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Home » Dessert » Cake » Boston Cream Cake Roll

Boston Cream Cake Roll

Created: March 23, 2017 Updated: October 26, 2020 by lyuba 28 Comments

33.6K shares
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A classic favorite Boston Cream Cake made into a cake roll. Soft, fluffy cake is rolled with creamy homemade custard and topped with a layer of rich chocolate ganache.

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top view Boston Cream Cake Roll with a piece cut off on a cutting board with a whisk in the background

Let’s talk about self control for a minute…

Let’s imagine this cake. This luscious, soft cake with creamy homemade custard and rich chocolate ganache on top. It’s pretty, it smells amazing and it’s one of your favorites.

Now imagine you are gluten free and you can’t have it. Yeah, tears! That was me, making this divine cake for my husband’s birthday. One of my favorite cakes and his all times favorite cake, made into a cake roll, and I can not have any. I surprised hubby with it spring training tickers for his birthday and while he was away, I made him this version of his favorite cake. The whole time I was making it, I just wanted to dive into the custard and I really wanted to devour the cut off ends of the cake…but nooooo, it’s not gluten free. So I had to wait, somewhat impatiently, for my guys to come home and taste the cake.

Boston Cream Cake Roll on a wood cutting board

They whole time they were enjoying the cake, I was like a hungry dog, sitting there, watching them eat this cake. Have you ever seen a dog, wanting a bite of your food so badly that it follows your fork from the plate to your mouth…from the plate to your mouth…from the plate to your mouth? That was me, watching my boys devour this cake. (And, even get up and get a second slice.) I’m pretty sure that I had the same pitiful look on my face too, and the sad puppy eyes.

And even though I could not enjoy this birthday cake with them, I very much enjoyed watching their face like they were eating something straight out of heaven. That’s almost as satisfying as eating the cake…almost.

Boston Cream Cake Roll with a slice on a wood cutting board with a whisk with chocolate on it

Boston Cream Cake Roll

Soft, fluffy cake is rolled with creamy homemade custard and topped with a layer of rich chocolate ganache.
4.75 from 12 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Boston Cream, cake, cake roll
Servings: 1 cake roll
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • Custard:
  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • ⅔ cup of heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Cake:
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup white granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • Ganache:
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream boiling

Instructions

  • Custard can be prepared a couple of hours ahead of time or a day before. I like to make it the day before because I can split the work in two days and custard gets a good amount of time to cool and set in the fridge.
  • Custard:
  • Vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until completely combined and lightened. Add flour and corn starch, whisk very well and set aside while heating the milk.
  • Heat milk, heavy cream, butter and salt until simmering.
  • Slowly add heated milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture stirring constantly. Whisk well, slowly. Return the mixture into the pot and bring to simmer stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken within a few minutes. (Keep whisking the custard while it's cooking, do not walk away or it will be nothing but lumps.) Take off heat! Whisk in the vanilla, set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Transfer custard into a container, cover it with saran wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least two hours.
  • Cake:
  • Preheat oven to 375 and line 17x11x1 pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil spray (make sure to get the sides too).
  • Beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes until thick and light yellow.
  • Slowly beat in granulated sugar.
  • Lower speed to low and add water and vanilla extract.
  • Still on low, slowly add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat just until batter is smooth. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and mix just until combined.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
  • Bake for 8 minutes and touch the center of the cake to make sure it's done.
  • Run a spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Let it rest for a couple of minutes.
  • Generously sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with powder sugar. Carefully, turn the cake pan upside down onto the towel. Gently remove parchment paper. Trim off crusty edges if necessary.
  • While the cake is still hot, gently roll cake with the towel from narrow end (don't make it too tight and don't press).
  • Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
  • Gently unroll the cake. Spread cold custard all over the cake, leaving about an inch and a half one of the short ends(not the one you start rolling on). You might have a little bit custard left over.
  • Carefully roll the cake back up (starting with the side that has filling to the edge) and place cake on the serving dish, seam down.
  • Ganache:
  • Bring heavy cream to boil, be careful not to let it actually boil or it will raise.
  • Pour boiling cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Let it cool for a few minutes.
  • Pour ganache over the top of the cake roll and gently spread it around.
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

Boston Cream Cake Roll on a wood cutting board

Boston Cream Cake Roll with a slice on a wood cutting board

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collage top photo Boston Cream Cake Roll 2nd photo with frosting being poured over it, 3rd photo cake roll on a cutting board, last photo is a slice of cake on a cutting board

Some More Cake Recipes From Me:

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LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

33.6K shares

Filed Under: Cake, Dessert Tagged With: Boston cream, cake roll

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

    March 24, 2017 at 7:53 am

    What a gorgeous cake, Lyuba. Years and years ago I made the Bostom Cream Cake several times. I loved making it but the recipe has gotten cobwebs in the cookbook. I think it was my first Betty Crocker Cookbook 🙂 I especially like how you made it into a roll – the presentation is so much nicer. I’ve already pinned it. Have a great weekend. I’ll be leaving your state next Thursday — the weather has warmed up in the North.

