In Boston, people take their signature dishes seriously, and rightly so! This is why on October 23rd every year, National Boston Cream Pie Day is a fun, yet significant day on the calendar for many. This cake is like no other, and you would be forgiven for wondering just what it is, even upon the first bite! Still, there is plenty of fun to be had, so let’s find out more.

What Is National Boston Cream Pie Day?

To trace the origins of this cake/pudding delight, we need to travel back to 1856. It was this year that French chef Augustine Francois Anezin first made the Boston Cream Pie at the Boston Parker House Hotel. But what exactly is it, you ask? Well, it is a combination of many things, starting with two layers of sponge cake, then either cream or vanilla custard, and topped with a chocolate ganache or similar.

It was the chocolate topping that served as the novelty that made it so popular. Chocolate was still an unusual ingredient, hence why the Boston Cream Pie became so sought after. Back then, it was made with a butter sponge and brushed with rum syrup. The sides were decorated with toasted almonds, and although it has lost some of these additions, it hasn’t lost its identity as a quirky cake. Because cakes and pies were baked in the same pans back then – which may go some way towards explaining its thick filling – it is believed that early versions were baked in pie tins.

Yes, it is a strange combination, but it works. So much so that Boston named it their official dessert in 1996. Not bad for a mishmash of a cake. In 2010, students at Hampshire University broke the world record for the world’s largest Boston Cream Pie. It measured 1.5 feet tall and 10 feet wide!

How To Observe National Boston Cream Pie Day?

As with any national culinary day, we always recommend trying the dish for yourself. Better still, why not bake your own? There are plenty of recipes available that can make this an easy yet rewarding experience, and of course, you can always customize it to add a little twist of your own. The cake is always best shared with friends, so make sure you have a lunch date or coffee arranged with someone around October 23rd.

Get involved online and use the hashtag #NationalBostonCreamPieDay to find out how other people’s creations are going. Make it with the kids and get them to share in the fun.

If you want to go all-in, why not opt for a Boston-themed party and make more of their signature dishes, topped off with Boston Cream Pie. This means making Clam Chowder, lobster mac n cheese, fish and chips, and whatever else you can discover.

Whatever you do, don’t leave it so long before making this famous Boston dish. There is a reason why it has stood the test of time and is still going strong over 250 years since its creation.