This dessert is easy to make, which makes it a great option whether you eat gluten-free food yourself or are entertaining someone who does.
You can, of course, make a full-sized Boston Cream Pie, but there are benefits to the small ones. First of all, they are much cuter and more of a showstopper, presentation-wise. Secondly, you can eat lots and lots of them because they are so extremely tiny. Each one is about the quarter of the size of a muffin.
This version relies on a boxed cake mix. The gluten-free Betty Crocker cakes are very good. I was taught to bake by my mother, a scratch baker, and baking from scratch is always my first instinct. However, it’s great to have a simple gluten-free dessert solution on hand. Especially one that you know will turn out. And, if you are not gluten-free yourself, it gives you a foolproof plain cake that you can use for all kinds of desserts for your gluten-free friends and family.
The recipe for the Boston Cream Pie these are based on, fittingly, also comes from Betty Crocker.
Makes 48 miniature cakes
Adapted from Boston Cream Pie, Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1983, Tenth Printing)
Make up one box of Betty Crocker gluten-free yellow cake mix according to the instructions and bake the batter in two 24-cup mini muffin pans, with cases, for 15-18 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and let cool completely before unwrapping them. Split in half with a knife. Fill with the custard filling (see below) and ice with the chocolate glaze (see below).
If you want to make a full-sized cake, bake the mix in one 9-inch round pan for 35 minutes (grease pan and line with parchment paper before adding the batter). Cool for ten minutes with the pan inverted, remove from pan and let cool completely. Cut the round in half. Fill with the custard and ice with the glaze.
Once you have assembled your cakes, refrigerate them until you are ready to serve them.
Custard Filling
1 1/2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/3 cup white sugar
3 Tbs cornstarch
shake of salt
2 tsp vanilla
Beat the egg yolks and milk together in a bowl. Set aside. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a medium-sized saucepan with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk and egg mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for two to 24 hours in the fridge.
Chocolate Glaze
2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
3 Tbs butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbs hot water
Melt chocolate and butter together over low heat. Remove from stove; stir in icing sugar and vanilla. Stir in water, one teaspoon at a time, until glaze is the desired consistency.
A Flour By Any Other Name 
[…] of bulgur. It had black beans, red pepper, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. For dessert, we had Mini Boston Cream Pies (made with gluten-free cake). We finished up with glasses of […]