Boston Cream Pie Mug Cake is a cake masquerading as a pie, with it's two layers of vanilla sponge cake filled with vanilla custard and topped with a chocolate glaze. It's a wondrous combination of flavors and textures.
Why you'll love this recipe
Like all of the Monday Box mug cake recipes, anyone with access to a microwave can enjoy this fluffy sponge cake, creamy vanilla filling, and melted dark chocolate topping.
This version of the original Cake in a Mug is made with the magic mixture of one box of vanilla cake mix plus one box of angel food cake mix.
To make an individual cake, three tablespoons of this cake mixture is combined with two tablespoons of water. Toss in two squares of dark chocolate and a tablespoon of shelf-safe vanilla pudding.
In less than one minute in the microwave, your Boston Cream Pie Mug Cake is ready to impress! Allow the cake to cool slightly (to avoid burning your mouth on the hot pudding) or completely (if you are extremely patient).
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix. Shake the bag to mix thoroughly.
- If using a microwaveable mug, lightly coat the inside with non-stick spray (without the spray the cake will not transfer out of the mug.) or use a microwave safe paper cup.
- Into the prepared mug or paper cup, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix and 2 tablespoons of water. Drop two chocolate squares, then 1 tablespoon of pudding, into the center of the batter.
- Microwave on high for 40 seconds- 1 minute. (The pudding heats quickly and can cause the mug cake to pop. In my microwave 40 seconds cooked the cake, any longer and the cake popped.)
- The cake can be eaten right out of the mug/paper cup. If you want to transfer the cake onto a plate, run a knife between the cake and the mug to loosen, then dump out onto a plate. The melted chocolate can be spread with a knife across the top of the cake, to resemble a Boston Cream Pie.
Tips
- This cake is best eaten right from the mug or paper cup in which it is cooked. It can be turned out onto a plate, but doesn’t always hold together. If cooking in a mug, spraying with cooking spray before adding the ingredients makes removing the cake possible and clean-up much easier.
- For care package use, pour the two cake mixes into a gallon-size zip lock bag labeled with directions, add a bag of chocolate squares, snack packs of shelf-safe vanilla pudding, a measuring spoon and a package of microwave safe paper cups or a can of non-stick spray.
- Please note that aerosol cans are not allowed in international care packages. To mail internationally and/or for no clean-up, I highly recommend adding microwave safe paper cups to your military or college care packages.
- An important baking note: Every other microwave mug cake I have made adheres faithfully to the 1 minute cooking time. This cake takes less than 1 minute to cook.I found repeatedly that if this cake is cooked for a full minute, the pudding overheats. The steam from the boiling pudding pushes the cake above it causing the cake to pop.
- Sometimes the whole top popped off, attaching itself to the top of the microwave. Not a good thing. Even putting a small plate as a cover on top of the cup did not help. The cake pushed the plate right off! In 40 seconds on high power, my Boston Cream Pie Mug Cake was cooked to perfection.
More microwave mug cakes
Orange Mug Cake is a sunshiny cup of vanilla cake and sweet-tart marmalade.
Combine fluffy yellow mug cake and pineapple sundae topping for a moist and flavorful Pineapple Mug Cake.
4th of July Mug Cake is a red, white, and blue serving of patriotic funfetti cake bursting with sweet cherry and blueberry pie filling.
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Boston Cream Pie Cake in a Mug
Ingredients
- 1 box Angel Food Cake mix
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- Non-stick spray
- Water
- 48 Chocolate squares 2 per mug
- 8 Shelf-safe vanilla pudding snack packs 1 individual snack pack container per 3 mugs
Instructions
- In a gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix. Shake the bag to mix thoroughly.
- If using a microwaveable mug, lightly coat the inside with non-stick spray (without the spray the cake will not transfer out of the mug.) or use a microwave safe paper cup.
- (Here comes the 3-2-1 part) Into the prepared mug or paper cup, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix and 2 tablespoons of water. Drop two chocolate squares, then 1 tablespoon of pudding, into the center of the batter.
- Microwave on high for 40 seconds- 1 minute. (The pudding heats quickly and can cause the mug cake to pop. In my microwave 40 seconds cooked the cake, any longer and the cake popped.)
- The cake can be eaten right out of the mug/paper cup. If you want to transfer the cake onto a plate, run a knife between the cake and the mug to loosen, then dump out onto a plate. The melted chocolate can be spread with a knife across the top of the cake, to resemble a Boston Cream Pie.
Pensiunea Memo Brasov
Cazare Rasnov
It's impressive that you are getting thoughts from this
post as well as from our dialogue made here.
themondaybox
Thanks!
M.L.Joynes
This looks great! But, I wondered what chocolate squares are you you referring to. I am not sure what to buy. Thank you 😊
Wendy Sondov
Originally, when I first made these mug cakes, I used Dove chocolate individual squares, as shown in the ingredients photo. However, I am now very conscious of buying only slave free chocolate so I buy chocolate bars by slave free brands (Divine, Beyond Good, Guittard., etc.) and break them into small squares. You don't have to be exact with the amount of chocolate in this recipe.
