard to find a good vanilla cake recipe, because all my favorites used buttermilk and other ingredients I do not have here. I did use boxed pudding mix and canned icing, but you do what you gotta do!

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

- Vanilla pudding mix and milk, instant or cook & serve

- 1 1/2 C flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 C milk
- 1/2 C (1 stick) or approx. 115 grams, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 C sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Chocolate frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350* F. Or 175* C. In case you ever need to know. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Have silicone cupcake liners. Will travel.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla. I added a drop of almond extract here too.

My sugar and flour come in small bags...

3. Beat butter and sugar until together, until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.

This is 250g of butter-from which I had to figure 1/2 C.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, alternately add dry ingredients and milk/vanilla mixture. Do not over mix.

5. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full, do not over fill or they will be hard to assemble. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

6. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then completely on cooling rack.

- While cupcakes are baking, make pudding. Chill. Either while they are cooling or overnight. I made cupcakes and pudding one afternoon, then assembled the next.

7. Using a sharp nice, cut middle out of cupcake. I found it easier to score with a knife, then scoop out the middle with a teaspoon. Save the middles!

8. Fill each center with pudding. I again used a teaspoon for this. Replace tops of cupcakes. I had to trim some of the center off so the top would sit flush. I ate the extras.

9. Ice with chocolate frosting. If you are going to serve these more than 2 hours after assembly, refrigerate and then bring to room temperature before serving.

Fun facts/things I learned:


- There are some excellent cooks on this ship. Be friends with them. Here are some of the things being made around me.

Apple pie- it smelled even better than it looked,
if that's possible.

Chips- fried plantains. So good. I paid close attention,
maybe I will attempt this one day...

 

- Eggs are expensive, 40 cents a piece. I will have to a) ration or b) find cheaper eggs

- Milk comes in a carton. That doesn't have to be refrigerated. Not so good for drinking, but it works!

- iPhones/ internet are necessary during cooking for these conversions

- Cupcakes are good for making friends. And you will never have any leftovers :)

And here's a tour of my new, giant kitchen-