Boston Cream Cupcakes

Heat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray top of muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Sift cake flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and baking soda. Set aside. With a mixer, cream butter and 1 cup sugar on high speed. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla. Add 1/3 of cake flour, beat until barely combined. Beat in half of buttermilk. Alternate between cake flour and buttermilk, ending with the last of cake flour. Divide batter between cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cupcakes are domed and beginning to turn golden. Let them cool.

Have a strainer over a heat-proof bowl ready near the stove. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, all-purpose flour, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Whisk in 2 egg yolks to form a paste. Warm the milk in a small saucepan just until it begins to steam. Remove from heat and pour a little into the egg mixture. Quickly whisk eggs to thin out paste. Slowly pour the rest of milk into the eggs while continuing to whisk. Pour the milk and egg mixture back into saucepan and set over medium heat. Whisk constantly while it starts to thicken. Keep whisking so eggs don’t cook. When cream thickens to the consistency of pudding, stop whisking and check for bubbles. As soon as bubbles are popping on the surface, cream is done. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour cream through strainer set over bowl, stirring as it falls through. The strainer will catch any eggs that started to curdle. Press a piece of wax paper to the surface of the cream and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Use a paring knife to cut cones from the center of each cupcake. Angle knife toward center and cut a quarter-size circle. Fill the hole with a tablespoon or two of cooled cream filling.

To make the glaze, set the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Warm heavy cream until it’s steaming and pour it over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then mix until it forms a thick, glossy glaze. Pour a generous spoonful over each cupcake, spreading it out with the back of the spoon. Serve immediately or refrigerate until glaze is set.