Diane
Your Boston Cream Pie Cake looks wonderful! As soon as I can dig out of this snow I'm going to get the ingredients! Is there really any difference as to what brand of mix you use? Do you think sugar free vanilla pudding would be okay to use (there's enough sugar in it already)? When I mix the batter it seems quite thin and whenever I add something (like choc. chips) they sink to the bottom. I am using level tablespoons cake mix. My microwave is 1250 watts and if I double the mix it takes 1 min and 25 sec.
themondaybox
Thanks, Diane! All brands seem to work the same. The only difference I have found is slight variations in flavor just as there is when the mix is used for regular cake. I have not tried it, but I think sugar free pudding would be identical. 3-2-1 batter is quite thin (if you mix it for awhile it seems to thicken a bit) but that is normal. Most add-ins will sink to the bottom of the mug, which is how the melted chocolate ends up on the top when I dump out the cake. I used a stack of chocolate squares for the Molten Lava 3-2-1 cakes to make the chocolate remain inside. Something very light (like sprinkles) would distribute throughout but chocolate chips and candy do sink. Please make sure to heed the warning of less cooking time than usual when you add pudding. I cooked mine for 40 seconds or the boiling pudding would cause the cake to pop. Enjoy your 3-2-1 Boston Cream Pie Cake!
Ashley
I'm not the biggest pie person - I usually just pick around the filling and eat the crust though! haha I shouldn't be reading blogs at night ... now all I want is dessert. And this boston cream pie cake is so fun - I love it!
themondaybox
Thanks, Ashley! You and I could happily share a slice of pie. Scrape out the filling onto my plate and you can have the crust on yours! 🙂 Boston Cream Pie is really cake...so I think we should each get our own slice. 🙂
Cate @ Chez CateyLou
This looks delicious, and I love that you made it in a mug! Perfect for the nights when you just need something sweet ASAP!
themondaybox
Thanks, Cate! 3-2-1 Cake is defintely perfect for anyone with a desperate case of the munchies! Quick and sweet hits the spot! 🙂
Mrs. DeYarmond
Oh. My. Goodness. This sounds like heaven !! It's ten pm in France and your pictures make me craving !!
This is a huuuge pleasure to come back in the blogosphere and realize that you're still an amazing baking blogger !
It sounds delicious and incredibly easy ! Thanks for shearing such a wonderful recipe !
Love Wendy !
themondaybox
Thanks, Sarah! I have missed having you in the blogosphere! I hope it was just the demands of school that kept you away. 🙂 3-2-1 Cakes are not meant to take the place of real baking. But they do hit the spot when an individual serving of something sweet imediately is what you are looking for. 🙂
Sarah @ The Cook's Life
I missed out on National Pie Day too. I enjoy people's posts, but I do wonder who makes up these "days." I LOVE Boston cream pie and your version looks fabulous. I have only made a big one once, but it wasn't a success. I need to master pastry cream first. Mine was too runny and it all squished out onto the plate when I put the top layer on. It was tasty, but ended up being more of a trifle than a Boston cream pie. 🙂
themondaybox
Oooo, Sarah, Boston Cream Pie Trifle sounds wonderful to me! Forget the pie shape. I think you should post a recipe for trifle! Seriously! Sometimes one must embrace the unexpected. 🙂
I think the made up food holidays are ridiculous. The idea of celebrating pie, or cookies, or marshmallows is silly but it does serve as occasional post inspiration and frequent smiles. 🙂
shannon
little known fact: boston cream pie [cake] is my favorite. it's SO my favorite, that i never make it for fear that a) i won't do it right and b) if i manage to actually do it right, i'll eat it. ALL. It's safe to say that seeing these makes me fearful only because this means i could have boston cream pie all the time. easily.
also this makes me want to make a full size version. obviously i'm hungry this morning.
as for national {insert food here} days...i can't do it. i know everyone gets excited and has fun with them, but to me? another self-imposed deadline to stress over. i didn't celebrate either, so don't feel bad. 🙂
themondaybox
I publicly volunteer to assist you in devouring any and all attempts you make on Boston Cream Pie....actually, Shannon, knowing your cooking skills, I happily volunteer to assist you in devouring anything you cook (as long as no nuts are involved...your black walnuts would literally kill me!) My mom used to make Boston Cream Pie for my brother's birthdays. I have never made "the real thing". Its a skill on my bucket list.
National{insert food} days make me smile. Every now and then they give me an idea for what to write in a post. But honestly, after reading a dozen posts on the food of the day, I get pretty sick of the food of the day! 🙂
Mama's Gotta Bake
Oh my, I am ashamed to admit it, but I had no idea that it was National Pie Day. I actually LOVE crust! Now this pie looks delish and so easy.
themondaybox
Hard to keep up with all of these important culinary dates, Sheryl! 🙂 I count on the highly organized bloggers who adhere to editorial calendars made out way in advance to keep me informed. 🙂 3-2-1 Cakes are both fun and easy. With the pudding and melted chocolate this one covers all the bases for sweet cravings.
gottagetbaked
Whaaaaaat?! This luscious, chocolatey, heavenly concoction was made in the microwave with cake mix?! My mind has now been officially blown. Girl, you're brilliant. I am pinning so that I can satisfy my next Boston cream pie craving in 40 seconds!
themondaybox
Nancy, your enthusiasm always makes me smile! Thank you!! I love your baking, I love your blog, and I truly appreciate your supportive comments!
As for this Boston Cream Pie cake....All 3-2-1 cakes are fun because they are fast and because they are magic. Some taste good because they have hot, sweet, gooey things added. This one is all of those PLUS it actually tastes like the real thing in instant gratification single serving size!
gottagetbaked
I always love your wonderful comments too. The admiration is completely mutual!
chrisscheuer
What a fun great and it's amazingly adaptable!
themondaybox
Thanks, Chris! I was slow to embrace the adaptability and appeal of 3-2-1 cake, but once I did the possible variations seem limitless! Its a fun, magic treat for those with no oven but access to a microwave. 🙂