    Reply
    • Lyuba says

      March 31, 2017 at 9:42 pm

      Thank you, Marisa! I hope you have a safe trip!

      Reply
  2. Bev says

    March 24, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    I’ll bet this would make a great jelly roll. 🙂 None of the bakeries in my area carry them any more. I have no idea why. They are no harder to make, than a cream roll, filled cake. Go figure.

    Reply
    • Lyuba says

      March 31, 2017 at 9:44 pm

      Very true, Bev. Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Erin Corbin says

    December 16, 2017 at 8:23 am

    This looks delicious! Will it make a big difference to use 2% milk instead of whole milk in the custard? I have all the other ingredients on hand and hoped to avoid a trip to the store before I can make it!

    Reply
  4. Iman says

    June 1, 2018 at 9:23 am

    The custard was wonderful but the cake didn’t rise AT ALL!
    I made it THREE TIMES!
    i did everything exactly according to the recipe
    Could you give a reason to WHY this happened

    Reply
    • lyuba says

      June 6, 2018 at 10:33 am

      My goodness, I’m actually stumped. This is a cake base that I use for all my cake rolls but I haven’t had a problem before. The only things I can think of is may be a problem with the baking powder itself? May be try a freshly bought baking powder? I also use all purpose flour.
      I’m sorry I’m not exactly sure what went wrong 🙁

      Reply
  5. Bobbi says

    September 17, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe!
    I just tried it and it turned out great!

    Reply
  6. Roger says

    December 12, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    5 stars
    i have made this cake many times, it is a great dessert!
    Occasionally the cake layer cracks after I unroll it – before adding the cream layer, any suggestions?
    Of course it gets covered by the chocolate anyway.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      December 23, 2019 at 8:58 am

      Hi, Roger! I am so happy to heat you have made this many times 🙂 You can try rolling it before it cools all the way down to help with the cracking.

      Reply
      • Roger says

        December 24, 2019 at 12:39 pm

        5 stars
        I will try that., I am going to make it today and roll it very loose> I will let you know how it works out1

        Reply
        • LyubaB says

          December 26, 2019 at 8:35 am

          I hope it works! Let me know! 🙂

          Reply
  7. Patricia A Cahill says

    August 14, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    Boston Cream anything for me. I love it. Can’t wait to make this and happy I found you.
    Pat

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      August 17, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      Well thanks, Patricia! I am so glad to have you here! I hope you love it as much as I did! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Allain says

    September 16, 2020 at 6:11 pm

    They look so yummy…I’ll try to make all of your Roll recipe❤️..

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      September 17, 2020 at 8:28 am

      I hope you enjoy them all! Thank you, Allain!

      Reply
  9. Laney says

    November 5, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    This was delicious! I did end up with a bit of a tough cake though. I couldn’t cut it easily with a sharp knife. Do you think I over baked it? I’m slo really not sure what the texture is supposed to be like. The flavor was fantastic!

    Reply
  10. luce says

    December 23, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    Too many publicity, very annoying trying to read your blog post…It jumps all the time…

    Reply
  11. sara thayer says

    April 11, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    I can”t wait to make this. It is my husband’s favorite cake just a new version. I will let you know how it comes out.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      April 12, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      Yes, let me know! I hope he loves it! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Oksana says

    May 27, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    5 stars
    I’m making mine today for eating tomorrow. Do I keep it in the fridge or at room temperature? Thanks!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      May 28, 2021 at 2:33 pm

      Hi, You will want to keep it refrigerated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, pull the cake out of the refrigerator about 30 min to an hour before serving so the frosting softens.

      Reply
  13. Joann Steffens says

    July 1, 2021 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent cake always a hit when I bring it to a gathering.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      July 5, 2021 at 11:14 am

      Thank you, Joann! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  14. Deb says

    August 25, 2021 at 12:15 pm

    4 stars
    The custard and the ganache were great, but I had a similar problem as someone above with the cake not rising much at all and coming out a bit chewy. (Used a fresh can of baking powder.) In my baking experience, I’ve always separated the whites and yolks for a jelly roll-type cake, and used a 10 x 15 baking sheet. It was hard to spread the amount of batter over an 11 x 17, especially with the cooking spray. Anyway, I thought the custard was just divine.

    Reply
  15. Pat Gray says

    January 16, 2022 at 11:51 am

    I’m anxious to try this !
    Any thoughts or tips for a high altitude version? I’m at 5,400 ft. Thanks!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      January 18, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      I am so sorry, I am not familiar with high-altitude baking at all!

      Reply
  16. Lynn says

    February 15, 2022 at 12:43 pm

    I think the ratio would be better with more filling. I just made this. Also, I think it would be better to make the custard on the same day. The cake would absorb a little more of the filling if it weren’t so cold.

    Reply

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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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